Migrant children enter T&T schools in September

“A major landmark in a journey that began several years ago,” was how Sharon Mangroo, the Chief Executive Officer of the Catholic Education Board of Management described the start of Venezuelan migrant children entering the public school system on September 2.

Twenty-three migrant children were placed at schools: 4 at government primary, 18 at denominational and one at a private school. More are expected to transition into schools during the new term as they fulfill requirements.

On Monday, August 19, the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Ministry of National Security hosted a ceremony at the MoE head office, Port of Spain to present ‘Letters of Admission’ to a group of Venezuelan migrant children. In attendance were Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds and Minister in the Ministry Keith Scotland, senior MoE officials, members of the Education Working Group and a representative of The University of the West Indies.

“Our principals and teachers are looking forward to receiving their first intake of Venezuelan children on the move as they call them, they recognise the benefits and the challenges that will present themselves,” Mangroo stated.

Mangroo gave a brief outline of the ‘journey’ following Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s announcement in 2019 that Catholic schools would provide an education for migrant children.

She shared some comments from teachers who took part in the training programme, February to July on Content Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), these included excitement, awareness of challenges using CLIL particularly with the students who will need individual attention, and seeing what the children learned through projects, music, and games.

Other comments: “I am excited for my students learning a second language but a little worried about how it may affect the delivery of the curriculum” and “I’m excited to use a second language to enhance my students’ vocabulary skills”.

Mangroo said CLIL is a holistic approach to teaching as listening, speaking, writing, and reading are integrated and will work well also for locals “to acquire language and content more effectively”.

In her address at the ceremony, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly urged principals, teachers, and parents to welcome the children and “work along with whatever the challenges that present themselves to ensure the best result”.

Directing comments to T&T parents, she said, “encourage your children, speak to your children. Our watchwords are Discipline, Tolerance and Production. Tolerance. We are an island that is renowned for our tolerance and to integrate different personalities and practices into our national psyche, and I want to encourage this spirit as our Venezuelan children take their place in the education system. Let it not be said that these children had a bad experience of intolerance.”

Minister Hinds said the migrant student exemption letters presented, have given the children “opportunity to attend, participate in what Trinidad and Tobago has to offer in our primary schools”. The MoE now had the lawful authority to admit children in accordance with Immigration (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2024, Guidelines for the admission of migrant children of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Having to deal with issues related to the entry of migrants, Hinds said he is acutely aware of the complexities and challenges of migration locally and to the wider Caribbean. “I am equally aware of the potential for the sustainable human and economic development that this portends. It touches, and is reflected in, every aspect of our society from the economic aspect to the social cohesion, issues of national security, cultural diversity and of course, leading to an educated population even if an element of it is transient”.

Responding to questions from the media after the ceremony, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds told media that 2,000 Venezuelan migrant children were registered with National Security. Asked about the rest of the children yet to enter schools, Gadsby-Dolly said, “We have students who are ready, a cohort who are ready to come. Twenty-three of them have been admitted and some more of them are in the varying stages of getting their documentation in order, so as they are ready, they are coming into the system”. She noted the children starting in September went through training and a programme, and teachers also received training.

“That’s why you’re not just taking students en masse and putting them into any school. We are putting them into a system that has been prepared”, Gadsby-Dolly said. The Ministry will be monitoring the schools that migrants will be attending to see what, if any, issues arise, and what additional resources are needed.

Adjustments to curriculum

Chief Education Officer Dr Peter Smith mentioned that adjustments to the curriculum were made to accommodate the delivery of instruction to migrant children and. These are: teach English as a second language to young learners: use the content and language integrated learning approach in the delivery of the national primary school and curriculum documents developed for children ages five to 12 where the “greatest need” was seen.

Children with disabilities were also catered for through a collaboration of the Caribbean Kids and Families Therapy Organization (CKFTO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to assist children with disabilities from Trinidad and migrants from Venezuela.

The focus was to ensure children with disabilities or developmental delays and their families have access to therapeutic services, through their learning opportunities; care and support arrangements; and in their communities.

A happy occasion

Sixteen-year-old Daniel Hospedales said he is “incredibly happy” to be enrolled in a public school thanks to the MoE. He had been attending a private school in St Augustine and is assigned to St Mary’s College. He said he was relieved because it had been a long time waiting.

His mother Tania Rey said they came to Trinidad in 2012. She said she never gave up hoping to get him into a public school. “Finally, we got this opportunity, and we took the chance,” she said.

Asked if she was happy, Rey sighed and said, “Wow, it was a long wait to get this, but I am happy, happy, happy!”