Ministry seeks investors for tertiary education

GOVERNMENT’S plan to increase tertiary level enrolment from eight percent to 20 percent was the focus of a Stakeholders’ Forum on Investment in Tertiary Education at the Trinidad Hilton yesterday.

The forum was aimed at generating ideas and solutions on expansion and provision of relevant and responsive tertiary education and determining how best the private sector can invest in this development. The University of the West Indies, other tertiary education institutions and various corporate bodies were represented at the forum. Danny Montano, Minister of Science Technology and Tertiary Education, expressed his ministry’s wish to have “a university graduate in every home by 2020”. The Minister referred to Chile, citing the level and quality of education as the reason for that country’s success compared to other countries in the region. The reference was a direct appeal to private sector investors to recognise the benefit of investment in the tertiary education sector.

Montano suggested that firms directly assist students and reminded them of the provision in the tax law that allows companies to sponsor students at tertiary level and claim a full tax deduction. He also highlighted the need to increase the number of persons accessing tertiary education and  ensure the relevance of programmes to the country’s employment needs. “Clearly, our educational system is missing the mark,” Montano said. Calls were made by numerous stakeholders for closer collaboration between educators and the private sector. It was suggested that venture capital be invested in the University of the West Indies to produce future employees for local firms.

Stakeholders also raised their concern that the issues faced in tertiary education were born at the primary and secondary levels. Montano said this was not his direct concern, but assured the gathering that Minister of Education Hazel Manning was doing  “nothing less than revolutionary work to improve the education system”.