Child Education - Parental Responsibility

Q: With the rate of crime being linked to a lack of educated youths in T&T, is there anything to make parents responsible if they don't ensure that their child/children are educated?



A: As a matter of fact, there is. By law, all children of compulsory school age (5 to 16) must receive a suitable full-time education. As a parent, you have a legal responsibility to make sure this happens - either by registering your child at a school or by making other arrangements to give them a suitable, full-time education. Once your child is registered at a school, you are legally responsible for making sure they attend regularly.

If they do not, you SHOULD be contacted by your child’s school or the local authority. Local authorities have a duty to step in if they believe a child is not getting the education required by law, either at home or at school... but as always, in Trinidad & Tobago, no one cares!

Section 77 of the Education Act - 39:01 imposes the legal obligation on parents:

"... it shall be the duty of the parent of every child of compulsory school age to cause him to receive EFFICIENT full-time education suitable to his age, ability and aptitude, by regular attendance at school."

When the government starts taking this seriously, we'll have more educated children who won't be interested in gangs to go about robbing, kidnapping and murdering people without remorse.

Laptops and new schools aren't the answer if the parents aren't held responsible for their children. In Trinidad and Tobago, many parents don't send their children for lessons, help them with homework or even keep in constant communication with Teachers (Parent/Teacher Meetings). This is ESPECIALLY important during secondary school when the negative influences become palpable. I'm sure the 2010 Scholarship winners had the full support of their parents.

I attended Richmond Street Boys, Rosary Boys (for lessons) and St. Anthony's College and all my Teachers knew my parents very well!