[UPDATED] Students happy to return to school, but migrants still await integration

Many local students in San Fernando were happy to return to school on Monday, the beginning of the academic year 2023/2024, but noticeably absent were any Venezuelan migrants.

At San Fernando Boys' RC School on Harris Promenade, parents and guardians dropped off their children, who smiled and greeted the security guard as they entered the school's compound.

Kurlene Cross said her son Pele Jeffery was so happy to return to school that he got up early and dressed himself.

"He is excited to be here and in second year (infant's department). Surprisingly, he woke up early today and put on his uniform all on his own. I did not even get to button his shirt," Cross said.

Raymond Ramdhanie was pleased with how easy it was for his six-year-old son, Jayden Ramdhanie, to move from vacation to school mode.

"He is cool with everything. He got up early and was ready for school," Ramdhanie said.

Apart from parents and guardians, students from secondary school were seen escorting their siblings to primary schools like St Gabriel's Girls' RC.

The new term also saw a massive traffic pile-up in San Fernando and environs.

On the absence of migrants, the parish priest of St Benedict's RC church in La Romaine, Msgr Christian Pereira, said the La Romaine Migrant Support Group (LARMS) was disappointed.

"We at LARMS are disappointed at the lack of consultation or engagement. They (Government) did not even make overtures," Pereira told Newsday by phone.

"Four years, we started the safe space for the children, which was really a kind of learning environment with volunteers looking after nearly 70 children.

"It is what it is. LARMS will continue to do its best to care for the children of the migrants and their families."

The NGO started in 2019, and Angie Ramnarine is the co-ordinator.

Pereira shared a conversation he had with her on Monday in which she agreed that there needed to be more consultation "with people like us who are on the ground."

She called on the government to pour more resources into the child-friendly spaces and let those spaces work towards preparing and helping to transition the migrants into the public schools.

For the first time, the migrants were expected to be integrated into the primary school system on Monday. The Catholic Education Board (CEBM) has been working with migrant communities nationwide and was willing to accept the students.

Newsday learned that members of two of the largest migrant communities in the south, Penal and La Romaine, were looking forward to joining the public school system.

But a representative from the Penal district said members were still awaiting documentation from the Immigration Department on the way forward.

In July, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne announced the possible integration, adding that the Government was working on it.

Registered Venezuelans were assessed for eligibility according to their competency in English. UWI staff did the assessments.

CEO CEBM Sharon Mangroo has said 17 schools were prepared to welcome the migrants. Only those students whose parents were granted a permit from the National Security Ministry would be allowed in the schools.

Education Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said the ministry was working with various stakeholders, such as CEBM and the National Security Ministry, to incorporate migrants into schools.

On Monday, she said legal issues were still to be finalised.

"As indicated last week, before migrant children can enter schools, the Immigration Division and the Attorney General's office must work out the issue of student permits. That is ongoing, with a further meeting being held today," Gadsby-Dolly said via WhatsApp.

"Until the law is adjusted, migrant children cannot enter our schools legally. The first cohort of students to be integrated, and the receiving schools, have already been identified."

Once the legal arrangements are finalised, the minister said migrants would be registered.

As of Monday, permits for Venezuelans in TT who applied for renewal under the Migrant Register Framework between June 21 and August 11, 2020, became available.

A statement on Friday from the National Security Ministry said people could pick up the permits between 8 am and 2 pm from Monday to Friday at the Enforcement Unit at Henry Street in Port of Spain.

People must present a form of identification (passport or cedula) and their previously issued registration card/permit.

The president of the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), Martin Lum Kin, previously told Newsday that he was not against the initiative to integrate the Venezuelans. However, he had expressed space concerns and the possibility that they might displace locals.

Another concern was the cultural and language barriers. Lum Kin said if the teachers were not adequately trained for this group, that could cause problems. At the same time, he said the students could benefit by learning another language.

This story was originally published with the title "Schoolchildren happy to return, but migrants still await integration" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Many local students in San Fernando were happy to return to school on Monday, the beginning of the academic year 2023/2024, but noticeably absent were any Venezuelan migrants.

At San Fernando Boys' RC School on Harris Promenade, parents and guardians dropped off their children, who smiled and greeted the security guard as they entered the school's compound.

Kurlene Cross said her son Pele Jeffery was so happy to return to school that he got up early and dressed himself.

"He is excited to be here and in second year (infant's department). Surprisingly, he woke up early today and put on his uniform all on his own. I did not even get to button his shirt," Cross said.

Raymond Ramdhanie, was pleased with how easy it was for his six-year-old son, Jayden Ramdhanie, to move from vacation to school mode.

"He is cool with everything. He got up early and was ready for school," Ramdhanie said.

Apart from parents and guardians, students from secondary school were seen escorting their siblings to primary schools like St Gabriel's Girls' RC.

The new term also saw a massive traffic pile-up in San Fernando and environs.

On the absence of migrants, the parish priest of St Benedict’s RC church in La Romaine, Msgr Christian Pereira, said the La Romaine Migrant Support Group (LARMS) was disappointed.

"We at LARMS are disappointed at the lack of consultation or engagement. They did not even make overtures," Pereira told Newsday by phone.

"Four years, we started the safe space for the children, which was really a kind of learning environment with volunteers looking after nearly 70 children.

"It is what it is. LARMS will continue to do its best to care for the children of the migrants and their families."

The NGO started in 2019, and Angie Ramnarine is the co-ordinator.

For the first time, the migrants were expected to be integrated into the primary school system on Monday. The Catholic Education Board (CEBM) has been working with migrant communities nationwide and was willing to accept the students.

Newsday learned that members of two of the largest migrant communities in the south, Penal and La Romaine, were looking forward to joining the public school system.

But a representative from the Penal district said members were still awaiting documentation from the Immigration Department on the way forward.

In July, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne announced the possible integration, adding that the Government was working on it.

Registered Venezuelans were assessed for eligibility according to their competency in English. UWI staff did the assessments.

Education Minister Nyan Gadsby Dolly said the ministry was working with various stakeholders, such as CEBM and the National Security Ministry, to incorporate migrants into schools.