00:00On top of the news, the Ministry of Education says all 777 government and government-assisted schools,
00:07inclusive of ECCE centers across both Trinidad and Tobago, opened today for the start of the new academic year.
00:17Meanwhile, at least one school is reported to have closed early,
00:20while another has been forced to implement a rotation system for students.
00:25Renessa Cutting reports.
00:28The Ministry of Education reports that all 777 schools, from ECCE through to secondary,
00:36opened their gates and welcomed students on the first day of the new academic year.
00:42However, education stakeholders are reporting that while it may be a new term, it is far from a fresh start.
00:49While we acknowledge the work that has been done, we are still seeing far too many outstanding issues,
00:55including shortage of furniture, teachers, bats, infestation, electrical concerns, effective water systems, and ongoing construction in some cases.
01:06At some schools, teachers and students are being asked to return to the environment where work is still taking place.
01:13That is a health and safety issue.
01:15Tutu does not agree with that.
01:17Meantime, the fight about Anglican Secondary School PTA informs TV6 News that the school has now implemented a rotation system
01:26for students.
01:27What they are saying is that the form 4, 5, and form 6 will come to school every day.
01:36And the lower form, which is the forms 1, 2, and 3, will rotate.
01:43So, at any given day, there will be 5 groups attending the school, which will be the 4, 5, upper
01:54and lower 6,
01:55and one of the lower forms, which will be form 1, and form 2 and 3 on subsequent days,
02:03based on a schedule that will be sent to the parents.
02:07This is several buildings remain condemned after a number of years.
02:10Despite recent assurances from officials that repairs would be affected.
02:16A claim that because school has started, no work could have been done.
02:23I am taking that information with a pinch of salt.
02:26Because no one came in to look at any work to be done,
02:35or get estimate or indicate to the staff and the principal that we will be doing such and such.
02:44So, we are still awaiting some kind of evidence that something tangible is going to be done.
02:52Meantime, the NPTA reports that the Gloucester Lodge Moravian School dismissed students early today
02:58due to ongoing infrastructure concerns.
03:01And even as school maxi-taxi drivers await their $10 million in arrears,
03:07NPTA President Walter Stewart is pleading with the Ministry of Education to expand service coverage.
03:13We are concerned that there are some areas not currently being serviced by school maxi-taxi concessionaires,
03:21and which we are very concerned about, because those students are being disadvantaged.
03:28I note in particular in Toko, that there was no maxi-taxi commuting today.
03:39And this will definitely cause some serious problems for our students to get to and from schools.
03:45Renasa Cutting, TV6 News.
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