Padarath: 'PNM bitterness' making children suffer

Ria Chaitram and Stacy Moore

Princes Town MP Barry Padarath has chastised the Government for its poor planning in the education sector.

With the new school term set to begin via virtual teaching from September 1 with full online classes by September 14, Padarath said mitigation efforts against the covid19 virus and the call by the Minister of Education to corporate TT to donate laptops are insufficient.

He said children were in this position because of the PNM "bitterness" towards the laptop initiative that was implemented by UNC-led People's Partnership between 2010 to 2015. During the administration, laptops were issued to form one students.

He said, “They (government) need a more comprehensive plan than just asking for donations. Because of spite, malice and bitterness they (government) saw it as a Kamla (Persad-Bissessar) project and nothing else.

“We (UNC) understand the challenges that the budget is going to bring, but the PNM need to prioritise their spending. They (government) have demonstrated their interests in vanity spending.”

Padarath said because of a “vendetta”, children were now at a disadvantage.

“There is only so much the Opposition can do. The education sector remains in the Government’s remit. They have promised free WIFI and better broadband speeds and ICT infrastructure, but nothing.

“We will try our best to assist in whatever way we can, through donations, fundraisers, partnerships with companies and non-governmental organisations, but it will just be a drop in the bucket. It is 65,000 students that are disadvantaged,” Padarath said.

On Friday, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly appealed to corporate TT to assist with laptops and other devices as well as internet connectivity for 65,000 schoolchildren who did not have access to such facilities.

She labelled the initiative Adopt A School and noted the Government will be considering supplying some devices but need the assistance from the business community, the chambers of industries, alumni associations and others.

Gadsby-Dolly added that the ministry has been in discussion with the Telecommunications Authority of TT (TATT) to provide schools with some devices, while other alternatives such as printed material for distribution and social media engagement were being looked at.

Also, questioning how the policy will work was Dr Allan Sammy, chairman of the Penal/Debe Corporation, who said online learning may place many students who don't know how to use a laptop, computer or tablet at a disadvantage.

Sammy called for a training process for the before the students before they receive laptops or other devices.

If this was not done, donated laptops may not be used by students.

Sammy said there were many low-income families in the Debe/ Penal area where children did not know how to use a laptop, computer, or even access resources.

“The reality is not only that these students don’t know how to use a laptop but also their parents. This is not a storybook, this is a device in which some of these parents are not tech-savvy, so how are they going to teach their child to use a laptop?”

He said these were issues that the Government must discuss and collect data should be a priority.

“There are children who don’t even have electricity nor access to the internet.”

Despite his concerns, Sammy said he meet with the president of the Penal/Debe Chamber to find out if, and how, members can give donate laptops and electronic devices.