Tobago to become education hub for T&T, Caribbean: Karim

Tertiary Education Minister Sen. Fazal Karim at Friday's launch of the UTT Scarborough Education Campus

Tertiary Education Minister Sen. Fazal Karim said on Friday the launch of the University of Trinidad & Tobago (UTT) Scarborough Education Campus is a "significant and proud" day for education because he envisages Tobago becoming the education hub for Trinidad & Tobago, the Caribbean and the world. 

Speaking at the launch of the campus in Tobago the minister noted that in just one year the government has moved education from an idea to the establishment of an integrated campus for UTT in Tobago. He said the Education Campus in the island joins seven other UTT campuses in Trinidad and the Corinth and Valsayn Teachers' colleges to create an integrated institution to educate citizens of both islands.

Karim stated that today there is a sharp focus in Tobago on education with a wide variety of educational opportunities from state and private educational instiutions that have campuses in Tobago, including the UTT, UWI, COSTAATT and the Chpriani Labour College.

Karim reiterated the government's commitment to tertiary education and noted that 4,775 students are now benefiting from the GATE program, which is investing $51.7 million in higher education. He said that is a demonstration of the government's pledge to expand GATE, which is now catering for the first time for vocational and technical training.

Speaking about the future, Karim said he hopes to see an integrated campus in Tobago that would cater for medical students as well as those in other fields of study. And he was emphatic that under the watch of the People's Partnership government no one would be denied an opportunity for higher learning.