Education Minister Anthony Garcia says spaces will be made available in the nation's schools for students of hurricane ravaged countries such as Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda providing they meet Immigration's requirements.
At a press conference at the Ministry of Education's Port-of-Spain office yesterday, moments after Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said they would allow Dominicans seeking shelter into the country for a six-month period, Garcia said this initiative was also done in 2004 when Grenadian students also attended schools here after being affected by Hurricane Ivan.
"There was a similar disaster that affected Grenada and I was a principal at that time. The Ministry of Education at that time had students from Grenada and we will make spaces available but with consultation with the Ministry of National Security, which is responsible for the Immigration Department," he said.
Garcia said the students and parents must work in accordance with National Security.
"There are parameters that we must work within."
He said stakeholders and Security Minister Edmund Dillon will be engaged in discussions about the issue.
Garcia said he did not know how many students from would be able to come to T&T or the number of spaces they would be able to make available.
At the conference, he also urged students to participate and give items to those families in the hurricane affected islands.
"The devastation in some of those Caribbean islands and parts of North America, we decided as a ministry and we as a people that has been spared the wrath and that it is our responsibility to assist those affected. We want to thank God," he said.
Garcia said many families need assistance and it is possible to lend a helping hand.
"We thank the Almighty for sparing us and as a means of showing our appreciation and thanks to God for whatever little, even if it hurts let us give," he said.
Chief education officer Harrilal Seecharan said the items will be collected by next week Thursday or Friday. He said the programme will be raising awareness and the ministry will be following the guidelines issued by the Office of Preparedness Disaster Management.