Government gives education in Tobago a much-needed revamp

The Tobago House of Assembly was granted the sum of $40.9 million for projects to upgrade the island’s Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary Schools in the current fiscal year 2009. During the year, workshops were conducted for teachers offering training in Spanish and Ethical Literacy. All newly recruited teachers were trained under the teachers training programme and sessions were also conducted for all Early Childhood School Teachers. This effort is in keeping with the Education Reform Action Plan, which is focused on instructional strengthening and teacher training.

Point 3 million dollars was utilized in preparation for the establishment of the Education Policy Research Development Unit , while an additional point one million was used to set up Science Research Centre and develop partnerships with British Gas and NIHERST. Under the primary school computerization programme, the infrastructure required to accommodate the installation of computers at the Parlatuvier and Plymouth Primary schools was completed and Ebenezer Methodist as computerized, bringing the total percentage of primary schools with computers to date to 30 percent.

In fiscal year 2009, attention was distributed across all tiers of the education system. Activities included the non traditional academic areas of vocational education, which received an allocation of point five million dollars. This was used to refurbish and upgrade the Roxborough Trade Centre and the Goodwood High School was upgraded to accommodate the expansion of the sixth form programme.

School infrastructure accounted for a major part of the input to the education system in Tobago, with work carried out at several schools including:

• Scarborough R.C. - construction of Principal’s office and perimeter box drains around the school premises

• Scarborough Methodist - upgrade of the sewer system and external work to the school building

• Bon Accord Government - completion of new wing, renovation of existing roof, kitchen facilities, upgrade to toilets and construction of security booth

• Delaford R.C. - upgrade to kitchen and principal’s office

Under the Secondary Schools Programme, upgrades were undertaken at:

• Scarborough Secondary - installation of surveillance cameras, electrical upgrade to Block B, Metal Work Block and construction of canopy to western end of school

• Signal Hill Senior Comprehensive and Mason Hall Secondary - installation of surveillance cameras

• Roxborough Composite – completion of installation of surveillance cameras and upgrade to electrical.

• Bishops High School and Goodwood High School – electrical and plumbing upgrade.
• Charlotteville Methodist – extension of Principal’s office and repainting of entire school

The above initiatives are parts of the Government’s Vision 2020 Strategic Plan under the pillar of “Developing Innovative People.”

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CREDITS: Story by Nicola Joseph using information from Government’s publication on Public Sector Investment in Tobago 2009 to 2010.
Photo by Burnsland