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Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath says Form One students will receive their Government-issued laptops at the end of September.
Speaking with Guardian Media last evening, Dowlath said, “Distribution will commence on a phased basis from the end of September, with all incoming secondary school students scheduled to receive a laptop.”
The Education Minister said this structured rollout will ensure “proper logging, accountability and delivery directly through schools.”
Dowlath added that approximately 18,000 laptops will be given out this academic year.
He also stressed that an important feature of the laptops will be their user-friendly interface for the differently-abled.
“Importantly, the initiative also makes provision for students with special needs, ensuring they too are equipped with appropriate devices to support their learning.”
Guardian Media asked for the overall cost of what was a major campaign promise by the United National Congress (UNC). However, Dowlath could not provide that answer yesterday.
“The overall cost of the investment will be provided at a later date,” he said.
This “laptop” initiative was a hallmark of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s previous term in government (2010-2015).
Under this programme, every student entering Form One received a free personal laptop, regardless of their family’s income or financial status.
By 2014, the government had distributed a total of 92,000 laptops to students from Form 1 -5 at a cost of approximately $253 million.
When the People’s National Movement (PNM) came into power in 2015, a means test was implemented to determine eligibility for the devices. This meant that only students from low-income families received a device.
Following the UNC’s return to power, the Prime Minister announced the reintroduction of the universal laptop distribution programme for Form One students.
During his visit to Trinidad and Tobago in early July, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a donation of 2,000 laptops to the country.
Dowlath said these devices would be a major asset to “transforming learning.”
However, earlier yesterday, former minister of education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said she was concerned that the Education Ministry had not responded to questions about the laptop programme. She said she had received many queries about the laptops from her constituents in St Ann’s East.
President of the T&T Secondary Schools Parent Support Group, Rachiel Ramsamooj, said some members had also been concerned, since they received no definitive announcement regarding device distribution from the ministry and August was coming to an end.
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