Govt playing with children’s education

PRESIDENT of the TT Association of Private Secondary Schools (TTAPSS) Leslie Hislop says the Ministry of Education is playing hard ball at the expense of children’s education. Bishop Centenary College remained closed yesterday with no definitive date set for reopening before the current term ends.

Teachers walked off the job after being told by administration they will not be receiving salaries for July as the school has been operating on an overdraft. At a press conference at the the school, Hislop said requests sent to the ministry are said to be at a standstill and cannot be processed as a result of queries on the forms.

“These are forms that we would have adjusted four times, so if the last adjustment was made on June 8, why wait until now to indicate there are errors,” he asked.

He said no information was given to the TTAPSS or the school on nature of the queries or how they can be addressed after which funds would be sent to the school by the ministry. Chairman of the school, Grace Talma said for two days, the school has not been able to provide any educational contribution to students.

She said this is in breach of the United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child. “The students had to leave because the teachers left and this is because they have not been paid,” Talma said. She said for the school term, the school received no assistance from government for tuition subsidies.

“Of the 478 students registered in 2017, 418 are government sponsored and 60 are private, paying between $3,500 and $4,000,” Talma said. She said the school is presently operating on an overdraft and they can go no further. The school costs have been subsidised by the Anglican Church, but that is not sufficient.

Member of the TTAPSS and acting vice principal of Corpus Christi College Anthony McCollin said the ministry is failing to recognise that education is an investment. He said the ministry should not be playing hard ball in this kind of situation. He said, “This kind of approach is insulting to children”. The government subsidy per child sent to a private school is $1,200 while it costs between $5,700 to $10,000 per child assigned to a Denominational-run school or government school.