The idea of giving free lap tops to students was always an expense that was fated to be debated, drop in oil price or otherwise. The harsh reality of dwindling oil revenue has led everyone, from the President to the ordinary citizen, to contemplate where trimming of expenses can be accomplished.
Knowledge is power and while it levels the playing field between the children from wealthy families and those of the poor, can we sustain the idea of a government-financed lap top programme infinitum? Do we stop the distribution of free lap tops immediately or post elections of 2015? The Education Minister has enthusiastically set out to widen the scope of physical activity, to improve teaching conditions, offer after-school homework classes and other benefits to financially-challenged students.
Where is the extra financing to come from? Could the free lap top for the first ten successful Sea students remain in place and all schools be kitted out with functional IT access to satisfy the rest of the student population? Should corporate T&T wish to give the children of employees a lap top each is entirely a different matter.
There is a growing lobby that says those who do not take full advantage of the free education opportunities at tertiary level will have to face the chop if they do not give value for money. Free is no longer so free, it has to be regulated. Until further notice the Ministry of Education should be exempted from the recommended budget cuts but must streamline its activities and expenditure.
The downside of the distribution of the lap tops has allegedly seen the adults in the families abusing these well-intentioned gifts to their own advantage.
Lynette Joseph,
via e-mail