Oliver happy with record $2.4B

PRESIDENT of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association, Trevor Oliver, says provisions made for the education sector by Finance Minister Patrick Manning in his 2003-2004 Budget has potential for positive things. Not wanting to pre-empt the Budget allocation, the TTUTA president preferred not to comment on the “good or bad” of the budget presentation saying, “The Budget is a statement of intent.” Stating however, that  he was comfortable with the allocations made for the education sector, Oliver said he hopes concrete figures for each programme would be provided by Education Minister Hazel Manning during the Budget debate. “When the Minister of Education joins the debate, it is hoped she would point to specific projects and perhaps give us a clearer picture of figures.” The Education Ministry has been allocated a record $2.4 billion.

Oliver says he’s happy this year’s Budget reflected some of the pressing issues in the education system, issues he said which “needed to be adequately financed.” Those matters addressed by Manning in this year’s Budget include the upgrading of school security and the School Intervention Strategies Programme which is to aid in the reduction of violence and indiscipline in schools. Teacher training is also to be granted funding. While Oliver felt sufficient allocations had been made for the education sector, he said there was still one matter which concerned him gravely — that de-shifting of the nation’s junior secondary schools would be accelerated. Oliver insisted that while TTUTA supports the de-shifting of the nation’s schools, there are reservations about the manner in which the Education Ministry may go about doing this. 

“We are saying de-shifting of the schools must come in the context of a school-building programme, because we do not believe in just doing over numbers (calculating numbers of children), because what you can do is create chaos. And not only school buildings, but well furnished, well organised schools.” Oliver said, “Although it sounds good on paper, it can be filled with difficulties if not done properly.” The Prime Minister was also hailed by the TTUTA president for his provisions for transportation of schoolchildren. The TTUTA president reminded both Manning and the Minister of Education, Hazel Manning, that implementing the transportation system ought to be properly managed. “Given the level of crime in the country, our children should have a reliable and organised form of transport. Once it is organised in this way, we (TTUTA) will support it.”