T&T Government to expand GATE program

Teritiary Education Minister Fazal Karim made it clear to reporters Thursday that the Trinidad and Tobago government is not turning its back on students. He dismissed rumours that the GATE program would be affected.

"I don’t know where the rumour came from that Gate will be in jeopardy," he said, noting that there is no truth to it.

GATE provides financial assistance to students pursuing higher education at tertiary institutions.

It started from the "dollar-for-dollar" program that was introduced by the Panday UNC government while Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was education minister. The Manning PNM administration expanded the program and renamed it GATE.

Karim told reporters the expansion of GATE is a promise that the People's partnership made during the election campaign and the government will keep that promise.

"I will say categorically that the manifesto of the People’s Partnership under the 120-day plan, the second item relates to Gate and it is written that we will secure and expand Gate.

"The manifesto too says it will expand it in the technical and vocational areas. These will be expanded as the manifesto is a policy document of the Government of T&T,” he said.