Tobago students get THA lessons ahead of special sitting

STANDARD four and five students from all 42 primary schools across the island are currently engaged in a series of interactive sessions where they will learn about the Assembly Legislature and its role within the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).

The Assembly Legislature has embarked upon its second annual primary plenary school tour, which aims to engage, educate and inspire the next generation.

Newsday was at the Moriah Government Primary School on May 14, where the legislature’s special programmes co-ordinator Sophia Cooper explained the concept.

Cooper said the schools tour began on May 12 and is expected to be completed over a seven-day period. The students will learn about the composition of the THA and the electoral districts the elected members represent.

“The building that houses the Chamber is 200 years old this year, so the primary school tour is a highlight on our calendar of events for the bicentennial celebrations, recognising this island's built legislative history.”

She said the tour has been impactful.

"They have been loving it, and long term they get to share the new information they learnt about Tobago's legislative history with their parents and friends.”

She said it is often heard that young people do not know much about the legislature’s history, but as custodians of that history, the legislature has to find ways to engage the students, so the information seems relatable.

“That is the focus of the primary school tour, getting young students to build an interest in the way democracy works and the role the Assembly Legislature plays in that process. We expect that in five years, we will have a group of O'level graduates who are better equipped to function as civic-minded members of Tobago's society.”

She said during these tours, a team from the Assembly Legislature would visit each school to deliver information about the work done during a 30-minute session.

“Members of the Assembly are a big highlight, and we also touch on the administrative role we play in debates. The students are shown that it is about participatory democracy and working to get to solutions where others only see the problems, and this is done by actually staging a debate with the students.”

During that classroom debate, she said, the students are introduced to assembly procedures.

“They learn the code of conduct that is needed. It then becomes a session on being a good debater and a good representative for your peers, because they get to see how the rules of debating work in their interest.”

On day one of the tour, she said her team visited Buccoo Government Primary, St Patrick's Anglican Primary and Bethesda Government Primary schools.

“We were thrilled to see how engaged the students were. They asked a lot of questions, and we really found that to be the greatest part of the experience. It shows that they were learning something new, and being analytical about how to use that information.”

The second day of the tour, she said the team visited the Montgomery Government, Patience Hill Government and Lambeau Anglican primary schools. During this tour, she said presiding officer Abby Taylor unveiled the logo of the People's House on a white hoodie that she wore.

“So the students had a casual interaction with her as the head of the Assembly Legislature. It resulted in a lot of pictures and hugs by the time the sessions got to the end.”

A select number of students will get the chance to debate in the Assembly Legislature in a special sitting in June. This is part of the People's House, part of the Assembly's drive to include the public in its affairs.

“We realise that even after this tour is over on May 20, we would like to do more, show students how they can get involved in parliamentary style debating and understanding how democracy works on the island of Tobago.”

The first tour was held in 2024, she said it was envisioned that the primary school students would have an introduction to Tobago's legislative history as well as the roles and functions of the Assembly Legislature.

“Half of those schools took part in the Primary Plenary held after the school tour. This year those schools that did not debate will have a chance to rule the house in June when they hold their very own plenary sitting.”