BUDGET STATEMENT 2014
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SUSTAINING GROWTH, SECURING PROSPERITY
TheMinistry,incollaborationwithour institutions
of higher learning, is driving this process. In fact:
• we are witnessing a rapid expansion of our
tertiary educational and vocational facilities;
• the UWI South Campus at Debe, the
COSTAATT Chaguanas Campus and the
COSTAATT Tobago Integrated Campus are
at advanced stages of establishment;
• Skills Technology Centres in Penal and
in Mayaro as well as a Training Facility in
Chaguanas are being constructed;
• the YTEPP Waterloo Training Facility is being
expanded;
• the La Brea Technology Centre is being
expanded and upgraded;
• a Training Facility for nurses is being
constructed at El Dorado;
• a Caterpillar Automotive Centre is being
established at Woodford Lodge Chaguanas;
• aDrillingSchool spearheadedby theNational
Energy Skills Centre is in the planning
process ; and
• anAviation Institute has already commenced
operations.
Mr. Speaker, this Government has been
focussing on the development of our country’s
human resources. We have been addressing
the labour force needs across all industries. We
are moving now to involve the private sector
in our efforts for a more efficient and effective
means of pairing prospective employees with
employers so as to facilitate job creation and
economic growth. We are encouraging the
private sector to utilise the existing incentives
attached to the Trinidad and Tobago Industry
Scholarship Programme. This programme
offers opportunities to our young citizens to
access post-graduate technical and vocational
training at tertiary learning institutions.
• we are improving and maintaining our
schools; over the past 3 years 700 schools
have undergone repairs and maintenance
at a cost of $500 million, utilising over 500
small, medium and large contractors.
Mr. Speaker, yet we face significant challenges.
Over the school vacation period, repairs were
undertaken on 212 schools. Of these, 196
were completed on time. This represented a
92 percent completion rate.
By the middle of this fiscal year, over 80 Early
Childhood Care and Education Centres (ECCE)
wouldhave been constructed indifferent parts of
Trinidad and Tobago and another 50 by the end
of the fiscal year. Eleven primary schools have
been completed; 14 are under construction;
and 47 are planned for construction in the
new fiscal year. Six secondary schools have
been completed and 9 are under construction.
Science administrative blocks will be built in
another 7 secondary schools this year.
Mr. Speaker, this Government is proud of our
education system. It is the leader within the
region and has international recognition for
excellence. We have achieved the Millennium
Development Goals in education as outlined by
the United Nations. We have achieved universal
primary and secondary education. The GATE
programme has been instrumental in providing
universal access to tertiary education.
By 2015 we would have achieved universal early
childhood education, becoming in the process
one of the few countries in the world to achieve
that distinction.
TERTIARY EDUCATION
Mr. Speaker, in the Ministry of Tertiary Education
and Skills Training we are facilitating the
transformation of our economy towards
technology and innovation. Our programmes
and activities are centered on knowledge
and creativity and these programmes and
activities are being made pervasive in all
sectors and segments of the society.
