Education Ministry goes digital for registration of 1st year pupils

The Ministry of Education has taken a step forward in its digital transformation journey with the launch of a new online student intake application designed to streamline enrollment processes and digitise school records.

The First Year Infant Registration System (T&T), known as FIRSTT, is aimed at modernising and simplifying the school registration process by shifting from a paper-based system to a centralised digital platform.

Security and ease of use are central to the platform’s design, ensuring a smooth adoption process for parents, administrators, and stakeholders.

Unveiled yesterday at the Education Tower in Port-of-Spain, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly emphasized the importance of this digital transformation, stating, “This application is part of a suite of digital transformation projects that have been underway at the Ministry of Education for some time.”

She highlighted the importance of moving away from traditional paper records to improve operational efficiency and data accessibility.

“This particular application follows our digital transformation journey, which we have been undertaking for several years,” Minister Gadsby-Dolly said.

She added the ministry’s commitment to innovation, noting that online applications for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) have been operational since 2022, benefiting parents and pupils.

Since 2022, the ministry has introduced several digital initiatives, including online applications for the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA), a results portal, and various online means tests for educational grants and resources.

Emphasizing the importance of digitizing records, the Education Minister described the school management system as a foundational project to transform student and school records into digital formats.

“It is something that is taking quite some time. We have made significant progress in transferring student and school records online for all of our teachers—13,000 teachers—and over 200,000 students.

“One issue is the propensity to lose records; another is that over time, these documents can become outdated or damaged, causing serious issues with our efficiency,” Gadsby-Dolly said.

This new application will be open for a six-week period, giving parents ample time to familiarise themselves with the system and complete the necessary steps.

The Minister encouraged parents to take advantage of the resources available, including instruction manuals and online support, to ensure a seamless experience.

She reassured, “We want our parents to feel confident; we’ve anticipated every question you may have.”

Parents can access FIRSTT at parentportal.moe.gov.tt.