TEN years after Trinidad and Tobago’s education system reached its highest-ever standard, the World Bank says it is now in crisis and requires urgent intervention.
The international financial institution said literacy and numeracy levels have fallen, curricula do not meet current needs, and teaching standards and approaches must be changed.
Special education is not prioritised, many schools are not well-equipped, and there are inequities in the system, according to the World Bank.
The agency termed the “dire state of affairs” in T&T and other Caribbean countries “a crisis in education.”
That is a dramatic fall from the quality under the five-year term of Education Minister Dr. Tim Gopeesingh, ending in 2015, when academic standards soared and classes were made more relevant to society.
The Gopeesingh era also saw the construction of more than 100 schools, the distribution of 95,000 computer laptops, ICT infused into the curriculum, and the introduction of a continuous assessment scheme.
In some schools, “smart classrooms” were created with audio-visual laboratories.
“Special needs” students received support, with the involvement of stakeholders.
Parenting workshops and career guidance assistance became frontline activities.
In 2015, Dr. Gopeesingh stated: “Literacy and numeracy have improved significantly among our students, with 2014 seeing the best academic achievements ever in our nation’s history, in SEA, CSEC and CAPE.”
He said there were “marked improvements” in the three examinations.
International organisations, such as the Oxford Business Group, had commented favourably on achievements in preschool, primary, secondary and university levels.
Years later, the Oxford group called on then-Education Minister Anthony Garcia to remedy several issues that had developed, including a widening skills gap.
In its new study, the Central Bank said that in the Caribbean, education outcomes are “worryingly low,” with students “significantly underperforming” compared to those in developed countries.
The institution’s study aside, there have been reports of students, particularly boys, struggling to meet a 50 percent benchmark.
There is “a learning deficit” at secondary level, causing many students to be unable to “master more advanced competencies later on.”
The bank said that under 80 per cent passed English and less than 50 per cent were successful in Mathematics.
The institution confirmed that there are declines in enrolment and increases in the number of drop-outs.
The findings are in line with the assessments of various T&T experts, who have been voicing alarm about a near systemic failure, with declining grades, the urgent need for diversification of the curricula, and dilapidated schools.
Textbook supply problems, reduced investments in digital education, lawlessness at schools, and unreliability of the school feeding and student transportation are among issues in the local sector.
Some education analysts say absentee teachers and staffing shortages are also headaches.
Education psychologist Dr. Margaret Nakhid-Chatoor has said that a crisis is “exacerbating in our society,” and is evident in abuse, school drop-outs and suicides.
There is growing anxiety among student population, the expert say.
The Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association has groused about “gloom and despair” in the all-important sector.
To be fair, the current national crime scourge, fall in productivity and lack of discipline would have impacted the education system, irrespective of who was its leader.
Still, the decline in a decade is alarming and would have long-lasting and severe effect on the entire society.
