Indian Review Committee, Carapichaima
In 24th/25th January 2020, twenty-three prominent persons issued a statement that “air concern about the poor educational performance of children of African origin in Trinidad and Tobago.” It amounts to an “education crisis in the country affecting black children.”
In December 13th 2020, they issued a rejoinder: “We believe this is what democracy dictates. Here every creed and race, and social class and community and region must find an equal and equitable place.” Black children in education is still a black agenda, a black race position by the twenty-three persons.
The solution is SEA should be scrapped and the Concordat be abolished.
Initially, it was the only criterion for secondary school placement in proximity of residence (Jan 2020). Now, it is secondary school, preferably at the choice of parents, in conjunction with educational authority (Dec 2020). The recommendation is, in fact, a total shift in education against the dual system.
Carl C. Campbell-The Young Colonials (1996)- said that the dual system was first passed in 1870… “it evolved by degrees through conflicts and compromises.” They want a total radical change in the education system for black children.
In his article “leaving African children beyond the school boundary,”- (Express 5th January 2021)- Theodore Lewis said that “my colleagues and I proposed …that when a child has finished elementary schooling, he/she should move on to a secondary school, and that school should be of high quality.” He listed selected secondary schools. “The high quality” is about Indian children.
He added, “Indians constitute 35.4 % of the population, and Africans constitute 35.2% of the population. The secondary school places should reflect these percentages…The numbers speak for themselves…African students are crowded out of the top schools by Indian children.”
In an article “Do Black school children matter?”- (Express 18th June, 2020)- he wrote that “little black girls could forget dreaming about NAPS…unless you came in late to this country. You would know an Indian name when you see it.” He further added, “We could reform the school system” for African children in both islands. Clearly, Indian children are the solution to the problem for the 23 persons.
Eric Williams “Inward Hunger” (1969) wrote in 1962 that “As long as our constitution does not prevent the free secondary school from being the cradle of that new Nationalism…assimilation of all the different cultural stocks and racial strains in this country.”
He added, “Let the secondary school be the cradle of the new society which has one aim in view – the repudiation of the absurd and irrational prejudices imposed on it from above.” It was about Indian children and the parents that Williams referred to.
Theodore Lewis and his associates say that black children are in crisis in education. The Indian children are the solution for change in the education. Eric Williams legacy continue in education via these 23 persons; similar to Professor Courtney Bartholomew in the Express (20/21 November, 2005) and his ethnic imbalance in the professions.