The minister’s comments came after anti-crime activist Rodney Moncur posted a picture of a young girl holding up a sign that said "Desmond Bannister and Mr. Clarke, Why do I have to pay $100 to go to school?"
The picture was posted on the popular social networking website, Facebook.
According to Mr. Moncur, the child’s unemployed mother was unable to pay the fee and is refusing to let her child attend primary school in September.
But, during a press conference at the Ministry of Education, Minister Bannister dispelled rumours that parents have to pay a fee for their child to attend a public school.
"I wish to confirm for the public record that no fees are charged for the admission of any child to a public school," he told reporters.
"Further no child is to be denied entry into any public school for any financial reason whatsoever."
Minister Bannister, however, explained that children are instead charged a registration fee, which he said further assists parents, but is not mandatory.
"When the government was elected in 2007, we met a system in place where schools were seeking to assist parents by charging registration fees. These fees permitted parents to pay one fee to the school to cover items such as P.E uniforms and for group insurance coverage for their children, thereby eliminating the need for parents to have scramble all over town to have to deal with these matters themselves," he said.
The minister further explained that there were some difficulties with this system because there was no uniformity between schools.
"Some schools provided no registration fees whatsoever, which made it prohibitive for parents to seek to secure insurance coverage for their children. At one school the registration fee was as high as $400, which was clearly excessive," he said.
Minister Bannister said during former Education Minister Carl Bethel’s tenure he sought to reduce the costs so that parents would receive more for their money.
He said parents who agreed to pay the fee would receive full P.E kits, school crests and in some cases, school neckties.
The fee also covers insurance for the child for the entire year.
"Similar opportunities were provided so that parents of junior and senior high school- aged students could avail themselves of inexpensive group insurance, which many parents could not otherwise afford," Minister Bannister said.
The minister also took the opportunity to blast Mr. Moncur.
He said the political hopeful never approached him about the problem with the young girl, rather, he chose to post pictures on Facebook.
Minister Bannister said he attempted to reach out to Mr. Moncur and told him that the principal of Sir Gerald Cash would contact the Department of Social Services to ensure that the child got assistance with uniforms and insurance.
"At that time, I admonished Mr. Moncur to ensure that the child was taken to the school to be registered. That was last week. I was astonished to learn this past Monday that the child had not been taken to school to be registered," he said.
"This week I was appalled to see a child’s photograph posted on the Internet holding a sign with my name. As a political figure I expect that I will be attacked publicly; however, I do not expect innocent children to be used in this manner. I was particularly appalled because I am told that even when these images are removed they can still be recalled from cyberspace in perpetuity."
Minister Bannister said when the matter was raised in parliament earlier in the week he expressed his "disgust" at the manner in which an innocence child was used.
"I do not want to see a single child facing possible stigma from classmates because of postings such as this one," he said.
- Austin DWI - New York DWI