Details released yesterday by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) in a report to the United Nations revealed that on education alone, the Government budget in 2007 was $6.5 billion, up from $4.8 billion in 2003. This expenditure was for all levels of education, including for special needs.
Another large expenditure on children and families was for the Baby Bonus scheme. The scheme, which started in April 2001, was enhanced in August last year.
The bonus consists of cash and a co-saving component, in which savings contributed by parents will be matched dollar for dollar by the Government.
For example, the first child gets a cash gift of $4,000 and a maximum government contribution of $6,000 to the co-savings plans. The amount increases from the third child to $18,000 in total.
The expenditure on Baby Bonuses in 2007 was $220 million, nearly treble the $81 million spent in 2003. This bumped up the total expenditure on social services and support for children and families to $421 million - more than double the $162 million spent in 2003.
Health expenditure also rose. In 2003, $23.5million was spent on health care for children in both primary and secondary schools. This rose to $27 million in 2007.
The MCYS also spent more on disability programmes for children, running special student-care centres and early intervention programmes for infants and children. The total amount climbed from about $4.4 million in 2003 to $6.4 million in 2007.
Sociologist Paulin Straughan said the Government is obviously interested in investing in children and their future.
She said: 'With lowered birth rates, the trend is to look at the individual children as valuable assets.'
Just as parents would, 'the state is making the same kind of investment in their well-being and education'.
MELISSA SIM