Gopeesingh- Text Book Programme to continue

Textbooks. Photo courtesy edudemic.com

July 26, 2012:  

Minister of Education, Dr Tim Gopeesingh assured that the Textbook Loan Programme (TLP) will continue in the 2012-2013 academic year.

Speaking earlier during the post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s, Gopeesingh said more than “a quarter of a million” students will benefit from the programme.

“The programme will continue and take into account the revision of the primary school’s curriculum. Also, existing and new books will be retained for a period of three years. A comprehensive overview of the programme will also be done and the engagement of publishers will be evaluated and looked at for use within the school system. Under this programme the Ministry will continue to provide textbooks to early childhood, primary and secondary schools,” Gopeesingh said.

The Minister also announced that his Ministry has begun to look at introducing digital resources into the education system and so the overall cost of textbooks will be reduced.

“A digital portal is being looked at which will increase the digital resources of students and teachers,” Gopeesingh said.

Gopeesingh also confirmed that the planned Continuous Assessment Component (CAC) will commence in 2012, as a pilot programme.

“This will begin with the introduction of 20 percent of the marks to the Secondary Entrance Examination to the 2013 examination,” Gopeesingh said.

It will continue with additional percentages being contributed by Standards threes and fours in the following years.