THE TT Unified Teachers' Association (TTUTA) is in full support of the Education Ministry's soon-to-be implemented remediation programme, which is set to benefit 106 schools across the primary and secondary levels.

Cabinet approved the introduction of this project into 80 primary schools and 26 secondary schools across the country.

The ministry will hire 80 learning support assistants and school social workers, seven senior school social workers and 40 guidance counsellors

In addition, there will be a vacation revision programme, online literacy programmes, after-school support programmes for students in standard three to five, and training of 400 teachers, curriculum officers and school supervisors, among other measures.

Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly during media briefing on Monday said, "The intervention involves the development of a comprehensive, multifaceted, and cohesive system of support.

"The intent of such is to ensure that students are well-positioned to achieve at minimum, basic certification for future self-sufficiency."

Speaking with Newsday on Tuesday, TTUTA president Martin Lum Kin said the union will endorse and support "any project or initiative that deals with remedial students and those who are kept back...we encourage our members to support the programme."

But he added, "What we are cautioning the Ministry of Education, our teachers and general public is that when projects like these impact on terms and conditions of employment, that they're wary of it.

"When there are projects outside of their normal working hours, it cannot be mandated. It has to be voluntary."

He said the programme "seems to be a pretty good one," which TTUTA has no objection to.

But he said it is important to note that even schools that are performing well, based on the ministry's standards, still have students who face challenges.

"There are schools who are borderline – just meeting the standards...We are hoping it could be extended to those schools as well."

But he said he knows funding is a challenge.

Ideally, he said, this programme can benefit all schools.

"Judging schools based on high performances in standardised tests do not always capture the performance of lower-end students."

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