Category Archives: Schools

Africa, Education, General T&T, Schools

Go to Timbuktu!!!

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
June 27, 2017

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeMany Trinidadians and Tobagonians of my generation can remember when, in a rage or disagreement, an antagonist uttered the insult: “Go to Timbuktu!” It was a term that suggested one should be banished into ignominy and sent into the dungeon of stupidity.

Experience and education have taught me that Timbuktu, an important seat of learning between the 12th and 16th centuries, was one of the most important educational and cultural centers in the world. In its Golden age, the town’s numerous Islamic scholars and extensive trading network made possible an important book trade. There were campuses of the Sankore Madrasah, an Islamic university. At its height, as many as 25,000 students, a quarter of the city’s population, studied there.
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General T&T, Religion, Schools

Celebrating 149 Years of The Presbyterian Church

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By Stephen Kangal
January 15, 2017

Stephen KangalPeaceful and restful, Aramalaya Church where the PCTT founder, Rev John Morton established his second operational base to spread the Presbyterian brand of protestant evangelism/education to North and Central Trinidad was eminently qualified to host the 8th January 2017 Service of Grateful Praise and Thanksgiving to commemorate and launch the 149th Anniversary Celebrations of the Founding of the Presbyterian Church of T&T (PCTT).
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General T&T, PNM, Politics, Schools

A Brek-UP, Brek-DOWN Society

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By Dr. Selwyn Cudjoe
January 01, 2016

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeWHEN I was a boy I wanted to go to Queen’s Royal College (QRC), not because of its academic standing but because I loved the khaki jackets its cadets wore.

I thought it was cool as I imagined myself in that uniform.

Years later I learned about its academic excellence when Eric Williams returned to Trinidad as one of its most famous graduates.
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General T&T, Religion, Schools

Caroni Presbyterian Re-Enacts the Nativity Story

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By Stephen Kangal
December 06, 2016

Stephen KangalStaff and Students ably supported by the parents of the Caroni Presbyterian School recreated the events, using song, dance and skits that led to and culminated in the nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This they staged to enhance the formal opening of their annual Creche and Tree and Candle Lighting function held at the School on Friday morning 25 November 2016.
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Culture, General T&T, Letters, Schools

On this “Dress” Code for teachers

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TeacherTHE EDITOR: I can NOT believe that a new dress code for teachers is an issue. Really?! Wasn’t the existing one clear-cut enough?

Be that as it may, if true, it is welcome. Welcome in the sense that it serves to illuminate some of the elephants crowding the room that conservatives and the wilfully ignorant among us – i.e many of the over-40 age group – have no intention of discussing. You see in the wording of current guidelines (and no doubt the new one) there is a distinct gender bias, but that’s apparently okay with many people, including radio talk show hosts and their callers.
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Education, General T&T, Schools

Intellectual Honesty

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
August 29, 2016

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeIn the latter part of the 19th century when thinkers were reducing Karl Marx’s notion of man’s economic dimensions (an analysis he began in Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844) to saying man is an economic animal exclusively, Frederick Engels wrote to Joseph Bloch on September 21, 1890: “According to the materialist conception of history, the ultimately determining element in history is the production and reproduction of real life. Other than this neither Marx nor I ever asserted. Hence if somebody twists this into saying that the economic element is the only determining one, he transforms that proposition into a meaningless, abstract, senseless phrase.”
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General T&T, Media, PNM, Schools

No more take home laptops for students

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By Rhondor Dowlat
August 27, 2016 – guardian.co.tt

LaptopPupils who will be entering Form One in secondary schools in the new school term, which opens on September 5, will face disappointment as they will not be receiving free personal laptops from the Government.

Instead, the Government, in revamping the laptop distribution programme, will seek to equip 50 high-quality laptops per school.
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General T&T, PNM, Politics, Schools

Stop the GATE madness

By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
August 10, 2016

Dr. Kwame NantambuThe recent policy decision by the People’s National Movement Government to revamp the Government Assistance for Tertiary Expenses (GATE) programme is indeed a most welcomed and long overdue move.

The fact of the matter is that adult citizens of this country both under and over 50 years of age have been abusing and dismembering this State funded programme for years.
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General T&T, Media, Politics, Religion, Schools

Dismantle church, state partnership

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TTUTA president urges reform

By JOEL JULIEN
Monday, April 25, 2016 – guardian.co.tt

BibleThe partnership between the church and the state at our schools must be dismantled as it is detrimental to our country, president of the T&T Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) Devanand Sinanan has said.

Sinanan said the Constitution defines this country as a “secular state” and therefore questioned “why should the state give monies to certain religious bodies to perpetuate their faith?”
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General T&T, Media, Schools

‘MISS’ WANTS A GUN

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By Cecily Asson
March 15, 2016 – newsday.co.tt

MISS WANTS A GUNA TEACHER at the prestigious Naparima College in San Fernando, is under fire, for a rant against homosexuality, going as far as wanting a gun to deal with such persons and other problems in the world. The teacher is said to have made initial comments on the issue during morning assembly at the school on Thursday last and subsequently in a classroom session, in which she suggested dealing with homosexuals and other issues if given the gun.

Referring to the parents of a student who had openly professed to being gay, the teacher reportedly said: “He has two parents, who should not be parents.
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