Dear Chief Education Officer,
Graduation was once free. Parents cried, clapped, and watched their children cross the stage. That was the reward for years of sacrifice.
Not anymore. Schools in Antigua now charge parents entrance fees to attend graduation ceremonies. For me this is the final straw.
There isn’t a week or month that passes without another fundraiser. Schools request money for toiletries, for lab use, even though lab fees are already paid, for pencils, pens, and erasers because “children come without none.”
The list continues: dress up days, food fairs, “get back ya phone” fees, school bus fees, Increased entrance fees to secondary school,And now, graduation ceremony entrance fees.
Parents are paying for everything their children receive at school. Yet when questions are raised, some administrators act as though families contribute nothing. The truth is simple: Antiguan parents fund schools. We fund the toilet paper, the lab equipment, the pencils, the parties, the graduation itself.
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Charging for graduation crosses a line. This isn’t a concert. It’s the culmination of 5+ years of fees, sacrifice, and support. Mothers who washed uniforms, fathers who worked double shifts, grandparents who paid CXC fees, now they need a ticket to see it.
We are not against supporting schools. We respectfully request 3 actions from the Ministry:
1. Transparency: Require schools to publish how fees and fundraising dollars are spent. If parents pay lab fees, why fundraise for lab use?
2. Stop double-dipping: Issue policy guidance against charging fees + fundraising for the same purpose + charging for event entry.
3. Free graduation entry: Mandate at least 2 free tickets per graduating student. Families, not wallets, should decide who attends.
Education is a right, not a marketplace. When every event becomes a collection plate, students learn that access depends on money, not merit.
Antigua’s children deserve better. And parents who already pay for everything deserve respect.
Sincerely,
Concerned Parent
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I attend a graduation yesterday at a well known establishment church of God. I was shocked when I reach at the door that they is entrance fee of $10.00 dollars. Right there and then I remembered the story when Jesus went to the tabernacle seeing them selling merchants and he beat them out. They should find a better way. They should accountability parents work hard for their money. Nothing is wrong if at the end of term that we get a spread sheet of how the money spent. Honestly as a parent I never liked the mud dress up day.
Paying to watch your child graduate has really crossed a line. Is it a graduation or a concert.
I agree with the writer regarding maybe two free tickets to parents to attend the graduation. Problem is also that families are large and venues are small with limited seats. If you want to bring your whole family, then it is not outside the expectation that there should be a fee, BUT tell me before I show up at the door.
@ Tired
If they are raising funds for XYZ, then XYZ should show up or be paid for after the fundraising OR they should come back to you about shortfalls or overages.
Antigua is truly a RIP-OFF Country, from Gov’t right down to the Supermarkets, Schools, and the list is endless. We are a selfish people and it’s not going to change anytime soon
So true! On top of the fact that we pay education levy with or without children
Someone needs to investigate these schools. And don’t forget the private ones who are threathening children and parents for more money for every little thing even though parents have paid school fees.
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