Upgrade coming for Sando Technical

Cabinet has agreed to upgrade the physical facilities and equipment at the San Fernando Technical Institute (SFTI), and to re-introduce the National Examinations Council (NEC) Craft and Technicians Programmes at a cost of approximately TT $17.9 million, in time for September’s intake of 716 students. This agreement has come on the heels of a proposal which was put forward by Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education, Colm Imbert. Craft courses were introduced at SFTI free of charge in 1953, ten years after the establishment of the institution. Changes in tertiary education policy in 1998 led to a standardised tuition policy and credit accumulation transfer across all of the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of TT (COSTAATT) institutions.

A decision was taken to convert and upgrade craft courses to credit-based modularised certificate programmes with a system based on the payment of fees. With the introduction of fees, there was a cessation of Government funding of all craft and technician programmes. In addition, the upgrading of craft programmes was not done because of deficiencies in curriculum planning and training capability. Cabinet has agreed to re-introduce NEC technician courses which will be developed and upgraded to associate degree status, and the NEC craft courses will be re-introduced on a policy of free tuition at SFTI. The NEC craft courses to be re-introduced are welding, electrical installation, construction, carpentry and joinery, auto mechanics, dressmaking and design, food preparation, and cafeteria operations.