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PRIME MINISTER Kamla Persad-Bissessar, during her first official visit to Tobago, pledged renewed investment in education and opportunities for the island’s youth, affirming her government’s commitment to ensuring no child is left behind. Speaking on November 4 at the Signal Hill Secondary School before an audience of primary, secondary, early childhood and special needs students, Persad-Bissessar also promised members of the Signal Hill Secondary Cultural Group support to perform in an African country next year. “Having heard and seen you children here today, we’ll do it next year. Do you agree?” she said, adding that an earlier request from the school for aid was received too late. The Prime Minister also announced every Form One student at the school would receive a laptop under the government’s Digital Learning Initiative before the academic year ends. Persad-Bissessar vowed that her administration would ensure the continuity of technological advancement in education. Reflecting on her own childhood, Persad-Bissessar spoke of walking barefoot to school on muddy roads in Siparia. “I was blessed with a mother who believed education was the key to hope, a passport out of poverty. That same belief has guided my entire life.” She said that, looking around, she saw reflections of her own journey, teachers who nurture, parents who sacrifice, and children who dream. That, she added, mirrors the story of Tobago and its people of courage, faith, and quiet excellence. Persad-Bissessar reiterated her government’s focus on strengthening early childhood care and education through improved facilities, teacher training, and greater inclusion. “We plan to train 500 teachers in AI-supported lesson planning, bringing innovation and creativity into every classroom.” On the laptop programme previously implemented under her People’s Partnership government, she emphasised the need for its revival and highlighted the difference and importance it would have made during the covid19 pandemic. However, she urged students to care for their devices. “When covid came, students were left without devices. If the laptop programme had continued, classes could have gone on uninterrupted. We will make sure that gap never happens again,” she said. Highlighting plans for tertiary and vocational training, Persad-Bissessar outlined expanded opportunities through the Accreditation Council of TT, the National Training Agency, the University of Trinidad and Tobago, and the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts (Costaatt). “UTT is expanding the Kendall Farm, and Costaatt has applied for accreditation for its Tobago campus. Our young people should no longer have to leave home to find opportunities,” she said. Turning her attention to special needs education, Persad-Bissessar commended students and teachers of the Happy Haven School. "You remind us what true courage looks like,” she said. She recalled plans initiated under her previous administration to establish a national network of enrichment centres for children with special needs, including one in Tobago. “It was left to decline after we left office, but I pledge that this vision will be renewed. No child must be left behind,” she vowed, noting her own experience as a grandmother of a child on the autism spectrum. She thanked parents and teachers for their ongoing dedication and expressed confidence in continued collaboration between the Ministry of Education and the Tobago House of Assembly to enhance teacher welfare, school safety, and local decision-making. As she closed, Persad-Bissessar said Tobago will never be forgotten again, and children, teachers, and families will always have the full support of her government. Closing with a quote from Nelson Mandela, she said, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way it treats its children. Let us continue working together so every classroom in Tobago becomes a place of pride, where every child can dream freely.”
