NPTA: spend more on school feeding, infrastructure

THE National Parent Teachers Association (NPTA) is calling on Education Minister Anthony Garcia to properly distribute funding to facilitate the school feeding programme and school infrastructure in TT.

NPTA president Raffiena Ali-Boodoosingh made the call today after hearing the Education Ministry received the largest allocation of the 2018/2019 annual budget on Monday - $7.392 billion.

She said while there is need for schools to be repaired, the NPTA is very hopeful schools will be repaired on time and also looking forward to seeing an increase of students placed on the schools feeding programme.

"We need the schools to be taken care of in order for it to be safer places and spaces for children, not only the infrastructure of the schools but we have schools that are in dire need of rebuilding. We also have the text books issue where children used to get books and are no longer getting. NPTA would like to see children start to receive textbooks and all schools infrastructure improved.

“The NPTA will also like to see an increase of students on the school feeding programme because, with the increase in the gas price, a lot of families will have less money at their disposal. We have the less privilege parents who will also have an extra burden. The ministry needs to look at allocation for the school feeding and add more children to the programme.”