Health Ministry should control education

THE EDITOR: But seriously, kudos for Imbert, failure for Hazel Manning. The Minister of Health has brought to Trinidad and Tobago. Cuban doctors who cannot speak the English language. Minister Colm Imbert (I) together with Keith Sancho (S), Ashford Sankar (S) and Dr Rampersad Parasram (P), are giving the Cuban doctors a three-week crash course in English Language. This has since been extended to four weeks. Following this crash course, they will become fluent in English and will then be able to practise medicine in TT.

Trinbagonian students who have been speaking English for over 15 years of their lives, wrote the English Language examination at CXC but close to 50 percent of them failed. It is now stated that approximately one quarter of Trinbagonians cannot read and write properly. The recent results of the SRP examinations are testimony to the language incapability of Trinba-gonians. UWI, also, is not satisfied with the English Language capability of its students and has an entrance English Language test as well as a compulsory English Language course for most students in many faculties. Recently, one doctor had to wait an extra year before beginning to practise since he only passed his medical examinations but failed the English Language course.

But in three/four weeks, Cuban doctors will be taught successfully the English Language by the Ministry of Health. It is thus recommended that the Ministry of Education be made a Junior Ministry within the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health must be commended for their enthusiasm about training Spanish-speaking doctors in the art of speaking the English language. It is also recommended that all students be given this crash course, during the month of April so that they will be prepared for the CXC examination in May. I am sure that the Parasram, Imbert, Sancho and Sankar team will assist in this venture. The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service should also invite Parasram, Imbert, Sancho and Sankar to give crash courses in English Language. But seriously, the Ministry of Health should assume control of the Ministry of Education immediately; otherwise English may become our second language.

PHILIP AYOUNG-CHEE FRCS
Port-of-Spain