Hazel outlines plans for Education 2004

One week after school reopened, Education Minister Hazel Manning yesterday issued a welcome back address to the nation’s children.

In the release dated January 4, Manning extended New Year’s greetings to all, in addition to a hope that 2004 “will be peaceful and productive for everyone. “In this year, our focus is on maximising the educational experiences of students by managing more effectively the external factors which interfere with students’ learning and behaviour,” stated Manning. She claimed this will be done by addressing issues which include equity, poverty, social and emotional needs, as well as safety, and a review of the school curriculum “so that it becomes more relevant to the needs of the students and society.”

She outlined a number of initiatives which began in 2003, and which are expected to be fully implemented by 2004, and which include:
* Centres of excellence in teacher training, which will target reading in  primary schools;
* The Teacher Professional Development Unit will begin work on a four-year teacher education      project;
* A revised continuous assessment process at the primary level will be strengthened. It will allow for the monitoring and enhancing of students’ progress;
* Beginning in January, a new curriculum will be developed at the secondary level for fourth and fifth form students;
* The Ministry of Education will extend the outreach of the School Intervention Strategies (SIS)     Programme, and begin the implementation of the recommendations of the Deosaran report “Towards a Culture of School Peace.”
* The Inter-Ministerial committee that was set up to address the problems of indiscipline and violence in schools will continue to work toward implementing strategies to reduce these negative elements in our schools.

Manning urged the continuous involvement of parents and other stakeholders in the last project, if a safe, comfortable, and achievement-oriented environment is to be established in schools. To students writing examinations in 2004, the minister offered her “choicest blessings to you all,” and she did not forget to urge them “to continue to work diligently to attain success.” Last, but not least, she told the parents and guardians: “I ask you to work with us and help us to develop in our children positive attitudes to school and learning; respect for persons in authority; respect for peoples’ rights and their property; and to be more responsible and accountable for their actions.” The minister concluded by stating that these were the targets set by the Government to be achieved, through its initiatives, as they prepared students for productive citizenship in TT.