Tobago businessman: Education isn't just academics

A Tobago businessman has called for a review of the country’s education system, to prevent students who get 30 per cent and below in the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examination from entering mainstream secondary schools.

Ancle George, manager of the Naturalist Beach Resort, Castara, believes there is a link between low-performing students and crime.

The resort on Tuesday donated 18 tablets to four primary schools in response to the Division of Education, Innovation and Energy’s call for entrepreneurs to help provide digital devices to less fortunate students to assist their online classes.

During a simple ceremony at the division’s head office, Dutch Fort, Scarborough, tablets were presented to the principals of Castara Government, Des Vignes Road Government, Parlatuvier Anglican and L’Anse Fourmi Methodist.

George said he was happy to assist the students but urged the Government to review the education system in the new year.

“I would like to see some changes to the education system moving forward in 2021,” he said in a brief address.

“Sending students 30 per cent and under to secondary school annually, I think we are going the wrong way and we need to change that.

“We cannot continue to do that and expect a reduction in crime.”

George called for greater technical/vocational training for young people.

“We need to revamp the technical educational area in TT but I am more concerned about Tobago.

“We need to restart the trade centres and youth camps and put them on a better footing.”

George, who said he is a product of the trade centre, argued sending students struggling in academics to secondary school would only fuel crime.

“If you continue sending those students to secondary school, crime is going to increase because if they can’t do elementary work – learning two times table, three times table; they don’t teach that at secondary school.

“They go through secondary school and go through a phase and they get attracted to what they could do best.

"And what they can do best is the result of the statistics we are seeing. So, I hope that 2021 will lead us into a different direction as we look toward all-round education.”

Education secretary Kelvin Charles told George the division has been attempting to address the needs of students who may not be academically inclined.

He cited its offering of certificates in a construction programme for people between the ages of 16 and 60 as an example. The programme, conceptualised by the division’s technical adviser Dr Verleen Bobb-Lewis, focuses on carpentry, masonry and electrical installation.

Charles said it was difficult to get people to participate in the programme.

“It was like pulling teeth to get some of our young persons, both male and female, to be part of that programme. You can’t imagine the difficulties we have had,” he said.

Charles said the programme, which has been temporarily suspended, in part, owing to covid19.

Charles recalled in a meeting between the THA and the National Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (Nidco) about the ANR Robinson airport expansion project some time ago, Nidco said it would reserve ten per cent of its labour requirement for Tobagonians.

He said he rejected the offer and they eventually agreed on 20 per cent.

“But when that meeting ended, I turned to the secretary for the division of infrastructure and I asked him whether I had committed suicide, because I was wondering where I was going to find the skilled labour to satisfy that project.

“In other words, I took a gamble and then moved to see how we could create opportunities for our people.”

Charles said the division has also been toying with the idea of having some secondary school students, who may be inclined to a vocation, link with the National Energy Skills Centre at Goldsborough to see if there could be some level of participation.

“Because another simple truth is, we do not, at this time, have the teachers who are trained in the vocational skilled areas, to work with us.”

“As a matter of fact, we are using retired teachers in those areas where they are competent and in the schools where it is part of the curriculum.”