UNHCR commends government for letting migrant children into schools

The UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) has commended the Trinidad and Tobago government for opening the country’s classrooms to some migrant children.

The statement came after the Education Ministry announced that 23 Venezuelan children would enter TT schools in September.

In an e-mail response to questions from Newsday, UNHCR-TT's head of office Amanda Solano said the agency remains committed to supporting the Government in its next steps to provide access to education for all children.

“Many years of advocacy and collaboration have contributed to this important achievement. UNHCR is optimistic about the first steps towards the inclusion of children in national schools in TT.

“UNHCR hopes this initiative will expand beyond this first group, allowing more children in need to be included through a phased approach.”

She said this was a significant milestone in ensuring all children had access to education and “the opportunity to build a brighter future.”

Asked about the 2,000 Venezuelan children who remain outside the school system, Solano said for children forced to flee, the opportunity to enter a school environment is a decisive step towards their social and cultural inclusion.

“UNHCR recognises the substantial efforts made to include refugee and migrant children in TT and reaffirms its unwavering commitment to supporting the government authorities in advancing access to education for all children in the country.”

Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said the children will be able to access school lunch and food programmes.

In a release on August 20, the Education Ministry said local and international bodies such as the Education Working Group, the Living Water Community and UNHCR have pledged their support in procuring books, uniforms and transport for the students.

The Living Water Community said it would comment at a later date.