Education, training get largest allocation in budget 2022

Education and training have once again received the largest allocation of funds for the fiscal year 2022.

Minister of Finance Colm Imbert made the budget presentation in the House of Representatives on Monday.

Of the major allocations, education and training received $6.886 billion. The figure, however, is less than the fiscal 2021 allocation of $7.973 billion.

While Imbert did not give much detail on how the allocation will be distributed, he said some of the government’s initiatives from 2021 will continue to expand.

He said the government will continue to provide the public with free broadband access and information and communications technology (ICT) centres.

The TT WiFi initiative will continue to benefit schools, libraries and transport hubs across the country.

“ICT centres are already benefiting digitally underserved communities,” he said, by providing training, printing, and scanning services to these communities.

He said the number of ICT centres will increase from six to 50 in the upcoming year.

Imbert acknowledged the closure of physical schools and its impact on the social development of students. He commended teachers on their transition to online schooling during the pandemic and their dedication to developing the ICT skills required of them.