Garcia: Strategic leadership, management needed in education

Education Minister Anthony Garcia says strategic leadership and management was crucial for success in the education sector.

“What we need in the education system is not only quality teachers, is not only proper infrastructure, it is not only terms and conditions of service that our teachers would enjoy but a very important element in the education system is strategic leadership and management and that cannot be underscored.

“We can have the best infrastructure, the best schools, the most highly trained teachers, learning conditions that are supreme but if we lack strategic leadership, all that would result to nought,” he said.

Garcia was addressing stakeholders at the national consultation on the Draft Education Policy Paper titled “A Look into the Future” at the Victor E Bruce Financial Complex in Scarborough on Tuesday.

He told stakeholders it was important to get a wide cross section of contributions to get education to a level that would improve the standard of living for the students and for the country.

“When that position paper was presented to the Cabinet, it was decided by the cabinet to engage in further discussions so that we can establish policy directions for the Ministry of Education and by extension, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. It is our hope that this paper or these consultations would evolve into a White Paper that would be taken to the Parliament, that would be the official Government’s policy where education is concerned for the next five years,” he said.

Garcia said the policy would pay special attention to persons with special needs, as well as training in the technical vocational area.

“In Tobago, it is necessary to look at what is being done and what is offered to our students. When we examine that, there are some gaps that we need to fill… Today, you are given the opportunity to put forward your answers so that we can work together in ensuring that our education system is second to none,” he said.