Feedback on the following:

Question 1: What changes can be made to improve Secondary Education to have better
qualified young persons suited for the 21st century

Feedback: Firstly, it is important to identify what areas or aspects are needed to be

addressed and would have the most significant impact to have better qualified young
persons suited for the 21st century.

It is my view that a key and universal consideration is service. In this part of the world, a
third world country striving for a year 30 /30 vision for improved development, the
importance of the delivery of service quality is sorely lacking.

So the first change must that of mindset and attitude about service. It appears that we
(Trinis) are haunted by the slavery/colonialism and incorrectly akin this to service, given
the historical longtivity of this albatross

The second change is to afford the young people as part of the curriculum, exposure in
the work place as a pre requisite for qualification especially but not only for a
qualification related to a service industry.

Question 2: What Secondary Education changes are needed to fit the needs of the
business sector in the next 10-15 years.

Feedback: In T&T the need to diversify the economy is critical. There needs to be
tangible encouragement and necessary support changes in secondary education to address
this. The doctors and lawyers and physicists are nice but a reality and patriotic check will
reveal the need for more farmers (poultry, agriculture, fish farming etc), entrepreneurs for
indigenous products, tourism products and the like. Not to mention the benefit to be
gained from US$ earnings.

As mentioned earlier, the secondary education (and I dare say, even at the level before)
must be about showing the relevance of diversification and the curriculum to support
those who wish to pursue.

Question 3: What technology/ ies are needed to help your businesses and how secondary
education should change to meet those needs.

Feedback: In T&T, we are exposed to the myriad of technologies that are available to
help businesses in the spheres of efficiency, archiving, service, human resource
management and the list goes on. While the tools are available, they are of no use unless
at the secondary education level, these future employees and employers are familiar with
their existence and how to use.

Again the curriculum must change to address this. An example could be, as part of the
SBA, it should be mandatory that technology must be used; this would compel the
student to research (and learn) what is available and appropriate to use.