Online feedback

Below are edited comments posted by online readers reacting to the news story that Education Minister Andrew Holness was encouraging parents to start saving early for their children's tertiary education.

Focus on early childhood education

It's always unfortunate when budget cuts need to be made, but I think we are missing the point. The shift of funding should be to shore up early-childhood education. Once we have a good system which teaches children to reason and be logical thinkers, then we are off to a good start.

I don't see the point in making tertiary education more accessible if children are making it to high schools and can't read.

- Uncensored mind

Gov't must increase access

Having a highly-skilled and educated labour force is key to helping Jamaica climb out of the depressed state the nation has found itself in for the past 20 years.

The Government should be coming up with ways to increase access to higher education, not telling persons struggling to make ends meet that they now need to come up with a significantly larger sum than usual to give their child a chance at a brighter future.

- Jamaica Love

Save, with what?

So they want us to start saving ... well they need to start paying people so that you can save. Between the minimum wages and the high cost of living, how do you save in order to give your children a better life?

Sometimes you can't even feed them or yourselves or provide them with the things they need - not to mention "want" - plus pay the bills! Anyone who knows the answer to that situation, please let me know.

- Dreynoldsmac

A backward step

It is rather sad that the Government is reducing the subsidy given to tertiary education, especially when civil servants' salaries are being frozen and cost of living is skyrocketing in line with the global recession.

Considering education is the best thing a parent can give his child; it is a backward step for us as a nation to implement a system which makes it less likely for persons from poor or middle-class background to change their circumstance.

As a nation, the way to encourage growth and transformation of our nation is not by limiting the possibility of an individual's gaining tertiary education. Consideration should be given to better regulating the Student's Loan Bureau so that rich persons who can definitely afford paying tuition fees are not given students' loans and the poorer persons rejected.

- C. Henry, Birmingham, England