Gadsby-Dolly: Means test complete, ministry awaiting devices

The Minister of Education has said the means test to determine which additional students will receive devices is complete.

Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly was speaking on Wednesday in the House of Representatives, where Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh asked when the means test will be finalised.

Gadsby-Dolly said the ministry gave a figure of 65,000 students in need of devices in September, 20,000 of whom were still able to log on to virtual classes.

She said the means test was designed for devices being acquired by the ministry, and not devices donated through the ministry’s Adopt-A-School initiative.

“The means test is for devices ordered by the government,” she said. “Those are at the point of award through iGovTT…but I am pleased to report the means test is 100 per cent complete and awaiting procurement of the devices to be implemented.”

She said the means test was ready to be implemented, and once the devices were "at the point of procurement," the test would be applied to see which children still needed them.

She said a survey was sent out to principals, who indicated which of their students needed devices.

“Once devices are donated," she explained, "principals use that list to donate devices to students.”