Improving Bilateral Relations in Education was high on the agenda for discussions when Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S State Department, Mara Tekah paid a courtesy call to the Honourable Anthony Garcia, Minister of Education on Friday 23rd February, 2018.
The U.S Government Official told Minister Garcia and Senior Executives of the Ministry that her Government believes education is critical to achieving policy goals, and pledged full support to help Trinidad and Tobago advance its Education Agenda. She said bilateral relationships in education will improve prosperity and reduce the risks of youth becoming involved in activities which are not beneficial to National Development. Ms. Tekah added, following talks with the Organisation of American States (OAS) they have identified Technical & Vocational Education & Training (TVET) as a possible area for collaboration and support in the Caribbean.
Minister Garcia said the collaboration between the Minister of Education and the U.S Government remains strong and fruitful and the Ministry is always looking for areas to enhance opportunities for students. He said Technical & Vocational Education & Training (TVET) in Trinidad and Tobago dates back as far as 1970 and this is one of the success stories of the Education Sector. Minister Garcia also highlighted the importance of Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) in improving literacy and numeracy and other core education areas.
Presently, the Ministry of Education is collaborating with the U.S Embassy for the Integrated Arts Project which was launched in May 2017. The goal of this project is to develop a symbiotic relationship between the Arts and Technology and the core subjects with an aim to improve student engagement and achievement.
The meeting ended with both parties agreeing that technical teams will continue to meet to examine current available opportunities and to build a strategy to exploit those opportunities to benefit students, teachers and the Education Sector.
Other members of the Ministry of Education team who participated in the discussions were Permanent Secretaries, Angela Sisaswee - Gervias, Lenor Baptiste Simmons, Chief Education Officer, Harrilal Seecharran, Director of the Curriculum Division, John Roopchan and Curriculum Coordinator with responsibility for Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Marcellene Peters.