Trinidad and Tobago

Partners situated in Trinidad and Tobago

None.

Trinidad and Tobago in a nutshell

Trinidad and Tobago, in full the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying northeast of the South American country of Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. It shares maritime boundaries with other nations including Barbados to the northeast, Guyana to the southeast, and Venezuela to the south and west.

The population is estimated at 1.3 million (2005).

The capital is Port of Spain (on Trinidad) but the largest city is San Fernando.

The country covers an area of 5,128 square kilometres (1,980 sq mi) and consists of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous smaller landforms. Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the main islands; Tobago is much smaller, comprising about 6% of the total area and 4% of the entire population.

The nation lies outside the hurricane belt.

Trinidad and Tobago was a Spanish colony from the times of Christopher Colombus to 1802, when it was ceded to Britain. The country obtained independence in 1962. Unlike most of the English-speaking Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago's economy is primarily industrial, with an emphasis on petroleum and petrochemicals. Trinidad and Tobago is known for its Carnival and was the birthplace of steelpan, calypso, soca, and limbo.

Source : http://www.cia.gov

Trinidad and Tobago education system

Children generally start pre-school at the early age of 3 years. This level of tuition is not mandatory but most children start school at this stage as children are expected to have basic reading and writing skills when they commence primary school. Students proceed to a primary school at the age of 5 years. Seven years are spent in primary school. The seven classes of primary school consists of Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten, followed by Standard One through Standard Five. During the final year of primary school, students prepare for and sit the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) which determines the secondary school the child will attend.

Students attend secondary school for a minimum of five years, leading to the CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) examinations, which is the equivalent of the British GCSE O levels. Children with satisfactory grades may opt to continue high school for a further two year period, leading to the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE), the equivalent of GCE A levels. Both CSEC and CAPE examinations are held by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC). Public Primary and Secondary education is free for all, although private and religious schooling is available for a fee.

Tertiary education is also free for all, however, up to the level of the Bachelors degrees for all students of the University of the West Indies (UWI), the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC) and certain other local accredited institutions. Government also currently subsidises some Masters programmes. Both the Government and the private sector also provide financial assistance in the form of academic scholarships to gifted or needy students for study at local, regional or international universities.

Higher education

Universities in Trinidad and Tobago

There are three main universities:

1. University of the West Indies - St. Augustine campus
2. University of the Southern Caribbean (previously known as Caribbean Union College)
3. University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT)

Polytechnics in Trinidad and Tobago

Other Institutes include:

1. Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute
2. Roytec
3. School of Business and Computer Science (SBCS)
4. School of Accounting and Management (SAM)
5. School of International Travel and Languages (SITAL)
6. BorderCom International (BCI)
7. College of Science and Applied Arts of Trinidad (COSTAATT) & Tobago school of Higher Education

Virtual Campuses in HE

Re.ViCa Case-study

None.

Virtual Learning

• Trinidad and Tobago Distance Learning Secretariat

• Trinidad and Tobago E-Classroom

• In support of government’s e-Connect and Learn (eCAL) laptop programme, the Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism through NALIS (National Library and Information System Authority) has introduced nationwide remote online access to information databases specifically targeted to secondary school students.

Through personal laptops or other computers, students using an individually assigned user name and password can access a wide range of major e-resources to meet their various information needs. Some of these information databases include:

• The Student Research Center
• The Science Reference Center
• History Reference Center
• Newspaper source
• Middle Search Plus covering over 100 periodicals
• Vocational and Career Collection
• Biography Collection
• Points of View Reference Center covering multiple sides of a current issue

Teacher resources are also available through access to the ERIC information database and the Professional Development Collection.

Minister of the Arts and Multiculturalism said that “this initiative creates a unique learning environment which is not only highly flexible but which offers greater learning support and resources to our students and society at large. It is important to find and implement sustainable and innovative ways to empower young people and I encourage all secondary school students to take up the opportunity to explore the world of e-learning and to gain access to the considerable resources that are available through NALIS” .

Working with the Ministry of Education and the School Library Media Centres, NALIS recently distributed approximately 17,000 letters and library application forms to students who will be entering Form one in September 2011.

http://www.news.gov.tt/index.php?news=8643

Lessons learnt

None so far.

References

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