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Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly - Lincoln Holder/File photoST ANN'S EAST MP Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly asked about the status of the book-grant scheme, in light of the pending opening of the new school term. The former education minister was at a media briefing at the Opposition Leader's office in Port of Spain on August 18. She said applications had been submitted under the former administration and had been under processing.
"We are about three weeks away but have not been hearing anything with regards to those grants. Parents are very concerned.
"We also have the situation where tens of thousands of people are out of jobs now and depend on that book grant."
Gadsby-Dolly asked about the Vacation Remedial Programme that she had introduced for low-achieving pupils moving from primary to secondary school.
She said it had been discontinued in this July-August vacation period (under the change in government after the April 28 general election).
"We would like the the minister (Dr Michael Dowlath) to say what are the plans going forward."
Gadsby-Dolly said under her watch, focus was placed on some 81 primary and 26 secondary schools since a dip in performance in 2022 due to the covid19 pandemic.
Regarding the government's promise of laptops for pupils in September, she reminded all that these were due to pupils entering form one in secondary school.
"We would like to hear an update with regard to that."
However, she asked about the plight of pupils in forms four and five due to sit their upcoming CSEC Exams some of which subjects – especially those involving multiple choice exams – were set to be examined online as e-exams, as a cost-saving measure. "I would like to know – apart from the update as to what is happening with the form one laptops – what exactly is the ministry planning to increase the level of e-testing at the form five and form six levels and where are the devices that would be provided to be able to accommodate this?"
Gadsby-Dolly said the police service have continued to work with the education ministry – in an initiative that had been re-started under her tenure in 2022 – by posting police officers inside certain schools to deal with discipline issues.
"We want to hear a bit more about this. We also want to hear about the plans of the police to patrol outside of schools at the end of school.
"What we noticed is that once the police were involved in the school, there was a reduction of violence in the school.
"However, outside in the urban areas and so on, that (violence) was also an issue."
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