The Ministry of Education reserved a Christmas surprise for 742 families. An equal number of students will receive a € 400 grant to purchase their own laptop. The measure was approved by the Council of Ministers and according to the relevant decision, is part of the use of new information and communication technologies (ICT) in education, but also in efforts to support children in need of financial support.
According to the ministry, the beneficiaries are the students who attend during the current school year in the B 'and C' class of a public Gymnasium or a private Secondary School approved by the ministry, as well as the students who attend the preparatory class of the Evening Gymnasiums. A prerequisite, as the families of the specific categories of students, are recipients of public assistance.
The amount of the sponsorship amounts to € 400 and will be paid to the parents / guardians of the beneficiary children or to the adult students of the Vespers, based on the guidelines and the purchase procedure determined by the ministry.
It is emphasized that the measure will cover the subsidy only for the purchase of a new laptop, which complies with all relevant provisions of Cypriot legislation and is compatible with the minimum standards set by the competent ministry, along with the accompanying software system.
Beneficiaries can purchase the laptop from a supplier or sales company of their choice, in Cyprus or abroad. For the sponsorship, transactions that have taken place after December 10, 2014, the date of the decision of the Minister and until August 31, the last day of the school year, will be accepted.
Regarding the procedure, the ministry emphasizes the following:
- Each eligible student will receive from their school a letter explaining the key aspects of the sponsorship plan, the necessary forms to be completed by the parents and the company (computer compatibility certificate with minimum specifications and beneficiary certificate) as well as a certificate this year.
- Then each beneficiary will order the laptop from the supplier or the company of his choice.
- After the order, the beneficiaries must submit completed the above certificates, together with the original invoice (and proof of purchase) to the secretariats of their schools, which will forward them to the relevant School Boards, in the case of students of public Gymnasiums and Evening, or to the school principal in the case of private students. It is noted that the specific certificates must be presented in case of purchase of the computer from the internet or from a foreign country.
- The relevant invoice should include the following information: guardian name and ID number, name, ID number and student registration number, date of purchase, product characteristics, name and signature of the invoice issuer, company logo and warranty period.
- The relevant School Ephorate / management of the private school will check the above data and will issue the grants in the form of a check in the name of the supplier and will deliver it to the secretariat of the beneficiary's school.
Exceptionally for third grade students
The allowance for the purchase of a laptop was introduced in 2008-2009 for all students without exception, 400nd grade of public High School. In the first year of implementation of the measure, the sponsorship reached € XNUMX per eligible student.
In the process it was reduced to € 300, but at the same time it was extended to the students of the private schools. Due to the state of public finances, it was then reduced to € 250, while the year before it was given only to needy students. In 2013 the measure was not implemented. After a one-year break, it returns this year for children in need of help and exceptionally expands to third graders who did not benefit last year. It is noted that the budgeted expenditure to cover the 742 beneficiaries amounts to € 296.800.
In case the student chooses a laptop that exceeds the amount of € 400, the grant will cover only the amount of the ministerial decision. The relevant check will indicate the amount of the sponsorship and not the purchase. Respectively, if the purchase amount of the laptop is less than € 400, then the check will indicate the exact purchase amount.
For more information, interested parties can contact 22306030 and the website of the Ministry of Education.
Source: FILELEFTHEROS