00:00 Minister of Education Dr. Nayan Gatsby-Dawley sums up the new policy as one that would promote
00:06 modern relevant quality and equitable education for all. She believes it is integral to dealing
00:11 with the challenges that are ahead. The policy is centered around eight strategic areas.
00:16 Amendment of the Education Act, Human Resource Development, Equity in Quality Education,
00:27 Curriculum Reform, Revitalization of TVETS, some of you may know it as TECVOP, but it
00:34 refers to Technical and Vocational Training, Harnessing ICT for Digital Transformation,
00:41 Transitioning Learners through our Education System, and Enabling Student Success.
00:49 But apart from that, a homeschooling policy is being put forward, a need for which was
00:53 heightened during COVID-19. Dr. Gatsby-Dawley says the ministry examined policies around
00:59 the world and tried finding the best fit for this country, but she acknowledges that there
01:05 are concerns.
01:06 This is our first foray into a homeschooling policy, and I want to make it clear. We are
01:13 not trying to go, as the young people say, from zero to 100. We are trying to put something
01:20 in place that allows the minister, whoever the minister is, to fulfill their mandate,
01:27 which is to ensure that all children are properly educated.
01:32 President of the Homeschooling Association of TNT, Rodney Rajkumar, says his members
01:36 are enraged.
01:37 Yesterday, I created a petition. Between yesterday and today, I have over 1,000 signatures of
01:48 people who are saying, let us reject this homeschooling policy, because it is undemocratic.
01:55 He claims they were presented with a policy that was completed, pointing to a lack of
02:01 consultation during the drafting phase of the policy, but the education minister denies
02:06 this.
02:07 You presented one version of events. We may have another. But at the end of it, what we
02:14 are saying as a ministry is that if there are additional concerns, more than was raised
02:21 when the Homeschooling Association commented on the draft, and if there are other things
02:27 you would like to discuss, the ministry is open to this.
02:31 But what about addressing one of the pressing issues in the day-to-day school environment?
02:37 How does this policy address violence and indiscipline in schools?
02:42 So the restorative practices is a part of changing the behavior of our students and
02:49 helping them to deal with conflict and challenges more successfully. So we are piloting at 11
02:56 schools and moving out into the other schools. We have 26 secondary schools of focus.
03:03 Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
03:06 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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