St. John’s Antigua- A complete overhaul of the School Uniform Grant Programme on Barbuda is expected shortly as coordinators of the programme seek to address a number of irregularities.

Supervisor Leonie Martin, in a communiqué issued to the media, said the database containing the names of beneficiaries of school uniform is flawed.

She said in some cases one parent would register a child even though the student may not be living with him or her and then the individual with whom the child is living also shows up to register the same child.

Martin said this has led to some students benefitting more than once under the programme.

Recipients on the sister isle who have signed on to the programme since its inception, will now have to re-register from June 27-29, 2012.

Another problem the coordinator identified is the influx of non-nationals on the island.

Martin said while the statuses of non-national students are carefully vetted in Antigua, the same cannot be said of Barbuda, where that requirement in particular was not made compulsory.”

The supervisor has indicated that inefficiencies will be corrected ahead of the start up tof  this year’s programme to ensure strict compliance.

New registration in Barbuda, including current beneficiaries and incoming students, will be held at Sir Mc Chesney George Secondary School.

For Barbudan students, a birth certificate or passport, and a letter from the school the student attends are required for registration. For new Barbudan applicants, a valid passport or birth certificate is required and the child should be five years old by March, 2013. Barbudan parents must present a valid passport, drivers’ license or voters’ identification card.

A valid passport and school letter must be presented on behalf of non-national students based in Barbuda.

The eighth instalment of government’s School Uniform Grant Programme will begin on 9 July and end on 31 August, 2012.

This year, one pair of regular uniform will be issued to each eligible student.