Saturday, October 10 2009

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Esther Le Gendre...

EDUCATION Minister Esther Le Gendre yesterday condemned the exploitation of schoolchildren by persons for political gain.

The minister’s condemnation came as she responded to a motion on the adjournment raised in the House of Representatives by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal.

In his motion, Moonilal criticised the ministry for inaction in the construction of a new government primary school in Monkey Town and the conditions under which students of that school have had to endure.

In response, Le Gendre agreed with Moonilal that the construction of a new school should not have taken as long as it has but those issues have been addressed by the Education Facilities Company Limited.

Stating that a contract for the new Monkey Town Government Primary School should be awarded next month and construction should commence in the first quarter of 2010, Le Gendre deplored the action taken by some persons to have students from the school engage in protest action.

“What is the example that we are setting for our children? Is that we have lost our ability to reconcile issues through discussion, through understanding?” she asked.

“So to so use and exploit little children. To put them in a bus and bring them up to Port-of-Spain when they should be in school simply to support a political agenda of their members, I would like to draw the line there,” the minister declared.

Le Gendre said no member of the Opposition could honestly say her ministry has not tried to address education matters in their constituencies.

“I have always been available. We have an open door for discussion for conciliation,” she added.

The minister’s comments came three days after officers from the St Joseph Police Station strip-searched form five students of St Joseph’s College while investigating a report from a student that $1,400 she had went missing.