Radiothon to raise funds for needy students May 24

The Education Trust Fund holds its Third Annual Radio-thon Saturday, May 24, 2008. This year all radio stations on island will play their part to make this activity a successful one. DBS Radio will host a radio-thon from 3-6:00 p.m. which will be relayed by KAIRI FM, Voice of Life will host its own program from 2-4:00 p.m. and Q95 Radio will later confirm its involvement.

Dominicans at home and abroad and supporters of needy students in Dominican schools are once again reminded to join in this major fund raising activity.
Every year, more persons apply for assistance under the fund and more are approved. For the 2007/8 school year, 748 applications were received and 660 were approved. Needy students received assistance for transportation, textbooks, school registration and GCE/CXC examination fees. The radio-thon is a convenient and collective way for supporters and past beneficiaries to help replenish the fund every year.

What is the Education Trust Fund?
The Education Trust Fund is a facility established by an act of Parliament No. 17 of 1981, referred to as the Education Trust Fund Act.

Purpose
The purpose of this fund is to provide financial assistance to students whose families have serious financial difficulties.

Who can get assistance?
The fund focuses on secondary students who without this assistance are unable to continue their education.

How can one get assistance?
Parents requiring assistance complete an application form provided by the Secretary of the Education Trust Fund Board in the Ministry of Education or at the various village council offices.

How can you help the fund?

Although Government provides an annual subvention for students’ assistance, the fund seeks to raise money in order to meet the growing demands for assistance. Funds are raised by donations from persons, clubs, local, regional or international associations and by fund raising activities.

All donations and contributions made to the Fund are tax deductible.
This is an opportunity to share your blessing with those who are not as fortunate as you are.

Who is involved?

For the purpose of administering the Fund, a Board of Trustees consisting of not less than five (5) and not more than seven (7) persons is appointed by the Minister for Education. Members of the Boards hold office for a period of two years.

Operations of the Fund

The Board may grant financial assistance to any student deemed unable to complete his/her education in the absence of such financial assistance. All monies received for and on behalf of the Fund is deposited with a Bank approved by the Board of Trustees in the name of the Education Trust Fund.

For further information, please contact:
The Secretary
Education Trust Fund
Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development, Sports & Youth Affairs
Cornwall Street
Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica
1 767 448 2401
ext 5578 or
1 767 266 5578