Students show up for school in San Fernando

Monday 5 September 2022

Students making their way to school at San Fernando Boy's RC school on the first day of the school term. Photo by Lincoln Holder

Scores of the students of schools in San Fernando and environs showed up on Monday, the opening of the school year.

Many parents, as well as staff, did not seem to have heeded the call from the TT Unified Teachers' Association (TTUTA) for teachers to "rest and reflect" at home. The call was to express their dissatisfaction over outstanding wage negotiations.

A student of St Gabriel's Girls RC school , San Fernando washes her hands before making her way to class on the first day of the school term. Photo by Lincoln Holder

Even the rain did not stop students from going to school.

At Presentation College, many parents accompanied their children to the entrance.

Vidyia Siewsankar, of La Romaine, saw her son Ryan,12, to the gate.

She said it was her son's first day at the school and he was excited to be there.

At St Gabriel's Girls' RC Primary School, Sheldon Roberts and other parents dropped off their children. Sheltering his daughter Emma, nine, as they walked to the entrance, he said it was customary for him to go to school on the first day.

"I always went to school regardless of what was happening. My daughter also wanted to come.

"I understand what TTUTA is asking, and I agree with the reason for it, because this education system needs to be revamped. Many people need an increase in salaries," Roberts told Newsday.

"I also think the Government should put mechanisms in place to deal with greedy business owners. Some of them are ridiculous and very selfish."

At San Fernando Boys' RC School, Dana St Laurent dropped off her son Nikolai St Laurent, eight. She criticised the association's call, saying members had significant time during the July-August vacation to rest and reflect.