Jackson’s “abolished SVGCC fees” pledge raises questions after King’s clarification 

By Admin. Updated 5:12 p.m., Wednesday, September 2, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

A commitment made by Minister of Education Phillip Jackson in Parliament to abolish fees associated with tertiary education at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College (SVGCC) is now being examined alongside a recent clarification from Minister of State in the Ministry of Education Lavern King, who says the Government’s policy does not cover every cost incurred by students.

King addressed the issue during an appearance on Hot97.1 FM on Wednesday as students questioned why they continued to receive invoices ahead of the start of the new academic year despite the Government’s education reform promises.

The discussion follows commitments made by the New Democratic Party (NDP) during the 2025 general election campaign, including promises to abolish CXC and CAPE examination fees, remove admission and administrative charges at SVGCC, and make education more affordable for Vincentian families.

In Parliament on January 29, 2026, during his presentation on the national budget debate, Minister Jackson said the Government had committed to removing financial barriers affecting students at both the secondary and tertiary levels.

Skip to 7:14:32 in the YouTube video broadcast by the Agency for Public Information (API): See: https://www.youtube.com/live/CLfw9LSHViY?feature=shared

While speaking about the Government’s decision to cover CXC examination fees, Jackson said the initiative was designed to ease financial pressure on students and parents.

“This is to honour the Prime Minister’s pledge that we shall pay for all CSEC exam fees to all of our students,” Jackson told Parliament.

He added that the policy would allow students and families to focus more on academic preparation rather than worrying about finding money to pay examination costs.

Jackson then extended the discussion to SVGCC students, stating:

“But the community college students who have left, we haven’t left them by the side. We have committed also to ensuring that the fees associated with the tertiary education at the community college will be abolished…”

He said the Government’s investment in education was aimed at ensuring students could concentrate on making maximum use of educational opportunities available to them.

Jackson’s statements resemble those of Dr. Godwin Friday, who, while as Opposition Leader in November 2025, pledged to abolish fees at the SVGCC.

Backt then, Dr. Friday addressed parents’ concerns about escalating costs at both secondary schools and the Community College. Dr. Friday pledged to eliminate these charges entirely, noting that fees have become a barrier to access. “Exam papers and school fees are part of your education,” he said. “They will be abolished.”  

However, in her clarification on Wednesday (September 2), King said the Government’s promise had been interpreted too broadly by some members of the public.

“I think there’s a conflating of those policy positions and several things are actually happening,” she said.

According to King, the Government’s commitment to “no fees” specifically applies to CXC and CAPE examination fees, with the State covering the cost of up to nine subjects.

“When you write your CXC… you will not have to pay those fees at all,” King said. “Similarly, when you’re doing CAPE… you’ll pay no fees on those.”

She explained that the SVGCC-related reform was separate, involving the removal of administration and registration fees, as well as admission fees, rather than the elimination of every cost associated with attending the institution.

King said students would continue to pay programme-related expenses where courses require specialised materials, laboratory facilities or consumable supplies.

Using Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology as an example, she said students still contribute towards items such as refrigerant gas used during practical training.

“Those are the fees that the students are incurring because you have a little skin in the game in your education as well,” she said.

King also highlighted reductions in programme costs, noting that Business Accounting students in the Division of Technical and Vocational Education (DTVE), who previously paid EC$1,190, are now paying EC$605.

She said some students have seen reductions of up to 49 per cent, while others have benefited from reductions of approximately 32 per cent.

However, questions remain regarding an EC$20 payment required from incoming SVGCC students before applications could be processed.

While King said registration fees had been waived, she did not address whether that EC$20 payment falls under the category of fees removed by the Government.

The differing interpretations of the policy have fuelled public discussion over whether the Government’s original messaging created expectations that all SVGCC-related charges would be eliminated.

Jackson’s January statement referred broadly to “fees associated with tertiary education at the community college” being abolished, while King’s latest explanation has clarified that the policy applies to specific categories of fees and not all expenses linked to tertiary education.

The Ministry of Education has maintained that the Government has honoured its commitments through the removal of CXC and CAPE examination fees, abolition of SVGCC admission, administration and registration fees, and reductions in other education-related costs.

END