Foggo believes education will be available to all students

Shadow Education Minister Lovitta Foggo is confident that Bermuda College President Dr Duranda Green will do all she can to ensure that students who can’t  afford to attend, will.

Ms Foggo was speaking to our newspaper in the wake of the recent announcement that within the next two years, Bermuda College tuition will no longer be free to locals. Dr Green recently informed students of the reduction in tuition discounts. 

Starting this fall, during the 2014-2015 period, tuition discounts will be halved while no discounts will be offered during the following academic year. 

Dr Green said the reduction in the budget allocation was the reason for the cuts. 

The Bermuda College began the free tuition initiative in the fall term of 2011.

Ms Foggo said: “We have seen the budget for education being slashed in these last few consecutive years and what this has meant for the Bermuda College is that that grant they relied on to grant free tuition is no longer in existence. They will take a 7 percent cut, then 5 percent next fiscal year, then a three percent cut the year after which means that in terms of the grant...it’s non-existent. 

“However I will say that Dr Green has tried to respond to that by ensuring various financial aid programmes have been put in place to ensure that everything will be done as humanly possible to make sure that finances are there for students who will find this a particular hardship.”

Ms Foggo added that despite the Bermuda College having very affordable rates, it is still difficult for some residents to attend due to economic restraints, but encouraged them to make every effort to take advantage of the educational opportunity. She said students were not surprised by the announcement and were told every effort would be made to ensure that funds were available to them through financial aid and payment plans.