T&T gets TT$165M to expand tertiary training

Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education Fazal Karim said Monday the government of Trinidad and Tobago has received TT$165 million (21 million euros ) as a gift from the European Union (EU) to help shape tertiary education in the country.

Karim was speaking at the opening of a stakeholder consultation on the draft of national policies on tertiary education, which is aimed at developing and implementing a national "Life Skills Curriculum For Personal Development and Employment Enhancement".

Karim said the aim is to expand the tertiary sector and increase enrolment by 60 per cent. He said it is important to cultivate a knowledge-based society and harness the talent that abounds across the country.

He noted that the emphasis of the program will be on assisting students to develop social skills to truly succeed in a competitive environment.

"There is the need for optimum of life skills, more than just academia. There is the need to discuss life skills and encourage a return to civics," the minister said. And he reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring opportunities were created for life-long learning.

Jack Warner, who spoke in his capacity as acting Prime Minister praised the EU for its contribution to the development of the tertiary sector.

"The European Union is interwoven into the fabric of human capital. There is a significant overlap. There is a golden opportunity between training and life skills and entry into the world of work," Warner said.

He agreed with Karim that it is important to develop the human resource base since Trinidad and Tobago is “overflowing with intelligent and talented people.”
Warner reiterated the Government's commitment to expand and improve the GATE program to include technical and vocational training.

He urged stakeholders to peruse the draft policy and identify “the strategies that would take us forward,” which he said is mandatory since “the world is evolving at a rapid pace. We have to find more sustainable ways to keep citizens on the cutting edge. We have to rethink our approach and diversify the economy."