“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple and wrong,” — H L Mencken Last month, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley reportedly said ‘tough decisions will have to be made to correct the educational imbalances’, as he anticipated ‘an honest and open discussion’ which would lead …
Read More »“I find it difficult to teach in this detached environment”; Day in the life of a teacher
“[…] The Ministry of Education says to the public that they have trained us, but they have not. We basically had to use videos and articles from the internet to figure things out. “[…] I am not able to do my job the way that I’m accustomed to. I don’t …
Read More »Daly Bread: Online school issues condemning T&T students to a learning death sentence
Partisan political delusion invariably masks reality. Sometimes, persisting in the delusion means denying a reality that is capable of irretrievably damaging real people. The current state of online learning contains crippling elements of delusion, so fundamental that it is possible that many children have been condemned to a learning death …
Read More »Media Monitor: Chalkdust’s embarrassing offering on education in the age of smart boards and laptops.
Education kills … by degrees! That graffito leapt off the walls of the London Underground at me about half a century ago. And stayed with me. Last weekend’s Sunday Express brought it back to the front of my mind. And reminded me as well of this idea, long espoused by …
Read More »Daly Bread: Disconnections and loose ends; making education our ‘great equaliser’
I paid more detailed attention to the Budget debates this year because our country is so down. The Opposition had little fresh content to offer. Most contributions represented attempts to fight over the General Election, which it lost nine weeks ago. The Opposition is so bazodee that, despite its recent …
Read More »Dear Editor: Hospitality students left in the lurch by TTHTI closure
“[…] school authorities have not been processing refunds for lab and other fees duly paid by students this year. They also failed to deal with the urgent and legitimate questions about obtaining accurate transcripts, timely refunds or assisting students to graduate…” The following letter to the editor about the close …
Read More »Virtual lessons in the time of Covid-19: Day in the life of a school teacher
“[…] Tutors face many challenges in this pandemic era that they possibly were not prepared for at teaching college. Most students are technologically savvy, and in the age of memes and TikTok, teachers are at risk of being ridiculed…” Today Wired868 features a secondary school visual arts teacher with more …
Read More »Dear Editor: T&T’s bureaucratic education system doesn’t reward success or punish failure
“[…] Public Education is the only industry we have in which if you do a good job, nothing good happens; and if you do a bad job nothing bad happens to you. If we do not change this fact, we will not get better schools…” The following letter to the …
Read More »Curriculum starts between 7-14 Sep with SEA results on 8 Oct, 65,000 can’t access online learning
Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly confirmed today that the school curriculum will begin between 7 and 14 September, as Trinidad and Tobago prepares to enter a phase of remote learning. Schools closed to students in March, due to the novel coronavirus, with learning since then reliant on the resources …
Read More »Health of T&T’s children and teachers at risk! TTUTA urges schools to act—if gov’t won’t
“[…] No stipend, nor high stakes examination, is worth exposing the nation’s children, teachers and the national community to the possible risks associated with the pandemic…” The following is a statement from Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) president Antonia Tekah-De Freitas, which urges the government to close schools …
Read More »Deyalsingh apologises for error in regulations, schools on course for 1 Sept restart despite Covid-19 scares
Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh said today that the nation’s schools remain on course for a 1 September restart and apologised for an error in his weekend update of the Public Health Novel Coronavirus regulations. On Saturday, Deyalsingh updated the public health ordinance with an order that all primary, secondary …
Read More »St Augustine South Primary advised to close due to Covid-19 scare, no change to SEA exam date
The St Augustine South Government Primary School (SASGPS) is set to become the latest school to shut its doors, due to a Covid-19 scare. Principal Carlene Duncan notified teachers this evening that a SASGPS student is the primary contact of a Covid-19 patient and the Ministry of Health has recommended …
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