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Don’t Fix Schools, but Change Coat of Arms

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Caption: Minister of Education Nyan Gadbsy-Dolly. AZP News/Azlan Mohammed

‘Now I understand budgets are tricky things, but if this is happening year after year has it occurred to anyone to increase the ministry’s budget, specifically for repairs’

AZP News Commentary

Alicia Chamely
By Alicia Chamely

AFTER eight weeks of nagging, eating their parents out of house and home, and engaging in bare knuckle boxing matches that could only be parted with the wave of a pot spoon, my crotch goblins (I mean my wonderful sweeties) finally went back to school.

As much as they despise the 5.30 am wake up, they were happy to get back to school. They needed to be around their friends daily, they needed to feel active again and although they won’t ever admit or acknowledge it, they missed having a routine.

I think with most children, other than teenagers who would rather be running wild or loafing on a sofa all day, there is a certain excitement when it comes to returning to school after the July/August vacation.

This is why every year it is so heart breaking when September comes around and for some stupid reason or another there are schools in Trinidad and Tobago that remain closed. Whether it is because of incomplete infrastructural work, or no work done at all, there is always some excuse.

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The big excuse this year was there is simply not enough money in the Ministry of Education’s $5 billion budget to fix all the schools that need repairs. As such they have had to prioritise which schools get the funding for repairs. In other words, your school is only going to get fixed unless the roof is caved in, all the water pipes have been busted, live electrical wires dangle from the ceiling and half the school has been swallowed by a sink hole.

Busted windows? Rats? Termite infested desks? That, not too bad, suck it up kiddo. Be grateful, there are schools worse than yours.

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On Tuesday, responding to criticism regarding school repairs, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said the ministry does not have enough money to carry out all the repairs needed by all the schools. She babbled on about some schools being ancient, so they require a lot more maintenance, and gave a grim breakdown of the Ministry’s budget.

After salaries, and institutional running costs, all that was left was $500 million, which had to be used for grants, scholarships and school repairs. After the grants and scholarships all that was left to repair schools was a measly $150 million.

She said the cost to carry out all the repairs submitted by principals was $2 billion. Sorry kids, but that’s just too much… perhaps you can adopt those rats as class pets.

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Now I understand budgets are tricky things, but if this is happening year after year has it occurred to anyone to increase the ministry’s budget, specifically for repairs.

While I do not doubt running the Ministry of Education is expensive, has anyone taken a proper assessment to see if the ministry was getting value for the money being spent?

After being shut for 22 months to facilitate repairs, St George’s College, Barataria, was reopened and there were concerns about the type of work done. Parents and representative of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) lamented what they considered “shoddy” and incomplete work. Shoddy work that cost $10 million.

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If I was spending $10 million on repairs, I would sure as hell make sure those children walked into a school that was fully functional. There wouldn’t be a creak, a crack, a speck of dust, especially since for me to repair this school, I had to have denied others.

It’s odd what we do and don’t have money for this in T&T, but want to change the Coat of Arms.

Sliding the Ministry of Education a few more dollars so our schools can open on time and in acceptable conditions? Nah!

Change the Coat of Arms, which will cost the taxpayers millions to facilitate the changing of signs, printing documents etc.? Got money for that!

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In 2019, $1.59 billion was allocated to the construction of the San Fernando waterfront project, with promises of creating sustainable jobs, and I question what sense would creating these jobs make if you do not have an educated population to fill the positions.

I think this is what the government isn’t understanding. Want to create a stronger, sustainable economy?

The first step is education. Want to reduce crime and eliminate gangs? The first step is education. Want to reduce government dependence? The first step is education.

We keep missing the first step. The best investment any government can make is in education. The first step is ensuring our children have safe, secure school facilities that allow them to learn in a healthy environment.

Hopefully, we will see a better approach to education and providing the facilities our children deserve in the upcoming budget.

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One thought on “Don’t Fix Schools, but Change Coat of Arms

  1. The SIN committed by the PNM on the children of TT must not be forgiven or forgotten. The St Joseph Secondary was left 95 % completed by the PP Government. This PNM demonstrated to US, TT citizens that they don’t care . After 9 years they left this school to be vandalized and to be a haven for criminals . Is this behavior by the PNM , vindictive, malicious, spiteful and more importantly hateful towards the future of National, our Children. How can we allow a Government to do that to our children ? Are we also culpable? Will stay idly by and allow this to continue. The PNM must be remove from office , We must not allow children to be sacrificed on the political alter by the PNM

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