Mixed support for Carnival vacation for schools

However, Presbyterian Church Moderator, the Right Reverend Annabell Lalla- Ramkhelawan disagreed with that proposal saying the Education Ministry should instead focus on getting parents to assume their parental responsibilities and send their children to school. During a media conference at the Education Ministry’s Towers, Port-of-Spain on Wednesday, Seecharan said the issue of school attendance continued to be a perennial problem due to poor turnout by students at both the primary and secondary school levels.

In a telephone interview yesterday, SDMS secretary general Satnarayan Maharaj said he had originally proposed the idea of giving the schools a week vacation due to the high levels of absenteeism by students.

“I support that completely, take the whole week for Carnival and give back the children the week in one of the holidays, either the long summer vacation or the Easter vacation,” Maharaj said.

“As a matter of fact, that was my proposal, let them take the whole week- Carnival and make it up back, cut out from one of the vacation period and ensure that the children get the same amount of school time,” he added.

Asked whether absenteeism was also a problem at SDMS schools during the Carnival week, he said: “yes, it is across the board. It is not so pronounced at Maha Sabha schools but even so, it is happening across the board because we are seeing a great reduction in attendance and normally we don’t have it.” In full agreement was ASJA president general, Haji Yacoob Ali who also said that the July/August holidays could be reduced by one week to facilitate the Carnival week holiday.

“In my personal view, I think this would be the better thing to do and decrease the holidays at summer time so they can have an additional school week before the break for the August vacation,” Ali said.

However, he said absenteeism was more prevalent at government schools as opposed to denominational schools.

“It’s always better with us because the religious denominational schools have never had the problems of the government schools,” he said. Meanwhile, former Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh said the proposal was one he had attempted to implement during his tenure but which had been met with strong opposition by stakeholders.