Presbyterian schools in Trinidad face closure

TRINIDAD - The Presbyterian Secondary Schools Board of Education is appealing to the authorities to release funding withheld since mid-2017 to the five secondary schools it manages, since it cannot guarantee classes will continue in the next week without resources.

The schools affected are St Augustine Girls’ High, Naparima Girls’ High School, Naparima College, Hillview College and Iere High School. Expressing “grave concern” that the delay in funding is threatening the closure of the schools, the board, in a release signed by chairman Christian Dookhoo and general secretary Gary Samai, said funds have not been forthcoming since the middle of last year. Dookoo told Newsday on Monday that the board was part of the denominational school board that made previous appeals to Government to release funds to the denominational schools, which are government-assisted.

Calling on Education Minister Anthony Garcia “to act expeditiously,” the release said administrators have had to appeal to stakeholders, particularly parents, teachers and alumni associations, to help with the basic operations at their schools, including paying wages and salaries to janitorial and ancillary staff. Gracia told Newsday that the ministry “is working to ensure that payment can be made shortly.”

The board also noted that incomplete infrastructural works at the schools had limited the subjects offered to students and had placed staff and students at health and safety risks.

(Newsday)