Tobago's Youth Not Enrolling For Vocational Programmes

Young people in Tobago have not been taking advantage of technical and vocational opportunities on the island. This, from Secretary for Education, Innovation and Energy, Kelvin Charles. One hotelier who has been supporting students on the island, Ancle George, made a call on Tuesday for a revision of the education system to cater to students who score 30% and under in the Secondary Entrance Assessment Examination. Mr. George said he believes there should be a revamping of technical education in Tobago, as students who are not academically inclined are still placed in secondary schools where they cannot excel. He said this contributes to the increase in crime. In response, the Education Secretary said the Division has been making efforts in the technical and vocational areas, however the island's youth have not been responding favourably. Another challenge the Education Division faces is a lack of teachers who are trained in vocational areas. Mr. Charles said they have been seeking other avenues to encourage Tobago's young people to enroll in these technical programmes. The Education Secretary gave the assurance that the Division is placing an emphasis on technical and vocational areas.