Clinic will now receive a $20,000 grant to aid students with learning disabilities.

Education Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira said yesterday the grant was the first from the Ministry of Education to the Reading Clinic.

"It will cover some of the expenses for the assistance the clinic gives to children who are in the public school system,'' Dr. Terceira said.

He added that the grant "comes as a result of the view, that the Ministry holds, that those private institutions that may assist the children in the public system should be assisted''.

The grant will be paid annually from Ministry of Education funds.

Reading Clinic trustee Mrs. Ann Dunstan said she had been "bothering a lot of people for several years trying to get assistance and Dr. Terceira was the first person to do something''.

"It is sometimes difficult because we never turn anyone away and we rely heavily on public support,'' she said. "We have quite a large number of Government school students and we are very specific in what we can do for them.

"We only tutor students who have been diagnosed with a specific learning disability and we never turn anyone away for lack of funds. It has been the clinic's policy since it started.'' Mrs. Dunstan said the clinic was pleased to work with Dr. Terceira.

"We believe we are becoming partners with the Ministry of Education for those that need our help,'' she said. "This is recognition that we can work together.'' "It is great that Government has finally seen their way to help individual children. We have made a lot of headway over the years and this is a boost that the Ministry would recognise the value of the reading clinic.''