“Pure evilness and unjustness!” TTHTI faculty rages as students asked to pay GATE shortfall to graduate

“How do young people not get disenchanted with education and the stupid systems that are put in place in Trinidad and Tobago when over 50 students are told that they cannot graduate because the Institute that they belong to did not receive GATE funding for them?

“And, to add insult to injury, they are told they have to dig into their own pockets to pay as much as TT$16,000 within a month or else they cannot receive their certificates!”

The following Letter to the Editor was written by an anonymous faculty member at the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute (TTHTI), which informed graduating students on 19 December 2017 that, owing to non-payment of tuition fees by GATE, they will not receive certificates unless they pay between $12,000 and $16,000 to the school by 12 January 2018:

Photo: St Francois College students visit the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute (TTHTI) compound for the World of Work Programme.
(Copyright TTHTI.edu.tt)

“For evil to succeed, it is only necessary for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke


I’ve been trying to calm down for the past seven hours but I can’t hold my tongue anymore and will not go quietly into that still night without getting this off my chest.

How do young people not get disenchanted with education and the stupid systems that are put in place in Trinidad and Tobago when over 50 students are told that they cannot graduate because the Institute that they belong to did not receive GATE funding for them?

And to add insult to injury, they are told they have to dig into their own pockets to pay as much as TT$16,000 within a month or else they cannot receive their certificates! Certificates that these students have literally shed blood, sweat and tears over!

What utter shit are we telling ourselves to ever think that this is okay?

The unfair treatment of students is something that I cannot tolerate in the least because I know personally of some of these kids’ history. When you can use students as pawns in whatever dirty politics is being played out, you and the devil must be some sort of close friends—because it reeks of pure evilness and unjustness.

Photo: TTHTI students show off their butter sculptures.

These kids have done everything that has been asked of them, and now you tell them this news a week before Christmas?

Where the hell are some of their single-parent homes supposed to get the money from?

But we sit as citizens of this backward country and wonder why young people find themselves in criminal activity and unlawful acts. It’s bullshit reasons like this!

And I’m sickened to think that a group of “educated” clowns sat and thought up this plan and really believed in their hearts that it made any sense. I only hope that when the universe claps back at them for all their evil deeds, they don’t have to think too hard about what they did to deserve it.

This is not a simple matter of life being unfair but more of human beings being inhumane and not thinking of the long run with education in this country. Somebody in authority needs to step in here and help these kids because seeing them brought to tears and anger and frustration was the most heartbreaking thing I have experienced in a while.

I can’t anymore, nuh, I can’t! The place where I used to call home has been shat on and completely flushed down the crapper and it hurts like hell.

Photo: TTHTI CEO Brian Frontin (right) and board member Delano Ribeiro.
(Copyright TTHTI.edu.tt)

Editor’s Note: TTHTI CEO Brian Frontin told Loop TT that: “It is not only students that have felt the pain caused by the Government’s refusal to pay through the GATE programme but the TTHTI has also suffered great losses and continues to suffer as Government has also refused to pay the TTHTI’s allocated subvention payments to the severe prejudice of the Institute, its employees and its students.”

Minister of Education Anthony Garcia has described the stand-off as a matter for the TTHTI board and its students since “the Board does not operate under the guidance of the Ministry.”

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281 comments

  1. People took advantage of Gate. That is why we end up with this mess
    All kinds of Bottom House Schools were gateing lol

  2. I know someone who is going through the same stress with masters in literacy from uwi open campus… the person did all registrations payed their side of the fees.. has been getting a run around from the administrative office.. to be told they cant receive their certificate unless they clear unpaid gate fees.. gate office says all applications has been received and they are awaiting the ministry to pay.. all this while the person is missing potential job opportunities..

  3. What is the THA and central govt doing with all the taxes and money they are collecting? They are closing down every public education avenue, firing people by the hundreds, not starting up any new activity. No ferry service, air bridge in shambles crime is out of control … yet budgeting more and more billions each year. So #whataretheyspendingourmoneyon ?

  4. Banks make millions every quarter year. Why don’t they introduce a special loan arrangement geared to those students to pay the school and secure their certificates that they worked so hard for? That will be a step in the right direction as both bank and students will benefit.

  5. Should the student find the funds and settle with the school, does GATE’s obligation to pay cease? Or will the student be refunded by GATE.

  6. This is not the only institution that does this withholding. I know of a few persons well who were nit able to graduate because of gate owing money. This is happening since b4 2012. A shame

  7. I’m in Morvant and Karen is in Diego Martin

  8. Are we not supposed to be Prioritizing Tourism and it requires trained Hospitality Personnel?

  9. Just for your information T&T, this has been the position of most international universities from way back in the 70s. The country is under serious financial stress and therefore priorities have to be determined. University students can access a student loan. The country needs to come together and all these educated GATE people should use their education and innovation to take the country forward rather that complaining about the government.

  10. Easier said than done, Reality check. The requirement for most jobs is the piece of paper, unless you are planning to be self-employed.

    • Yes to some degree.
      Ask the boss to give you a chance.

      Also, remember that being fresh out of school unless you were already working in the industry while schooling means you have no experience.

      Working in a real restaurant or commercial kitchen with real customers real money and time pressured is far different from school.

      It’s only after a couple of intense years of doing are you really proven.

      But, Go For It.

  11. My advice to each of them; if what they went to school for is the piece of paper, they can sit around and wait.

    If on the other hand what they went for is the education and training, then take the education and training find a job utilizing their skills. And start earning a living.

    Real result driven employers want experience not a piece of paper.

    Let Rowley and Garcia hold the paper.

  12. The jackassery being experienced today is what happens when education is left to some sorry ass men and women with political ambition and the desire to get rich quick, and nothing more. Any area the political parasites enter gets royally screw it up. Pick any one: agriculture, transport, housing, health, sports…

  13. Remember 2010
    Kamla was accused of going to cutt gate

  14. But isn’t that school govt owned

  15. It’s called accounts receivable. Not certificates receivable.

  16. Can we not do something to ease the stress to these students? Payment plan? Soft loans from a bank at low interest rates? The students will be able to get jobs and help their parents to pay their loans. Can some concession be given by the Government?

    • Hi, the school has a payment plan in place but even with a job, help from parents and donations from strangers it can still take for the least two years to complete the payment. They covered their tracks pretty much. Government on the other hand is saying it’s a school and pupil issue not theirs

  17. The story is referring to TTHTI however the first pic represents SFGC. There is no relation with the hotel school.

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