Smooth start to 2004 for most schools

While many schools along the East/West Corridor reported a smooth start to the new school term, three schools in the Port-of-Spain area were not as lucky. Checks with the Ministry of Education revealed that the Gloster Lodge Moravian School in Belmont, and the St Magaret’s Anglican School which also houses Melville Memorial Primary School, will not be open until tomorrow and next Monday, respectively. Newsday learnt that while repair work at Gloster Lodge is expected to be completed today so that students can return to school tomorrow, children at St Magaret’s Anglican will not be as lucky as their school will not be ready until January 12. However, standard five students were asked to attend school today.

Having failed to address the nation or even issue a release welcoming students to the new school term for 2004, Education Minister Hazel Manning still could not be reached for comment yesterday. Attempts to contact communications specialist, Mervyn Crichlow, proved futile, but other sources at the ministry revealed that a release was being organised for tomorrow, two days after the beginning of the new school term. In welcoming the nation’s children back to school yesterday, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), Trevor Oliver, said the organisation would be working more closely with various agencies to reduce the degree of violence and indiscipline which ran rampant in the school system last year. Oliver was optimistic as he stated that the ministry had invited TTUTA to participate in some of the initiatives to be implemented this term.

Regarding the payment of arrears for 1987-1995, Oliver stated they were awaiting records from the ministry showing how many persons still had to be paid, and how many were actually paid thus far. When contacted by Newsday, president of the National Parent Teacher Association (NPTA) Zena Ramatali divulged that the organisation had met earlier in the day with the Chief Education Officer and other ministry officials to discuss a request for subvention for PTA movements in schools. Ramatali disclosed that meetings have been scheduled with TTUTA and the Maintenance, Training and Security company, for some time next week. Describing yesterday’s meeting as “very good,” she explained that the ministry had agreed with their suggestion that parents become more involved in their child’s life, and were considering establishing homework centres in each district, with parents in supervisory capacities.