$455m more goes to Education Ministry

DESPITE being allocated $7.512 billion in the PNM government’s final budget on September 30, 2024, Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath asked the Standing Finance Committee to approve a supplemental allocation of $455,106,000 on June 16.

As he gave his introductory speech, Dowlath said this request reflected the UNC government’s ongoing commitment to responsibly address urgent financial requirements across the education sector.

He said the requested allocations sought are directly linked to critical shortfalls inherited from the then PNM government, “as a result of long-standing vacancies, unaddressed financial obligations and operational deficits accumulated over years of neglect.”

Dowlath, the San Fernando West MP said an allocation of $296,106,000 will be for recurrent expenditure which will allow government to stabilise staffing through salary payments and retroactive adjustments for educators, sustain vital support programmes for 20,000 vulnerable students through book grants.

He said the supplemental allocation will also settle long-standing arrears to university academics and administrative staff, and meet contractual obligations for essential services such as janitorial services.

Former education minister, St Ann’s East MP Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly asked how much of the requested increase will go to the increment, upgrade, acting allowance and salaries. Dowlath said 6,565 secondary school officers will see their salaries covered under an allocation of $37 million.

He said all of the $37 million will go towards paying salaries and allocations for increment, upgrade and acting allowances will be met in the next fiscal year.

In response to a question by Gadsby-Dolly, Dowlath said $34 million has been allocated for salaries for all contract workers including ECCE and ECCE assistant teachers.

Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West MP Stuart Young asked what formula was to be used to assign the school supplies and book grants for which $20 million had been allocated.

Dowlath said that in 2025, there were 28,844 applicants for this grant and the categories included people on public assistance, the unemployed, people with disabilities, people earning less than $5,000 and people earning between $5,000-$7,499, their children will be approved for these grants.

After some cross talk, Finance Minister Dave Tancoo interjected.

“So for clarification, what is being adopted now is the same mechanism and means test that was introduced when this item was first introduced in fiscal 2024 by the then minister of finance (Colm Imbert).

“The reason there is no allocation in 2025 is that although the then minister of finance announced it, not a cent was put forward. And so now it falls to this government to ensure that children are provided with these grants. The same means test (will be used).”

The requested supplementary funding was later passed by simple majority.

Other issues discussed under the education sector included the procurement of laptops and school repairs.