SNP leader Wavel Ramkalawan has asked that the particular difficulties of Praslin and La Digue students be taken into account in considering the level of student allowances. Students from the smaller islands face additional expenses in pursuing their education on Mahé he pointed out and should not be assessed in the same way as those from Mahe.
Education minister Macsuzy Mondon, said that allowances for post-secondary students would be revised in the 2011 budget. The students from the two islands receive R500 over the ordinary allowance.
Other members made the point that some students were not getting any allowance although their parents had applied. The minister said she did not see why that should be the case since all students get an allowance of R450 even if they did not qualify for assistance.
SNP member David Pierre expressed the belief that post-secondary students should get a 100% increase since prices had doubled since the devaluation in 2008.
Apart from the amount of allowances, no mechanism was in place to provide secondary and post-secondary students with the opportunity to work during holidays. Minister Mondon confirmed as much in her answer to a question by SNP member Gervais Henrie. The ministry was not doing anything along those lines, she said, but parents were free to find a part-time job for their children. In post-secondary institutions, all programmes were accompanied with ‘work attachment’, but financial reward was at the discretion of the organization.
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