On T&T’s first Independence Day six decades ago, Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams made a statement that still resonates today—that the future of this nation is in the schoolbags of its children.
However, the vision Dr Williams had for T&T’s children seems out of reach for many families preparing for the full resumption of in-person classes next week after almost two years of closure due to COVID-19.
His plan for education to be accessible to all has been jeopardised by the high cost of school supplies. Many parents, struggling with recent increases in the cost of living, have been left in despair at the inflated cost of “free” education.
With so many struggling with back-to-school expenses, some form of state assistance with education expenses should be offered to families in need, ensuring that their children get back into the classroom. This should not be considered a handout but the important investment in T&T’s future envisioned by Dr Williams.
Education Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, who has the interests of the nation’s children at heart, should fully understand as a parent herself how difficult this situation is for those who can least afford it. She should be concerned that children who have suffered through two years of remote learning may be put at a further disadvantage because of how costly it is to return to school.
To make the situation even harder to bear, families are also faced with higher transportation costs as increases in the cost of fuel will go into effect on the first day of the new school term on Tuesday.
Global supply chain disruptions, which have driven up shipping costs, as well as increases in the cost of materials are an added burden in the schoolbags where, according to T&T’s first prime minister, the nation’s future should have been secured.
Tough situations arise in this country because the economy is not shielded from global shocks and disruptions but rising above such difficulties requires access to quality education to produce the future generations of skilled and enlightened citizens for a prosperous T&T.
The late Nelson Mandela said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
He, like Dr Williams, understood the importance of creating a level playing field so that as many children as possible get access to education. It was a view shared by another visionary, Malcolm X, who regarded education as “the passport to the future, for tomorrow, belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
Their powerful quotes should motivate decision-makers, particularly in the education sector, to find ways to support a smooth resumption of classes at all levels in the public system, regardless of the financial circumstances facing some families.
The same effort that went into equipping the neediest students with devices to access online classes should now be channelled into ensuring that those who are genuinely in need can head back to classes with the required books and uniforms.
With less than a week before going back to school, this is a good time to draw inspiration from that late celebrated calypsonian, the Merchant, who sang: “Think about the children, not later, but now.”