The Opposition People’s National Party (PMP) is expressing grave concern at the Government’s handling of its policy regarding the financing of education in Jamaica.

The Opposition Spokesman on Education Basil Waite said he is alarmed that such drastic changes could be contemplated by the Administration, without the requisite stakeholder consultation that would be expected for a critical sector such as education.

According to Senator Waite, while he commends the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) for the tremendous job it continues to do in financing tertiary education, the administration needs to address the likely concerns.

Waite said the implications are grave in the immediate term and in the near future as persons decide to forego plans to pursue tertiary education due to affordability concerns.

He is also questioning how the Government determined that 40 per cent of economic cost is the appropriate amount to be borne by students at a time when the nation has to educate its workforce in order to be globally competitive.