• Announcements
  • Contact
  • Documents
  • Events
  • Gov’t Achievements
  • UNC Councillors
  • Video Gallery
  • Volunteer
  • Home
  • News
    • Commentary
    • Letters
    • Press Releases
    • Speeches
    • Testimonies
  • About UNC
    • Political Leader
    • UNC Founder
    • UNC Natex
    • Meet The Candidates
  • Gallery
    • Video Gallery
  • Link
  • Live Stream
  • Youth Arm
  • The Checklist.
HEADLINES
Rowley reintroduces UNC programs eight years after destroying them
Attorney: RIC cannot dim the lights on freedom of expression
OPPOSITION LEADER: Armour Will be Remembered as the Worst AG in History
PADARATH: RIC Running From The People, Aborts Consultation
Tancoo: Why the Secrecy Rohan?
Paray Condemns PM Rowley Distasteful Portrayal of MP Charles
PM’S REPULSIVE PORTRAYAL OF MP CHARLES
THE PEOPLE WANT WATER
MOONILAL: TTTI DAMN FARSE AND OUTTA PLACE
OPPOSITION LEADER: AG Armour’s Incompetence Cost Taxpayers Over 60 Million Dollars

UNC Youth Arm: PNM Closing The Gate To Education

Posted On 17 Jul 2016
By : Admin
Youth Arm Chairman Chris Hosein

Youth Arm Chairman Chris Hosein

The Youth Arm of the United National Congress notes with great concern and discomfort the recommendations made by task force appointed by the Rowley-led Cabinet to review the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses (GATE) programme. From the various reports, the Rowley-led Cabinet is being asked to introduce a means testing scheme, undergraduates to pay one-third of total tuition and a total discontinuance of post graduate funding. Should Cabinet act on these recommendations it is tantamount to destroying the future of our nation. It is a gigantic leap backwards in our nation’s development as it disentitles thousands of students for a chance at achieving a tertiary level education.

It has always been and continues to be the policy of the UNC that every child should be entitled to free universal education. In 2001, the then UNC Government introduced the “Dollar for Dollar” Education plan which funded 50% of the cost of tuition for students. This was expanded to what we now know as GATE where tertiary education is 100% funded by the government. When the People’s Partnership came into office in 2010, one of the first things they did was to secure and expand the GATE programme to also include Technical and Vocational studies.

Subsequently, in the run-up to the 2015 General Election, the PNM in their manifesto promised the people to “Preserve, maintain, and expand where necessary, our system of free education and training at all levels.” And also “Ensure that the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses (GATE) system, which we created in 2004, remains relevant, easily accessible and available to all citizens who need it.” Any adherence to the recommendations of the task force will be nothing short of a betrayal of the trust of the people of Trinidad and Tobago and any restrictions to the GATE programme will be undeniably a retrograde step.

We believe an education thrust develops a nation but since assuming office in September 2015, the PNM has been anti-education. In their first budget as a government, they have cut over $85.6M from the Ministry of Education and further cuts were made to Education in the government’s mid-year review in April of this year. In addition to this, scholarships have also been cut by 15% by the Ministry of Education.

During the mid-year review, the Minister of Finance indicated that it was time for the GATE programme to conserve expenditure and further indicated that there needs to be the implementation of some sort of means testing criteria for persons to access GATE by the next academic year. It is in this light that we are asking if the utterances of the Minister has prejudiced any findings and/or recommendations of the Task Force.

Further, if the Cabinet accepts the recommendation for a means test, the Youth Arm calls upon the nation to remember the incidents of the PNM “secret scholarship slush fund”, where there was rampant discrimination in the awarding of scholarships. The trust and integrity of any such process has already been eroded.

The UNC Youth Arm is of the view that the GATE programme has become necessary for students especially in these difficult times. We call on the Rowley-led Cabinet to give education the respect and support it deserves as our nation’s children must be properly equipped to be the leaders of tomorrow.

Chris A Hosein
Chairman
UNC Youth Arm

Post Views: 78

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • WhatsApp
  • google-share
Previous Story

UNC Youth Arm Calls on Government to Stop Paying Lip Service to Youth Development

Next Story

A Government for YOU(TH)

Youth Arm

Off

PNM mobbish and gang-like behaviour has reached our schools

On 6th June 2022 varying angles of very explosive, disorderly, and criminal behaviour was circulated on social media revealing a schoolgirl
Posted On 07 Jun 2022
0

UNC Youth Arm: The Youth Have Lost A Mentor And True Champion For Young People

The UNC Youth Arm, like the rest of our party are truly saddened by the passing of one of party’s stalwarts, Clifton De Coteau. Mr. De
Posted On 22 Jan 2021
Off

UNC Youth Arm Tells PM Rowley Call Election Now

After hosting their weekly press conference, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has dismissed the “emailgate” affair. It is our view that
Posted On 18 Jul 2019
Off

Councillor Concerned for NGOs – Slams ‘Draconian’ Non-Profit Organisations Bill

On Saturday 6th April, 2019 Councillor Chris Hosein held a consultation with NGOs within his electoral district of Reform / Manahambre. According
Posted On 06 Apr 2019
Off

UNC Youth Arm Condemns UWI Campus Crimes – Issues Urgent Call for State Intervention

There has been yet another report of criminal activity on the St. Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies –this time, the abduction
Posted On 29 Nov 2018

Commentary

UNC SENATORS DEFENDED THE PARTY WELL TODAY

Today, the Opposition UNC Senators defended themselves and the Party well from the frivolous, anti-democratic motion by Senator Anthony Viera.
Posted On 22 Feb 2022

COVID WORKERS FIGHTING A WAR WITHOUT THEIR PROPER WEAPONS

We congratulate Kamla Persad-Bissessar on her success in forcing the Government to conduct an inquiry into the handling of covid. We take this
Posted On 20 Feb 2022

ROWLEY, WHERE ART THOU? WHY ARE YOU HIDING IN ST. ANN’S WHILE THE CITIZENS OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO SUFFERED 12 HOURS OF EXTENDED OUTAGE?

For 12 hours, and more in some places, the entire island of Trinidad experienced a power outage, beginning after lunch and plunging the entire
Posted On 17 Feb 2022

UNC WORKING IN PRINCES TOWN AND COUVA/TABAQUITE/TALPARO

We don’t often hear about what our local government bodies are doing for residents. Henry Awong, Chairman of the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo
Posted On 10 Feb 2022

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO KEITH ROWLEY’S INEZ GATE ISSUE?

Remember Inez Gate? What is the Integrity Commission doing about the fact that Keith Rowley as Prime Minister did not fill in the required
Posted On 03 Feb 2022

Letters

Seek a fresh mandate

I recently read in one of the daily newspapers that Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds said that 70% of society wants to see him
Posted On 27 Dec 2022

Don’t Blame God for Rowley’s Dotishness

Prime Minister Keith Rowley at the PNM convention on December 4, 2022, announces a National Day of Prayer. He said the country must come together
Posted On 16 Dec 2022

Keith Rowley has betrayed the sanctity of Parliament

Dear Editor, The revelation by the Commissioner of Police that the emails which Keith Rowley, then Opposition Leader read in our nations
Posted On 19 Jul 2019

T&T owes Kamla a debt of gratitude

Kamla Persad-Bissessar did what many were not expecting… she and her MPs voted unanimously with the Government to ensure passage of the Civil
Posted On 09 Apr 2019

Unity and Coalition are different things

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar has faced some stinging criticism relative to her declaration at the UNC’s National Assembly that the
Posted On 01 Feb 2019

Press Releases

Off

PADARATH: BACK TO BACK UTILITY RATE INCREASES DISASTROUS TO CITIZENS

Princes Town MP, Barry Padarath is calling on the government and the RIC to hold its hands on implementing increases to water and electricity
Posted On 24 Mar 2023
Off

Padarath Tells Marvin Lawsuits Against WASA are Lawsuits Against the Government, Fix WASA

Princes Town MP, Barry Padarath has condemned the Minister of Public Utilities for not addressing the failing infrastructure of WASA and instead
Posted On 23 Mar 2023
Off

Charles calls for investigation into funding of Balisier House

Following TTPS, CTU and FIU inaction on this matter, Charles has written to Transparency International requesting their assistance in demanding
Posted On 17 Mar 2023
Off

PADARATH: RIC Now Openly Political, Their PNM Petticoat is Showing

Shadow Minister of Public Utilities, MP Barry Padarath has rejected the public utterances of the RIC, particularly the Chairman Dawn Callender
Posted On 17 Mar 2023
Off

INDARSINGH: Minister Gadsby-Dolly Denying Students of Couva West a Proper Education

Today, I am calling on the Minister of Education, Dr. the Honourable Nyan Gadsby- Dolly to stop neglecting the students, parents and teachers at
Posted On 17 Mar 2023

Speeches

Tancoo: calls on Imbert to have a heart and indemnify the population

Today we come to you to shine some light on a very worrying development that has happened in the past few days. I am sure many of you saw or
Posted On 08 Sep 2021

Rowley’s Mad Power Grab in Tobago

My friends, we are seeing a government that is in freefall – in every single sector. Health, National Security, the business sector. And what
Posted On 16 Feb 2021

Presentation of UNC general election candidates 2020

T&T family! UNC family! It is my absolute pleasure to speak with you today, as we get ready for the sweeping victory that is to come on
Posted On 19 Jul 2020

Kamla: My vision is to build an intelligent nation

“ON THE BALLOT” UNC VIRTUAL MEETING (June 25, 2020) Introduction Good evening and thank you for joining us once again as we continue to set the
Posted On 26 Jun 2020

MNF – Kamla: There is hope

Introduction Good evening T&T! Good evening UNC family!  It is good to be back! 2020 we are ready to rumble! Are you ready? Even though it’s
Posted On 11 Mar 2020
Copyright © - 2022 United National Congress