POST SEA EXAMS

[00:00:00] Speaker A: You're tuned into the all new freedom 106.5. 106.5. [00:00:06] Speaker B: As we get set for the NPTA speaks this morning, we have president of the National Parent Teachers association, my co host on a Wednesday, Walter Stewart is in the building. Good morning to you, Walter. [00:00:17] Speaker C: Good morning and good morning to your listenership. Of course, special good morning to all our students who are on the first week of the Easter vacation. Good morning. [00:00:26] Speaker B: Yeah, boy. Yeah, it starts today. [00:00:28] Speaker C: I know exactly. [00:00:29] Speaker B: Yeah, today, today it starts, boy. So it's until for the next 13 days. [00:00:34] Speaker C: Thereabouts. Yeah. Because they go back out to school on April 13th actually. [00:00:37] Speaker B: Yeah, some schools on April 15th. [00:00:39] Speaker C: Right, exactly. So this week and next week they off. I'm sure they are looking forward to every day of this vacation. [00:00:45] Speaker B: Well, it's short, you know. [00:00:46] Speaker C: I know, I do make use of it. [00:00:47] Speaker B: Yeah. School would have, would have ended on Friday last. [00:00:51] Speaker C: Yes. So 27th. [00:00:54] Speaker B: Wait, Friday was a holiday? No, Monday was the holiday. Yeah, yeah, yeah, right, right, right. So now SEA is completed. Yeah, everybody went like clothing myself and get freebies. [00:01:05] Speaker C: Oh yeah, very. Yeah. [00:01:06] Speaker D: I went shopping, man. [00:01:07] Speaker B: I went shopping. I went shopping. What are your thoughts on the recently concluded sea exams? [00:01:12] Speaker C: Well, as you know, 17,573 students wrote the exams. 1,005 from Tobago. So from all indications, when you listen to the students and you talk with them, it would appear as it was an easy examination this particular year, a few students had some challenges. Yes. With the mathematics, which is not, you know, unusual because many times the maths is the one that gives them some problems. But by and large, the majority of students I spoke with and would have gotten reports on the social and mainstream media, all would have gone well with the exams. Easy, easy exams, they said. [00:01:49] Speaker B: Wow. [00:01:49] Speaker D: Did you get a chance to see the paper? [00:01:51] Speaker C: No, I did not. You know, I did not because it leaked, you know. Oh, I'm not, I'm not hearing that. [00:01:56] Speaker B: Well, I wouldn't say leaked before, after, after the exam. After the exam. [00:01:59] Speaker C: But you always have somebody trying something, [00:02:01] Speaker B: you know, it came out. I was told it was the authentic stuff. [00:02:06] Speaker C: Right. [00:02:07] Speaker B: That touched out. So persons had a chance to see what went. What was the English. [00:02:13] Speaker C: Right. [00:02:14] Speaker B: And the math paper and creative writing too, I guess, I would guess. It's on your phone. [00:02:22] Speaker C: Okay, okay, let me have a look at it too. [00:02:24] Speaker B: That you can take a peep at. [00:02:26] Speaker C: Right, right, right, right, right. [00:02:28] Speaker B: And. But by and large, students are relatively okay. I'm just getting a little bit of data problems here, see if I can get it to you. But by and large, students are saying that the exams was concluded. [00:02:45] Speaker C: Yes. [00:02:46] Speaker B: What's next? [00:02:47] Speaker C: Well, and we want to encourage our students the next term coming up here, which is the last term for the academic year 25, 26 is not a time to stay at home. It's a time to really get back to school. There are many schools who organize field trips, for example. There are many schools who organize agricultural projects, music projects. And of course the big thing is preparation for your graduation. So get back out to school, students, as you look to transition from primary to secondary school. And of course see whatever you can garner out of the time spent in your school for the last term of the academic year in your primary school. [00:03:24] Speaker B: So would it be a good thing to have students prep themselves for form one? Hello. Good morning. [00:03:35] Speaker E: Good morning. Durabasa here. [00:03:37] Speaker C: Morning. [00:03:38] Speaker E: I. Well, this entire family we have, and not only this family, people all over Trinidad and around the world have taken the view that excellence is an important thing. If Usain Bolt didn't believe in excellence, he could have be a runner in Jamaica and, and be a local hero, right? So excellence in sports, academic excellence, since we are talking about this exam, is important. There are people, anytime you talk about academics, they tell you, oh, well, you know, you'll get there. You really don't need to do your best. You can go to the third grade school and you'll still get there and you can do this and that and you will still get there. And no matter what, you still have opportunities to get there. And that is true. What they don't understand is that you have a better chance if you do well early and you get into together with people who do well early and you get channeled in a particular way because you're already not performing at your best and then you are not with the best going forward, so you are more likely to fall off the pathway. I think that we should emphasize academic excellence because it is out of academic excellence that you will get your doctors and your engineers and your scientists and your accountants and your technicians. You could make a living without being a doctor, lawyer, scientist, technician and teacher and doctor and nurse and whatnot. You could make a living. Nobody is saying no, right? But if a country does not pursue excellence, then they are pursuing decadence. And I say to all the lovers of decadence down with you this morning. Shut up and go away. Thank you. [00:05:36] Speaker C: What we believe in is that no matter what school you are placed in, because this is a placement examination, you can still do extremely well. I use the terminology, you can Sow wherever you are planted. So you might not get your first choice or even your second choice. Whatever choice you get with wherever school you are placed, they do the same curriculum, they are guided by the same rules and regulations by cxc. [00:05:58] Speaker B: So then what makes the difference? [00:06:00] Speaker C: Well, exactly is, you know, applying yourself to ensure that you understand what is in the curriculum. You follow the details of the curriculum and you just do extremely well. [00:06:09] Speaker F: Hello, good morning mornings. And they eventually, I guess remember, let's review the ecology of the teaching. Ecology, the student, the topic, the methodology and the teacher. Right. Four things here very important is the quality of teaching we having. The quality of teaching we having. And I want to tell you something. So if you're a teacher and you don't care about children, get out the job. Teaching is a caring job. A caring job. And very important is the quality of teacher that you have and the quality of teaching. Would you like to comment on that, sir? [00:06:50] Speaker C: Yeah, definitely. So I do agree with you. And of course the person who is a teacher should be passionate about teaching because teaching is not an easy task. It's not an easy job. You have to love teaching to really be able to make a mark, make a difference in teaching. So that we really want to have the teachers, persons who are passionate and is more than just a job job. You just go into it because of the financial wherewithal. But of course you must have that passion and that love for teaching. So I fully agree with you on that. We must have our teachers passionate about teaching. [00:07:19] Speaker B: And the thing about it is, how do we get teachers to be passionate about teaching? I mean, as an npta, as a pta, you do your part to encourage and partner with teachers. But to get the motivation of those teachers, I mean, you would have to partner with the ministry and I mean and recommend certain things where that is concerned, we see that teachers are being told to hold on. [00:07:44] Speaker C: Exactly, exactly. [00:07:46] Speaker B: So you would have completed your tour of duty. [00:07:47] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:07:49] Speaker B: You'd have worked for monies, you would have signed off for an entitlement of a payment, an agreement. And now you are expecting this because you have to live as well. You as a teacher have your children to send to school and you're being told hold on. [00:08:05] Speaker C: And this is what is pathetic because if we understand the importance of education, and more than that, the importance of education to national growth and development, we'd place a little more emphasis on treating our teachers well and ensuring that our teachers get what they justly deserve. So that we are really on the side of teachers here now they deserve to get an increase in their salary certainly 100%. They deserve their back pay certainly 100% because they are really toiling hard in order to educate the nation. [00:08:36] Speaker B: Based on important, based on what you all would have had over the years within the last two SEA examinations, would you say that the standard five or the prep five teachers have that burden to bear in terms of bringing successful student, bringing students successfully through the SCA exam? [00:08:55] Speaker C: That's a very good question. What we want to emphasize as well is that from the time the child enters infant one, that drive, that focus, that attention should be SCA in seven years time so that you put in all the energy, all the effort in the early years so that when the child gets to standard 3, 4 and 5 they are more or less breezing through. But we do not have that concept here. We tend to think, well when a child gets to standard four, it's time to be able to ramp it up. That should not be the case at all. The child should be Easy Sailing Standard 4 and 5 only waiting for the examination date because they are well prepared from infant one all the way up the ladder. [00:09:33] Speaker D: One Texas says where do we get the money? Every worker see themselves as important. [00:09:41] Speaker C: Yeah, but they say the agreement didn't take cognizance of that or should have taken cognizance of that. Because you sign an agreement and you make promises. The teachers are anxiously looking forward to, to the promise that you made to them so that the teachers, the teachers concern isn't really where you get any money from. You send an agreement, you meet an agreement and they are looking forward to the increase and their back pay as [00:10:02] Speaker B: we move forward in terms of these students. You know, I often wonder if it makes sense for students after sitting sea to go back out to school in this final term here. What, what is being taught? Hello, good morning. [00:10:19] Speaker G: Good morning, good morning. And good morning to your guest there. I just said I'd make a comment right up concerning that teachers are looking for their back pay and their salaries and you know that would be the premier topic for this time. But what I want as the gentleman and I always listen to your program because you're always educational and I, I follow up very much with it right at the government of the day. Did they would they still made a promise but did they give a timeline for payment? Is it. Did they ever see that they're going to make it the first year or the first six months months or the first 18 months of their tenure? Or was it just an open promise made to Give percentage or that kind of thing because it seems as though, I know you are npta, but it seems as though the Tutor has a timeline of maybe the first year or the first 18 months and same with also. So I'll wait a comment offline if there was ever a timeline for payment. Thank you much. [00:11:08] Speaker C: Well, as far as I'm aware and speaking directly with the president of Tutor, there was a promise made to be able to honor that promise in December and January and. And of course that promise was not held until the end of March. They are now getting their increase. So yes, to answer your question, was made by this current government to the teachers. [00:11:27] Speaker D: What is the NPTA doing to get the attention of parents in the upbringing of their children? [00:11:34] Speaker C: I will tell you that we have been asking for parenting programs and of course we are going to be having one starting next Friday. We want to go throughout the bit of Trinidad and Tobago and we are starting, we are launching it next week, Friday. Keep in touch and you will hear more. But that is really one of the programs we are looking into because as I told you before, we didn't learn how to parent. There was no manual or no guide how to parent. And we learned by accident, trial and error. But we want to be able to help our parents now to be able to properly parent and guide their children. So there's that communication, there's that link between mother and father, daughter and son. So we are having these parenting programs now with the aim to help our parents, especially our parents in impoverished areas. Because the root causes really of some of our indiscipline and even crime, Trinidad and Tobago is really as a result of poor parenting. Don't face it. [00:12:26] Speaker B: And that is something that we have to face. [00:12:30] Speaker C: Definitely, definitely. [00:12:32] Speaker B: We raise or lack thereof, do not treat with our children in a proper manner. [00:12:37] Speaker C: Correct. [00:12:37] Speaker B: And unleash them on society and expect that the government. [00:12:40] Speaker C: That's right. That's right. Will fix it. Not at all. You, the parent, totally responsible. [00:12:45] Speaker B: You send your child to school and you want a teacher to teach and parent your child. [00:12:48] Speaker C: How could you do that? [00:12:49] Speaker B: That is impossible. [00:12:50] Speaker C: Totally impossible. [00:12:51] Speaker B: The teachers can't even teach and parent their own children. [00:12:53] Speaker C: Exactly. Let alone 30 odd students. In a classroom. [00:12:56] Speaker B: In a classroom. So it is incumbent upon you as parents. [00:12:58] Speaker C: Certainly, certainly, yeah. [00:13:00] Speaker B: Partner with the teachers, get your children in line. [00:13:03] Speaker C: Correct. I will go further, and I think I mentioned this on the same station, even whilst the mother is pregnant as well, bring her into a session, antenatal, be able to tutor her and of course the spouse as to what they're getting into as a would be parent. [00:13:16] Speaker B: Yeah, boy, it's important. I mean there's no manual to tell you how to parent. [00:13:19] Speaker C: Exactly. There's none. [00:13:20] Speaker B: And. And I guarantee you you make a child. [00:13:22] Speaker C: Yes. [00:13:23] Speaker B: But you don't make the mind promise you that. However. However. Teach a boy. [00:13:29] Speaker C: Correct. Correct. [00:13:30] Speaker B: And he will not depart from those ways. [00:13:32] Speaker C: Exactly. Even the Bible says that as well. Train up a child in the way he should go. And when he's old he will not depart. [00:13:37] Speaker B: He will not depart from it. So the thing about it is when we leave our children to suffer lackadaisically and haphazardly side. [00:13:42] Speaker C: Exactly. [00:13:43] Speaker B: And we just throw them aside and don't pay attention, then we suffer the consequences of what follows, which is level, high level in discipline in our schools. Bullying. Our children are now subjected to face bigger bullies. [00:13:57] Speaker C: That's right. [00:13:58] Speaker B: Harsher than them. [00:13:59] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:13:59] Speaker B: And then we call it a learned behavior from at home. [00:14:02] Speaker C: Exactly. [00:14:03] Speaker B: Is it that we broad brushing at every single home have bullying? [00:14:08] Speaker C: Not at all. Not at all. Exactly. Exactly. [00:14:10] Speaker B: And that's where they make the mind. Doesn't make the child. But the mind comes in. Because you have parents say at home he's not like yeah, when he comes out yet, but when he gets into school, you know. So sea conclusion. Yeah, it's done. I did a morning pool and the [00:14:29] Speaker D: morning poll [00:14:32] Speaker B: just recently I asked the question just want to go back. I don't want to paraphrase. Would you support calls to abolish the sea examinations? This was a right poll I did last Friday. [00:14:49] Speaker C: What was the result? [00:14:50] Speaker B: The result of that poll was 35%. Yes, abolish. Abolish it. And 65% don't. No. [00:14:59] Speaker C: Okay, fine. And the jury is out there on that. And I'm glad that that is the kind of results that you got because no matter what exam you put into place, you'll always have issues. Remember the Common entrance before 2000 for example, we were shading. In other words, you could almost guess. [00:15:15] Speaker B: Guess. And your way through. [00:15:17] Speaker C: Exactly. And of course you can pass for your first choice. [00:15:19] Speaker B: Yeah. Because it'll be guess correct. [00:15:20] Speaker C: Exactly. Exactly. On a good day. But of course they change that. Not a SCA secondary entrance assessment. And of course people are still complaining calling it a high stakes exam. And of course in many instances it is high stakes if you wake up at the wrong side of the bed or you're not comfortable. Daddy and we were fighting last night, for example. And the exams that today I could turn your whole day off and the results could be impacted based upon your feelings or emotions so that people have been well asking for the return of CAC continuous assessment component where you are graded similar to the SBAs, you are graded during the term. During your lifetime in school you are graded and you go into the exam or maybe 40%, let's just say so you're only earning from the high stick exam 60%. But you have already amassed a substantial amount of marks or points or percentage in the CAC similar to sba. [00:16:13] Speaker B: As I just mentioned, you made a very sterling point. Currently, does anybody go into the exam with a point with points accumulated? [00:16:21] Speaker C: No, not for the sca. No. Currently no. [00:16:24] Speaker B: Nothing. They're going in their beer. [00:16:25] Speaker C: Exactly. Exactly. You must now earn your keep, earn your percentage, earn your points. [00:16:31] Speaker D: What is the association doing to help with this national problem of pain parenting? [00:16:36] Speaker C: But as I said, we and we're going to be initiating these programs from next week. Friday there'll be a launch. As I said, you'll be looking out in your news and you'll be hearing much more about this next Friday. [00:16:47] Speaker B: And Walter is a guide is always be a news some way. You're always in something about something. Hello. Good morning. [00:16:53] Speaker E: Good morning again. You know, given my expertise as a teacher and a parent and an uncle and a descent that I do not support continuous assessment for young children in anything because they're going through different stages. Swedish psychologist, a guy by the name of PRJ worked it out and so on. I'm not going into the various stages. And plus they go through some childhood illnesses. And take for example my son, he had difficulty in infants. He had to stay home a lot. But when he picked up speed, he topped his school and he came in the top 100. Now if you had taken his marks from infants and standard one and standard two and so on, that would have dragged him down. And here he was ready for secondary school in the top 100 and he would not have gotten his first choice. And he deserved it. And he performed well and he's doing well. But if you had taken his marks from let's say standard two or three going forward, right? And not only him. I've been a teacher for many years. Not only I taught at the primary level, but I gave lessons at different levels. And I've seen how children transformed as they matured. Now continuous assessment for me should be like university level. I don't even like that for O levels because a lot of them pick up speed in the last term and they are ready for A levels. Some mature A Little earlier. Are you going to punish a child because another child matured six months earlier and as a result conducted himself better and got the marks at the time of the test and another one came in six months later. But it's really. Who is better to enter A levels or who's better to go to university? You must have a threshold that you have to meet and not be bogged down by things that affected you when you were sick, when you were immature, when you were a child. Yeah, man. I want your thoughts on that. [00:18:57] Speaker C: Like I said, no matter what exam or system or policy you put in place, there would always be pros and cons. This deserves a national conversation to be able to come up with the best fit under the circumstances for the transition, because there has to be some mechanism to transfer or to transition from primary to secondary so that whatever cac, sba, whatever system you put in place, there will always be pros and cons. It needs to be a national conversation. Bring all stakeholders on board at the table, let's discuss it and let's see what's the best fit for our children as they move from primary into secondary. [00:19:34] Speaker D: And that's the whole thing. [00:19:35] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:19:36] Speaker D: Wasn't there a component of, of assessment included in SCA some years ago? [00:19:43] Speaker C: But that. I'm saying we had the, we had the CAC that was there. Dr. Tim Gop is saying. Exactly. [00:19:49] Speaker B: And that was removed. That was in 2010, 2015. [00:19:51] Speaker C: Correct? Was removed, exactly. And people are asking for the return of the cac. [00:19:57] Speaker B: All right, so they were asking for it. So it gives people a fighting chance. [00:20:02] Speaker C: Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep. But then I'm waiting on this one examination, you know what I'm saying, to be able to get your 100% at that point. [00:20:09] Speaker B: What does the NPTA recommend for parents now while students are waiting? I mean, school is about to. The last term for this educational year is about to commence on April 13th. Correct. [00:20:20] Speaker C: That's the last term. [00:20:20] Speaker B: That's the last term straight. And then CXC starts, I think when school opens. [00:20:24] Speaker C: CXE almost immediately open. Exactly. [00:20:28] Speaker B: But cxc, unlike sea, it's an ongoing exam, of course. [00:20:32] Speaker C: Several days. [00:20:33] Speaker B: Several days and weeks. [00:20:34] Speaker C: Yes, correct. [00:20:35] Speaker B: You don't sit all the tests, all these, all the subject in one day. Today you might have English, next two days down or two weeks ago you might have maths to have different time to prepare. [00:20:44] Speaker C: Yeah, certainly. [00:20:45] Speaker B: What is recommended to parents now following SCA and their, their, their students or their children returning to school? What is the NPTA looking at going, being Forward thinking. [00:20:58] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:20:59] Speaker B: In terms of prepping students for the secondary life because you mentioned they're going on field trips. [00:21:05] Speaker C: Exactly. [00:21:06] Speaker B: But what do you think should be done? [00:21:08] Speaker C: And that what is important as well, because students have been accustomed to one teacher when in the primary school and they have to understand that when they go to secondary school is a plethora of teachers. They are not facing in the different disciplines or different subjects. So they have to have an awareness of what they are going into when they transition into the secondary school life. So that the teacher who is in Standard 5 now with his crop of or the cohort of students will be able to assist them in moving in from this individual teacher into several teachers coming and be able to tutor them. There'll be students as well who want to just be involved, as I told you, in sports, for example, be involved in culture, for example. Anything at all that you can industriously have the students involved in that with the teacher creatively could be involved in for the next 12 weeks during the. The last term of the academic year. [00:22:00] Speaker B: Is it a good thing to get students prepared for Form 1? [00:22:09] Speaker C: It is, it is. It is because they do it well. That would be a no. Trying to inculcate the teachers and of course the parents as well should be able to reinforce. You should be able to prep your student to get ready for what is going to take place at the secondary school level in form one. It's very important. [00:22:27] Speaker B: But does the ministry have a program for post sea? [00:22:30] Speaker C: Well, there's not a program. I think that they leave it up to the lesson plan or the class plan of the particular administration and the teacher to be able to organize projects and programs to transition the student from primary inter secondary. But as I said, I have known teachers who have been very creative and have been involving the students and they've been having a great end of term for the last term of the academic year. [00:22:54] Speaker B: Keeping children home in this last term. [00:22:57] Speaker C: Here, sitting here. No, no. Sitting here. [00:22:58] Speaker B: No, no, let them go to school. [00:22:59] Speaker C: Exactly. Go to school and acclimatize yourself as well with your. With your friends and your classmates in more or less, let me use the word, a relaxed atmosphere. [00:23:10] Speaker B: But what is being taught in school during that time other than. [00:23:13] Speaker C: Well, as I said, I have known people who have been involved in cooking, for example, culinary arts. I've known students who have been involved in agriculture, for example, during this particular term. It's all about life skills to her because of course you're now engaging the students in life skills and responsibilities values as well. Could Also come in there as well as part of your transition from primary into secondary. [00:23:33] Speaker D: Yeah, boy. Somebody is saying, what is the NPTA doing? Or how can they assist with ensuring that children with weaknesses are identified and [00:23:44] Speaker B: given specialized help, especially from second year. [00:23:47] Speaker C: Yes, and we have been doing. We have been saying that as well. What we have been saying is when this child gets into infant one, even before second year infant one, that they have this screening process. So it's more than just physical screening now. But you're also with a school social worker and we want to emphasize we want to have one school social worker per school. You know, the best practice is one school social worker for every 250 students. That's the best practice. But of course it will not be possible at all under the economic situation that we are dealing with. And Tobago, if there could be one designated social worker per school, it would also help that social worker to even get into the homes of these students and understand what are the psychosocial issues that this child is facing even in the home and in this society from which they come. [00:24:34] Speaker B: And that's a good thing. Yeah. Because I often wondered, I couldn't remember what happens in schools post sea. [00:24:40] Speaker C: Right. [00:24:41] Speaker B: You know, and what about helping parents? You know, I mean, we'll probably visit this as we get closer to the results. [00:24:46] Speaker C: Sure. [00:24:47] Speaker B: To navigate the fallouts. [00:24:49] Speaker C: Yes. [00:24:50] Speaker B: Because of students of their children not getting first choices, you know. [00:24:54] Speaker E: Yeah. [00:24:54] Speaker B: What is recommended? Because four choices. [00:24:57] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:24:58] Speaker B: All can be first. [00:24:59] Speaker C: Exactly, exactly. [00:25:00] Speaker B: But it doesn't mean that these schools that you put down, there is not good schools that you want to attend. But all can't be a first. It had to be one first. You can't type of. [00:25:06] Speaker C: That's right, that's right, that's right. I mean, to also temper expectations as well with our students, make sure that if they do not get. They didn't get the first choice, that they get the second choice, that they are still comfortable with the second choice, you know, because as you said, every child can't pass through the first choice. Impossible. [00:25:24] Speaker B: And that's the thing, because, I mean, how many students are allowed into any one particular school where, you know, some of the benefits of having smaller classes, the pros and cons of teachers having. I mean, from the NPT standpoint, what is the average number of students you think is beneficial for a class where the teacher can effectively teach these people? [00:25:48] Speaker C: I think a ratio of what, 1 to 20 is acceptable. Really? Because, you know, some of these students are at different levels as well to be able to be an Effective teacher. I think a class of 20, especially in the primary, is adequate enough to be able to make a difference, make an impact on the students at various levels that they might be on. [00:26:08] Speaker B: And I like that one to 20. Because in the. In the nursing industry you have nurses assigned to a particular amount of patients. [00:26:15] Speaker G: Right. [00:26:16] Speaker C: Excuse. [00:26:17] Speaker B: Even in hospitality as well. A waiter assigned to a number of persons. [00:26:21] Speaker C: Correct. [00:26:22] Speaker B: In a wedding or ward function, whatever, where, you know, dinner is being served and stuff. Because if you have one person with too many tables, persons get left behind, fall by the wayside. Similarly with the hospital and patients. Patients can die. [00:26:37] Speaker C: Exactly. [00:26:37] Speaker B: Because they're not getting the care in time, because they have so many wards to be on. Similarly with the school, students get left out because the teacher tends to gravitate towards those who want to learn. [00:26:46] Speaker C: Exactly. And those who are keen, you know, [00:26:48] Speaker B: on learning and the ones that are not, they kind of tend to get. [00:26:53] Speaker C: And they lose out. Unfortunately. [00:26:55] Speaker B: When I asked the question about the ratio between teacher and student proportionately. And you said one in every 20. [00:27:00] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. [00:27:01] Speaker B: You know, are there challenges with. From the NPTA standpoint, where Venice are now occupying seats that. Because I. I heard the complaint last week where persons are worried that the new intake. They're saying that legitimate TNT nationals, born Nationals, I mean, not get into some schools because it's filled primary school level. Of course, because these venues are now accessing our school system, once registered and stuff and documented, they're able to access our health care. [00:27:35] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:27:35] Speaker B: And the hospitals. [00:27:36] Speaker C: Education. [00:27:37] Speaker B: And our education. Our education system. So if the school takes in some venues and are using Venice, some immigrants, that takes up seat where my child can't get in. And I'm a legitimately born and bred Trin Begonian. [00:27:49] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:27:50] Speaker B: You know, what is the NPTA feel? [00:27:51] Speaker C: I'm sure that there'll be mechanisms and systems in place to ensure that the legitimate Fanta Bago national is of course, course, given preference to the migrant Venezuelan. Let's just use that, you know, as an example. But of course we, we must understand the merit that every child is deserving of an education. And of course we have to ensure that the Venezuelans, once they have their documents and their papers in order, should be entitled to an education like any other national. And Tobago as well. But of course the preference should always be your own national charity begins where. At home. So you must make sure that your nationals, your children of Trinidad and Tobago are given the preference to the Venezuelans. [00:28:30] Speaker D: Well, boy. [00:28:31] Speaker B: So, so is it that the Venezuelan comes for orientation? [00:28:38] Speaker C: Right. [00:28:39] Speaker B: They Entitled the documented the parents working day here. And you come in with your child. [00:28:46] Speaker C: Right. [00:28:46] Speaker B: As a legitimate citizen, as a born citizen of this country. You're saying that your child will be given preference or should. [00:28:53] Speaker C: Should be given preference over? Yes, I will think that that would be the procedure to follow because I want you to think otherwise. Remember that there are several schools in a catchment area as well, so that I'm sure what the Education Ministry is doing is to be able to apportion the student population enough so that there's an even spread or more or less a reasonable spread across several schools in the catchment area. So I don't see this situation arising where. Because I know that there are several schools who are underpopulated. So I don't see a situation where there are students sitting on top of each other because of lack of space or because of lack of accommodation for the students. They will spread them across several schools within the catchment. [00:29:32] Speaker B: Hello. Good morning. Good morning. All right, so one tone trying to get in one Texas says, is it [00:29:39] Speaker D: possible that as a student mature, their level of performance grow, life awareness goals can. Can shape one's approach? What are your views? [00:29:47] Speaker C: Yeah, I would think so as well. You know that we always think that boys are always slow in the uptake visa beast, girls, for example. And of course there needs to be a system whereby we are able to motivate and inspire our boys so that they can excel at a young age rather than the delayed, as it were, protraction boys and girls in that regard. But of course, yes, as you grow, you, you develop and you matured, you're able to deal with certain issues in the school. [00:30:14] Speaker B: And that's the thing, eh, boy? [00:30:15] Speaker D: That's the thing. I mean, we live and we learn [00:30:17] Speaker B: and I'm of the opinion that students, [00:30:20] Speaker D: they grow and they change as they go along, they develop differently as they go along. And what about religious instruction? [00:30:30] Speaker C: Right. And we've been. Should that be right? Good question. Yeah. Because especially in the public schools or in the denominational schools, they have apportioned a time in the school curriculum, in the school schedule to be able to bring in their ministers or their pastors or their pundits or their imams to come into the school and of course give the students the required requisite ra. And of course, in the public schools, now we need to emphasize that at least one day, one period or so within the academic week of the school, you must have some religious instructions as well in the school. School. In the past, several religions came in so that you have women, Catholic, you attend this classroom. [00:31:10] Speaker B: Exactly. You go here. Yeah. [00:31:11] Speaker C: Methodist, Baptist. Exactly. So that all the religions were well accounted for in the RI segment. Exactly. I've been a part of that as well. And we do need to bring that back into our school life. [00:31:24] Speaker B: So why did that disappear? [00:31:25] Speaker C: Well, like everything is that we are not consistent. It's just fell by the wayside. But we want to reinforce and reinstate religious instructions in all our schools, especially our public primary and secondary schools. Very important. [00:31:40] Speaker D: One texter is saying last term of primary school should be a changed management. [00:31:46] Speaker B: One. [00:31:47] Speaker D: Two, getting to know the students who may end up in the same school and forming a support group. Introduction to life skills. Learn about nutrition, exercise, mental health and ri. The texter went on to say, tutor needs to ensure teaching jobs are not given to just anybody looking for a walk. Teachers need to be properly evaluated, mentally tested and trained for this important job. [00:32:14] Speaker C: What is important with regards to teachers is the lack of male teachers, the male role model in particular. There has to be some way that we can attract more meal into our schools so that we have our boys, you know, looking at and modeling the male teacher. And that's one of the issues that we've always had over the years. [00:32:33] Speaker D: I remember a teacher in my primary [00:32:34] Speaker B: school called Mr. Kelix. [00:32:35] Speaker G: Boy. [00:32:36] Speaker C: Ah, good old Kelix. Yeah. [00:32:38] Speaker B: Boy. Guys, I fell out. Class, you gained Amman. Class, you're scared. You know, you don't want to go. And he was standard four and five. [00:32:46] Speaker C: Yeah. I had a Mr. Ewing in my time as well, similar to what you're talking about there. [00:32:49] Speaker B: Felix had that kind of facial expression when you see him in the assembly. Boy, you know when you're getting that class problem. [00:32:55] Speaker C: Exactly, exactly. Looking for all good. For all good. [00:32:58] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It wasn't that he was beating children. [00:33:00] Speaker C: Right. [00:33:01] Speaker D: Somebody says they reshape the ari shape, the value systems that generally build a better society. [00:33:06] Speaker C: Correct. [00:33:07] Speaker B: Because we are product of our right. [00:33:08] Speaker C: Of course. [00:33:09] Speaker B: I am a product of our right. I went religious instructions in the primary school level. And. And you are correct, there were classes where you're going to various. [00:33:16] Speaker C: Exactly. [00:33:16] Speaker B: You know, if there's a Methodist, an Anglican, a Catholic, a Witness, a bishop, whatever you were, whatever faction you were, [00:33:23] Speaker C: you need to bring that back. [00:33:24] Speaker B: And not just on a primary school level. I want that inculcated across the board. [00:33:29] Speaker C: Yes. [00:33:30] Speaker B: Because I don't remember being in secondary school and having religious instructions. [00:33:35] Speaker C: Okay, okay. But I know schools that have had that in the past, privately similar. Yeah, exactly. Let's say Friday, for example. You just have the same. No secondary schools. Public as well. That has been a practice in the past. All right. [00:33:48] Speaker B: Yeah, it's a wrap for us. Thank you so much, Walter, for passing through again and being a host every Wednesday here on the NPTA Speaks. We will continue our conversations and more topics next week. Wednesday. [00:33:58] Speaker C: Sure. [00:33:59] Speaker B: God's pay alive. So until then, guys, have a great one. It's a long weekend. Coming up, the morning rumble concludes. Don't anybody fool you today, please. It is April fools. [00:34:08] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:34:08] Speaker B: Don't let nobody fool all you and catch all you today. If it's song. [00:34:12] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:34:12] Speaker B: It probably really is. [00:34:14] Speaker C: That's stupid. [00:34:15] Speaker G: Yeah. [00:34:15] Speaker E: All right. [00:34:15] Speaker C: Be careful. Yeah, be careful. [00:34:17] Speaker B: Have a good one, guys. [00:34:18] Speaker F: Take care. [00:34:18] Speaker A: You're too into the all new freedom. 106.5. 106.5.