The Challenge of Financing the Expansion and Strengthening of Secondary Education at a Time of Economic Crisis –

Strategies and Solutions

Trinidad and Tobago’s Experience

Hon. Esther Le Gendre, MPMinister of Education

August 14, 2009

SIXTH INTER-AMERICAN MEETING OF MINISTERS OF EDUCATION “Better opportunities for the youth of the Americas: Rethinking secondary education”

ABOUT Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago is situated only 6 miles from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Population: 1.3 M. Area: 5.128 square kilometres.

Primary and Secondary Schools• Secondary School Population: 100,374

No. of Gov’t and secondary schools: 135No. of Secondary school teachers: 6,687No of primary schools: 484Primary school population: 129,641

• Our goal is to increase tertiary enrolment to 75%. Over the past four years we have increased tertiary enrolment from 15% to 45%. This does not include overseas scholars and those attending private institutions offering tuition.

• Fiscal year 2009 budget has given each student graduating with first class honours a scholarship to pursue studies in any country of the world to complete a Doctoral degree.

Birth rate has declined to 18,000 per yearBy 2012: 601 state of the art Gov’t ECCE centres will be catering to 30,000 children age 3 and 4 years

The cost of building and furnishing a new ECCE centre: US$0.5MThe cost of building and furnishing a new primary school: US$5-6.3MThe cost of building and furnishing a new secondary school : US$30-35M

Our Economy and Levels of Education Financing

• MoE expenditure has risen by an average of 11 percent in the 2003 to 2008 period

• In that period Government expenditure has averaged 30 percent of GDP, MoE expenditure alone averaging 3 percent

• Expenditure on the Secondary Level has averaged 48.2 percent of MOE expenditure for the same period

• The Ministry has a large ongoing programme of school construction and upgrade, in addition to

ICT provision for all schools

Challenges and Strategic Measures in a Quality Education Environment

• Changes in National Socio-Economic Environment

• Teacher Development for 21st Century teaching and learning

• Curriculum Development and Relevance

• Decentralization and School Based Management

• Parent and Community Involvement

Modalities of Development and the Economic Downturn

• Maintaining political will / Government financing– Ensuring efficiency and effectiveness

• Data as the Driver of Strategic Planning

• Monitoring and Evaluation

• Multilateral Loan and Grant Financing– Secondary Education Modernization Programme

(SEMP)

– Seamless Education Project

– Other Technical Assistance• UNV Involvement

• Project funding

Challenges

• Rising construction costs due to space requirements aligned with curriculum offerings

• Optimum sizing of schools in developed communities

• Construction on occupied locations

• CVQ implementation and

teacher availability

Modalities of Development and the Economic Downturn

• Involvement of the Private Sector– Partnering and recruitment via VAPA and CVQ

• Low and No-Cost Initiatives– System Changes – De-shifting and Conversion– Local School Boards, PTAs and Student Councils– On-Line Teacher Development – Communication, the Media and

Other Motivation Builders

Relevance

• Relevance is a major component of quality secondary education – This was clearly articulated by our youth

yesterday– We should be cautioned as we decide what is

relevant today for tomorrow’s graduate.

Thank You