So-Called Buying Of Student Athletes To Come To An End Education Minister Ronald Thwaites?

Ronnie Thwaites

So-Called Buying Of Student Athletes To Come To An End? Audio

 Education Minister Ronald Thwaites has tabled a ministry paper in parliament outlining measures aimed at stopping the so-called buying of student athletes by schools.

Describing the practice as unethical, Thwaites says the primary goal of a school is the formal education of students. He says there should be no transfer of students primarily for sporting activities without due consideration for their academic development. Education minister, Ronald Thwaites.

The new regulations stipulate that the sending and receiving schools and parents must sign consent forms before presentation to the Ministry of Education for approval of the request to transfer a student. Thwaites says the ministry will review the student’s academic record to determine if he or she is able to cope with the curriculum of the receiving school.

In addition, Thwaites says the transfer of students between schools must not involve economic gain to the student, parent or guardian and their involvement in sports should not compromise their educational advancement. Thwaites also says Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association will continue to impose a mandatory one-year wait period, but will add the option of additional waiting periods or school bans where there are proven breaches in the transfer process.  

However, Opposition members took issue with the new measures with Derrick Smith saying the measures should be withdrawn as they impinge on individual rights: