Garcia: All SEA students placed

EDUCATION Minister Anthony Garcia on Friday announced that all students who wrote this year’s Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) have been placed. He made the announcement in the House of Representatives.

“Students who wrote the SEA have been placed in government-assisted secondary schools and approximately 300 students have been accommodated at three private secondary schools who have agreed to accept students.”

Government MPs thumped their desks as Garcia added, “In other words, all students have been placed.”

Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh asked Garcia if the students were placed before the official release of SEA results this week. Garcia reiterated there is no problem between the ministry and the TT Association of Private Secondary Schools over the association proposal to increase the stipend paid to them from $1,200 to $5,700 per term per child.

He opined that Gopeesingh either, “doesn’s understand or has a problem with comprehension.” Gopeesingh repeated his question and Garcia said he was “amazed” by Gopeesingh’s question. As the former education minister for the last five years, Garcia said Gopeesingh should know “there is a placement exercise before the results are released.” Garcia remarked that, “something is wrong somewhere.”

On Thursday, Garcia announced that this year’s top student is a boy but did not release the child’s name nor his school. He also said results will be released on July 4.