“[…] In a situation where two highly performing students have both excelled academically and have been both—through no fault of their own—promised the highest accolade of the President’s Medal and have both declared their willingness to share this accolade, as an exception to any earlier practice, this option has been …
Read More »Ten deaths, 558 infections; SEA postponed, St Vincent and Bermuda promise vaccines to T&T
The Ministry of Health today confirmed an additional 10 deaths related to Covid-19 and 558 new cases, based on samples taken between 14 and 19 May 2021. At present, there are 6,996 active cases with 412 persons hospitalised There have been 7,403 infections and 172 deaths already this month, while …
Read More »Noble: Correcting Education’s woes; beyond ‘prestige schools’ and ‘standardised examinations’
“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 »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 »Gov’t stops SEA classes! Rowley on school restart, TTUTA, bars, grant for stranded Trinbagonians and ‘the pandemic election’
Students preparing for the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examinations have been ordered to stay at home until their exam date on 20 August, as a result of the spike of Covid-19 infections within the population. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley made the announcement at a press conference this afternoon, as …
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 »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 …
Read More »Keita: Trinidad’s crime problem isn’t down to bad seeds—it is bad soil
For five consecutive years, I taught a youth program where the underlying theme was to teach young people to bloom where they were planted. It was about teaching them to use the resources in their environment to be their best selves. I stopped teaching that program when it became abundantly …
Read More »Daly Bread: Bounce or bounce down; how long will govt’s Covid-19 ‘high’ last?
The prejudice thing, usually ill-concealed, is more plainly visible because members and ambassadors of the privileged classes persist in making incautious statements as they feel the heat generated by the George Floyd killing in the US. However, as the soon-come General Election 2020 is taking over the top news spot, …
Read More »TTUTA asks Education Ministry to postpone CSEC/CAPE exams, ‘counsel’ SEA students
The Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) will ask Minister of Education Anthony Garcia to propose the postponement of the CSEC/Cape examinations until no earlier than four weeks after the re-commencement of school in September. The decision was taken at a TTUTA General Council meeting, which was held virtually …
Read More »Education Ministry says brace for September restart, reveals online learning plans
Minister of Education Anthony Garcia revealed that school is unlikely to restart before September 2020, as the government adjusts to the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic. The third school term of the 2019-20 academic year was due to start on Monday 20 April but Garcia described that as ‘virtually impossible’. …
Read More »Noble: Education for the privileged; how the dice is loaded against poor students
In the 2012 budget, the government adopted a lofty goal: ‘Education for all’. It was built on the Draft Quality Standards for Education (2005) and inter alia sought to ensure all students achieved recognised and measurable learning outcomes so that they could contribute to the country’s economic sustainability and be …
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