I read recently that the Ministry of Education has ordered the Arima Hindu School, located on Temple Street to be closed, as consequence of an upsurge of crime in that community. Now I don’t want to jump the ‘gun’, since there was to be a meeting at the Arima Town …
Read More »Noble: Past actions compromise fiscal sustainability; the cost of political trade-offs
The Dr Roodal Moonilal Ramai Trace SDMS Primary School (Sunday Express, 13 January) is a prime example of our need to examine public spending. In 2013, the school ostensibly bestowed naming rights on the MP for the TT$350,000 raised from businessmen in the area to purchase the land. Construction reportedly …
Read More »T&T will co-host Concacaf NextPlay Cup, 56 local primary schools involved
Trinidad and Tobago will be one of four host nations for the Concacaf Scotiabank NextPlay Cup, which takes place from 10 November to 8 December. Jamaica, Bahamas and Barbados are the other hosts. Concacaf launched the invitational youth tournament earlier this week at the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica. …
Read More »Dear Editor: How re-introduction of Geography in school curriculum could prevent flooding
“In 1969, Geography (and History) was removed from the National Curriculum both in the primary schools and in the lower forms (Forms 1-3) in secondary schools. “The resultant lack of geographical knowledge may well be to blame—at least in part—for the thoughtless treatment of the physical environment which produces pollution …
Read More »The cost of marginalising Tech-Voc Education (Pt 3): corporal punishment, “weak” students and loss of teacher time
“In the old 10%-entering-secondary-school days, some schools allowed students to follow an accelerated four-year programme to take the external examination. “Would it not make sense to have a similar programme which provides six or maybe even seven years as the norm to cater for the weaker students or, alternatively, have …
Read More »The cost of marginalising Tech-Voc Education (Pt 2): full certificates and the ignored gender agenda
“We cannot simply produce a Policy for Education and not seek to educate the public on the value of Tech-Voc education. We must also demonstrate that value by offering Technology Education in all schools as a core subject in the National Curriculum. “[…] Another concept that needs to be examined …
Read More »The cost of marginalising Tech-Voc Education: a country of ‘technicians’ but not ‘technologists’
“The idea that bright students use their brains rather than their hands continues to haunt the Education System; it has a demonstrably negative effect on the Tech-Voc subjects. “[…] The result of this prejudice is that we have technicians but not technologists, that we produce students who can repair shoes …
Read More »No school on Friday 12 Oct; gov’t approves time off for teachers convention
The Ministry of Education confirmed that all schools—at primary, secondary and ECCE level—will be closed on Friday 12 October 2018. This is to facilitate the 2018 National Convention of Teachers, which will be held from 9am to 3pm on that day. Harrilal Seecharan, chief education officer of the Ministry of …
Read More »Dear Editor: What will T&T gov’t do about 600-plus unemployed doctors?
“It is difficult to imagine that from the Minister of Health, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and the Chief Medical Officer, none can say what the expected future needs of Trinidad and Tobago’s medical profession will be in the next five years.” The following Letter to the …
Read More »SSFL Forum: Schools’ league grapples with issues of registration, player development and TTFA relations
Academic requirements for school footballers, wider powers for the credential committee, an electronic database for players, small-sided games for Under-14s and a re-evaluation of the registration period and deadline for players to participate in external competitions. There were no shortage of talking points as the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) …
Read More »“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 …
Read More »Dear Editor: Small correction, Minister Garcia, school fights are not no big thing
“Minister [Anthony] Garcia, are the ‘shattered bones [in the] right elbow’ of Shareefa Ali and Chris Khan’s 9-year-old son–injuries sustained, as reported in the 3 February, 2017 Trinidad Guardian, as a result of a fight initiated by a bully and which required surgery—a ‘part of growing up’? “Is being ‘hit …
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