JavaScript is disabled in your web browser or browser is too old to support JavaScript. Today almost all web pages contain JavaScript, a scripting programming language that runs on visitor's web browser. It makes web pages functional for specific purposes and if disabled for some reason, the content or the functionality of the web page can be limited or unavailable.

Sunday, July 13, 2025

51 schools affected by floods—Garcia

by

Derek Achong
2455 days ago
20181022
Fatma College student David Jones delivers relief supplies at the Living Water Community on Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday.

Fatma College student David Jones delivers relief supplies at the Living Water Community on Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday.

KERWIN PIERRE

On­ly sev­en per cent of schools across Trinidad were af­fect­ed by last week­end’s dev­as­tat­ing floods.

Speak­ing at a joint press con­fer­ence at the Min­istry of Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty in Port-of-Spain yes­ter­day, Ed­u­ca­tion Min­is­ter An­tho­ny Gar­cia said 51 schools were di­rect­ly or in­di­rect­ly af­fect­ed by the flood­ing which wreaked hav­oc across large ar­eas of Trinidad.

Gar­cia said 22 schools - 12 pri­ma­ry, two sec­ondary and eight ear­ly child­hood care and ed­u­ca­tion (EC­CE) cen­tres—fell with­in com­mu­ni­ties di­rect­ly af­fect­ed by flood­ing and re­mained closed to­day.

Twen­ty schools (ten pri­ma­ry, five sec­ondary and five EC­CEs) in close prox­im­i­ty of the flood-hit com­mu­ni­ties were al­so af­fect­ed, as stu­dents and teach­ers had dif­fi­cul­ties ac­cess­ing them through flood­ed roads.

He al­so re­vealed that eight pri­ma­ry schools and one sec­ondary school were still be­ing used as emer­gency shel­ters.

In terms of turn out of stu­dents and teach­ers with­in the sev­en school dis­tricts, Gar­cia said he could on­ly pro­vide pro­vi­sion­al fig­ures as his staff were still com­pil­ing in­for­ma­tion.

In the Ca­roni dis­trict, which was amongst the worse hit, Gar­cia said pri­ma­ry schools had 52 per cent turnout of stu­dents and 73 per cent of teach­ers, while sec­ondary schools had 32 per cent turnout of stu­dents and 54 per cent of teach­ers.

In the North East­ern dis­trict, there was 21 per cent stu­dent turnout and 59 per cent of teach­ers in sec­ondary schools, while there was 44.2 per cent of stu­dents and 69.4 per cent of teach­ers at sec­ondary schools in South East Trinidad.

The St Patrick dis­trict record­ed the high­est at­ten­dance num­bers, with 83 per cent of stu­dents and teach­ers be­ing present.

“That tells me that de­spite the hard­ships, teach­ers made every ef­fort to come out to school so that they can min­is­ter to the stu­dents,” Gar­cia said.

He al­so said the sta­tis­tics showed that Gov­ern­ment’s de­ci­sion not to shut down the coun­try was cor­rect.

“It was our re­spon­si­bil­i­ty to en­sure our stu­dents were pro­vid­ed with qual­i­ty ed­u­ca­tion, which is their right. We are do­ing every­thing pos­si­ble to en­sure we did not short­change our stu­dents,” he said.


Related articles

Sponsored

Weather

PORT OF SPAIN WEATHER

Sponsored

Today's
Guardian

Publications

During my consultation with Ms Brafit CEO Nicole Joseph-Chin, what was supposed to be a simple mastectomy bra fitting became something much deeper. Her thoughtful questions unlocked emotions I didn’t even realise I was holding in. She comforted, reassured, and helped me face the truth of what was coming. That bra wasn’t just clothing—it was the first real symbol of life after surgery.

During my consultation with Ms Brafit CEO Nicole Joseph-Chin, what was supposed to be a simple mastectomy bra fitting became something much deeper. Her thoughtful questions unlocked emotions I didn’t even realise I was holding in. She comforted, reassured, and helped me face the truth of what was coming. That bra wasn’t just clothing—it was the first real symbol of life after surgery.

During my consultation with Ms Brafit CEO Nicole Joseph-Chin, what was supposed to be a simple mastectomy bra fitting became something much deeper. Her thoughtful questions unlocked emotions I didn’t even realise I was holding in. She comforted, reassured, and helped me face the truth of what was coming. That bra wasn’t just clothing—it was the first real symbol of life after surgery.

During my consultation with Ms Brafit CEO Nicole Joseph-Chin, what was supposed to be a simple mastectomy bra fitting became something much deeper. Her thoughtful questions unlocked emotions I didn’t even realise I was holding in. She comforted, reassured, and helped me face the truth of what was coming. That bra wasn’t just clothing—it was the first real symbol of life after surgery.

Standing on business, not pity: My fight begins–Part 2

12 hours ago
Nadra Supersad

Nadra Supersad

Nadra Supersad

Nadra Supersad

Cancer couldn’t stop her–Nadra Supersad says God gives her strength

12 hours ago
Adam Bartholomew, centre, performs with the Harvard College Steelpan Ensemble at Harvard Caribbean Club’s Annual Jubilee Charity Dinner and Gala in April 2025.

Adam Bartholomew, centre, performs with the Harvard College Steelpan Ensemble at Harvard Caribbean Club’s Annual Jubilee Charity Dinner and Gala in April 2025.

Adam Bartholomew, centre, performs with the Harvard College Steelpan Ensemble at Harvard Caribbean Club’s Annual Jubilee Charity Dinner and Gala in April 2025.

Adam Bartholomew, centre, performs with the Harvard College Steelpan Ensemble at Harvard Caribbean Club’s Annual Jubilee Charity Dinner and Gala in April 2025.

Trini talent shines at Harvard and Berklee

Adam Bartholomew follows his passion for science, music, storytelling

13 hours ago
Gillian de Souza graces the cover of the book: Minding Their Own Business: Five Female Leaders From Trinidad and Tobago authored by Trini-American Joanne Kilgour Dowdy, Professor of Literacy Studies at the College of Education Health and Human Services at Kent State University.

Gillian de Souza graces the cover of the book: Minding Their Own Business: Five Female Leaders From Trinidad and Tobago authored by Trini-American Joanne Kilgour Dowdy, Professor of Literacy Studies at the College of Education Health and Human Services at Kent State University.

Gillian de Souza graces the cover of the book: Minding Their Own Business: Five Female Leaders From Trinidad and Tobago authored by Trini-American Joanne Kilgour Dowdy, Professor of Literacy Studies at the College of Education Health and Human Services at Kent State University.

Gillian de Souza graces the cover of the book: Minding Their Own Business: Five Female Leaders From Trinidad and Tobago authored by Trini-American Joanne Kilgour Dowdy, Professor of Literacy Studies at the College of Education Health and Human Services at Kent State University.

Gillian de Souza’s American culinary journey springs from T&T roots

12 hours ago