Ministry: Guidelines for entry into schools

Responding to queries by a concerned parent who was shocked at the information required to register her son at a primary school in East Trinidad, the Education Ministry yesterday said they had specific guidelines and policies which needed to first be satisfied before children could be considered for entrance into any school.

Approximately one month ago, a concerned mother contacted Newsday complaining that she had been asked to furnish the school with details such as the nationality of the child; a complete medical on the child; the child’s blood type; child’s birth certificate; photo of child; nationality of the parents; age of parents; occupation of both parents; a utility bill; and whether the parents were residing together or separately. In addition, the mother said she was told the child may not even be chosen, and that she would have to come back to check the list on the notice board, as the school would not be contacting her via telephone with any information.

When Newsday contacted the education office in the district, an officer said that they would not speak to the media and to contact the Ministry. The officer also refused to provide Newsday with the list of requirements for enrolling a child at the school in question, but did say there was a list. Communications specialist at the Ministry, Mervyn Crichlow, assured Newsday that the Ministry had assigned a school supervisor to meet with the principal of the school to review and re-state the ministry’s policies on this issue.