Education grants almost halved
Bermuda Sloop Foundation will receive a grant of $200,500 to continue providing voyages to middle school students, Education Minister Dame Jennifer Smith revealed this morning.That figure, unchanged from 2011/12, represents nearly half the total sum being awarded to external bodies by the Education Ministry, a drop from $904,000 last year.However some groups which formerly received grants will now be paid on a fee-for-service basis, as the Ministry tries to keep a tighter rein on the way cash is handled.Bermuda Broadcasting Company gets a grant of $40,890, Bermuda National Gallery gets $16,355, the Centre for Talented Youth gets $104,000, Global Arts gets $33,120, the Student Leadership Development Programme gets $10,000, Windreach gets $15,000 and YouthNet gets $22,445, Dame Jennifer told the House of Assembly.All those awards match the funds given in 2011/12.Groups which will now be paid under the fee-for-service model are the Adult Education School, Bermuda School of Music, Care Learning Centre, the Family Centre, the Reading Clinic, Teen Services and Tomorrow's Voices.