NPTA Tobago: Principals pleased with turnout of SEA students

National Parent-Teacher Association first vice-president, Tobago Division, Joseph Lindow, says the majority of the island’s standard five students turned out to school on Monday.

On January 24, the Ministry of Education announced that secondary school students in forms one-three as well as standard five pupils preparing for the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examination, were to return to the physical classroom on February 7. Students had been engaged in virtual learning since schools were closed in March 2020.

The ministry said the students in forms one-three will attend classes on a rotational basis.

The THA Division of Education, Research and Technology supported the decision, saying in a statement on Saturday that the vast majority of primary and secondary school principals on the island were in favour of the students returning to the physical classroom along with their counterparts in Trinidad.

On Tuesday, Lindow reported there was a good turnout of students, especially in the primary schools.

“More than three-quarters of the students who are in standard five turned out to classes. I think the highest number of people missing was four people from one of the schools.”

Lindow said the majority of primary school principals were satisfied with the turnout of students.

“The principals and teachers said they expected that one or two students will be absent. But everybody was basically pleased.”

He said he plans to revisit those schools by Friday “to see if those same students are absent or if they eventually came out.”

Lindow said he expects to get a comprehensive report on the turnout of secondary school students on Wednesday.

On Monday parents and students expressed happiness and nervousness about returning to physical classrooms.

TTUTA Tobago officer Bradon Roberts expressed concern over the adherence to covid19 protocols after noticing the lack of enforcement at some schools.