New Education Minister Anthony Garcia says there will be reform of the primary school curriculum.
Speaking with reporters after being sworn in by President Anthony Carmona at Queen’s Hall yesterday, Garcia said: “Some reform must take place with the primary school curriculum.”
Noting that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley hah spoken about the need to introduce History into the primary school curriculum, Garcia said he “will try to ensure that we put together as quickly as possible experts in the field so that can be included in the curriculum as soon as possible.”
And, Garcia said, he wanted to “assure the denominational boards that their interest in education will be maintained. I want to let them know that I respect the right that they own the schools and I will do everything that is in my power to ensure that they continue to play the role that they have been playing in education for a number of years.”
Garcia said the Continuous Assessment Component, which was introduced by the former PP government, would be reviewed. “I will want to look at the Continuous Assessment Component. That has caused a lot of concerns and worry among many of our teachers and I would like to ensure that our teachers are comfortable in whatever they do and that is something I need to look at as a matter of urgency.”
Garcia said he also hoped to address delays in the opening of the school term and prevent further problems. “That has to be one of my major concerns. I would not like under my tenure to have delayed opening of schools,” he stressed.
Garcia said he would have discussions with the Education Facilities Company Ltd to ensure that things were put in place to address the matter.
“Everything will depend on discussions and I will be discussing with the principals in those areas to ensure that things are done properly,” he added.
Garcia said he expected to meet with the T&T Unified Teachers Association as soon as possible to seek to advance the delivery of education.
New Works and Transport Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said his priorities were “to identify problems and, once resources are available, to resolve them in the quickest possible time to bring economic development and to bring relief and to improve the quality of life of the people of T&T.”
He said the country had not had value for money over the past few years. He said he was not surprised by the portfolio given because it was always the responsibility of the Prime Minister to appoint ministers.
Social Development and Family Services Minister Cherrie-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn said her priority was to get into the ministry and do a current state assessment before making decisions on moving forward.
She said she worked in the social insurance field for over 25 years “so I understand social insurance and social services. I bring my 25 years experience.”
Labour and Small and Micro Enterprise Development Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus said, “At the top of my list is to ensure that the tripartite mechanism involving Government, labour and the employer is established so that we can start to enter that realm of industrial peace.”
She said the PNM Government “will be meeting and treating with the labour movement as has never been done before.”
Baptiste-Primus said the labour movement “will be included in the embryonic stages of any changes to take place within the public sector and we expect collaboration and mutual respect.”
She added, “Of course it will not be easy and we will not agree on everything but the mutual respect and at the end of the day we will all work in the best interest of T&T.”
She said, “We already know what are the priorities but at this point in time we have to bring the other stakeholders on board. So I will be meeting with all stakeholders to get their point of view and bring them on board.”
New Community Development, Culture and the Arts Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby Dolly says one of her priority areas of attention would be to refurbish the National Academy for the Performing Arts (Napa) in Port-of-Spain.
“One of my biggest concerns is that the Napa has dilapidated and that is one of the main areas that our cultural people have been complaining about. So we want to take a look at that and make sure that it is back up to scratch,” she said.
New Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe, who is the MP for Tobago West, said she was pleased to be given the opportunity to serve the country at ministerial level.
She said tourism development was very important to the national economy and that of Tobago specifically.
New Public Administration Minister and MP for San Fernando East Randall Mitchell said he was committed to improving the delivery of customer service by public servants and he would seek to train members of the service to achieve that objective.