More than 100 partners in education convened at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad on May 6, 2019 to discuss strategies for promoting student success at a symposium hosted by the Ministry of Education’s, LaventilleMorvant School Improvement Project (LMSIP). Representatives of government, private sector, non-governmental agencies, community-based organisations and the Curriculum Planning and Development Division of the Ministry of Education exchanged ideas, raised challenges and provided recommendations for realizing beneficial outcomes for students of the LaventilleMorvant communities.
Minister of Education Anthony Garica commended stakeholders for their presence at the symposium which he said indicated their commitment to the children and their future success. He appealed to the stakeholders as parents, teachers and leaders in the community, identifying the significance of each group on our young people.
“We teach math, we teach English, we teach children. As adults, we play a very influential role in the lives of children. At the Ministry, we continue to take steps to maintain environments conducive to teaching and learning. Our Curriculum Planning and Development Division continues to work alongside teachers to ensure effective delivery of teaching material. However, our parents and community play an equallyimportant role in providing the emotional and social support necessary for the holistic development of our children.”
Member of Parliament, Laventille West Fitzgerald Hinds, whose constituency falls within the programme said, “Education is important to us as a people. We can and must do more—professionally and emotionally—to offer the best to our youngsters for their future development.”
The ensuing breakout sessions discussed solutions to challenges identified as the four component areas of the project were discussed—Literacy, Numeracy, Teacher Training and Development; Parenting in Education; Infrastructure and Aesthetics; and Promoting Discipline and Reducing Violence. Among the recommended solutions were greater cooperation and contribution by community stakeholders—SWMCOL, Regional Cooperation, WASA, etcetera; after-school programmes throughout the community to fill the gap between dismissal and pick-up; getting OJTs involved to provide support in the classroom and other needed areas; greater parental engagement and support to equip them to respond to today’s challenges; as well as parental training to enable caregivers to support students’ learning.
The symposium followed stakeholder interactions held in February and March as part of the project’s sustained stakeholder engagement strategy. The LMSIP seeks to enhance the teaching-learning process and students’ performance, while curbing the school drop-out rate, particularly among male students, at the primary and secondary school levels. Curriculum Planning and Development Division (CPDD), Student Support Services Division, School Supervision, the Educational Facilities Planning and Procurement Division and the School Security Division are also involved in the management of the programme.