Education Minister Anthony Garcia is holding talks with the T&T Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) to address the dress code of teachers.
This was announced by chairman of the People’s National Movement (PNM) Franklin Khan yesterday at a media conference after the party held its General Council meeting at Balisier House.
Khan said: “The minister did indicate that he is in some sensitive discussions with TTUTA as it relates to the dress code of teachers. There was a time when I went in primary schools and every teacher had a tie and now the dress code has deteriorated.
“We cast no aspersions on anybody but anyone who wants to be fair will have to admit that the dress code of teachers has deteriorated significantly.
“And if they have to provide the status of role models to young students and malleable minds, something has to be done to address this issue.”
He said Garcia was in discussion with TTUTA and also the National Parent Teacher Association and the matter will be dealt with frontally to a large extent in the coming months.
Khan said these were some of the subtle signals they can send to society to make the transformation because the lack of discipline in this country was rooted in many issues.
He said the focus now has to be on primary and secondary schools in a serious way and to leave no stone unturned in getting the product of the country's education system to be of a superior quality.
He added that on Tuesday, the party is expected to host an indoor public meeting at the Mt D’Or Community Centre and among those scheduled to speak are Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi.