Venezuelans on school registration: Make it accessible to all migrants

REGISTRATION for Venezuelan children resumed on September 10, but despite a strong migrant presence in south Trinidad, there were no long lines at the Education Ministry’s Victoria and St Patrick district offices at Sutton Street in San Fernando.

From 9 am-midday, Newsday spotted only two Venezuelan parents who went to register, hoping their children would be admitted into the public school system.

Yolenny Moya, 44, of San Fernando, said she is hopeful that her two children – a 14-year-old boy and an eight-year-old girl – will be have the opportunity of an education in Trinidad and Tobago (TT).

She said many Venezuelans want their children to have access to education, but because of their legal status, they cannot register.

Many migrants, mainly the fathers, work on farms and are unaware of the initiative.

Moya, who works as a cleaner, said she welcomed the initiative, adding that there would have been long lines if all Venezuelans (legal and illegal) were allowed to register.

“Many migrants do not have their papers but would like to have their children in school,” she told Newsday in Spanish.

She recalled she had previously faced challenges with the Immigration Department because of the circumstances of her children’s arrival in the country. However, the issues were resolved.

Moya said her daughter attends the La Romaine Migrant Support Group in La Romaine, and her son attends classes hosted by the UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) at a school in San Fernando.

“They have a space in the school and take in children from around 12-16 years. The teachers are Venezuelans and Cubans and classes are in English and Spanish. It is free.”

Another parent, Emilys Bastardo, said she is literally praying for her nine-year-old daughter to be accepted.

“Although she was born in Venezuela, she speaks English well. She wants to attend school, and many other Venezuelans want to also,” she said in Spanish.

Bastardo got wind of the first registration in July, but did not have all the required documents, such as a translated birth certificate, at hand to complete the process. She went to a location in San Fernando and was told the translation would cost about $1,200, but she did not have the money.

Later, through the Pan American Development Foundation, she got it done for free.

On August 19, 23 migrant children received their exemption letters to attend school at the Education Ministry at St Vincent Street in Port of Spain. At that ceremony, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said the work of the ministries of national security and the attorney general allowed the registration of migrant children.

Needed to register:

Like the initial registration in July, this initiative applies to Venezuelan migrants under 18 whose parents registered with the National Security Ministry in 2019 and continue to register yearly under the Migrant Registration Framework (MRF).

Registration takes place at education district offices closest to where the migrants live, on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.

Among the documents parents must present to register is the national security minister’s permit under the MRF and Migrant Registration Card. Children without this permit are ineligible for school entry.

The parents must also bring a certified translation of the child’s birth certificate, the child’s immunisation record, a passport-sized photo of the child and proof of address.