Health & Education
From The Report: Trinidad & Tobago 2017
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While Trinidad and Tobago’s health care system has displayed strong results when dealing with existing communicable diseases, such as HIV and Zika, work is still urgently needed to develop a long-term strategy to deal with rising non-communicable diseases in the nation. The switch to a national health care insurance system – with increased focus on portability of services, record-keeping and primary care – combined with an expanded role for cost-efficient private sector clinics and surgeries, would provide a strong foundation on which to build health care policy for the future. Meanwhile in education, following years of high oil revenues, a generous system of grants for students studying a wide range of subjects has developed. However, the economic downturn has focused minds on achieving improved performance with slimmer budgets. Tighter restrictions on funding provided by the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses programme will help cut the fat on the tertiary education system, and the involvement of the private sector should help funnel students towards programmes that are a better fit for the development of the economy long term.

This chapter contains an interview with Brian Copeland, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal, The University of the West Indies.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

In good shape: Sector tackles communicable diseases head on and works to combat lifestyle-related illnesses
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Like much of the English-speaking Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago’s health care system takes inspiration from the UK’s National Health Service. Funded by the national budget, the system provides universal coverage at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, with the Ministry of Health (MoH) responsible for planning, monitoring and evaluating the system and allocating resources to the country’s five Regional Health Authorities (RHAs). Since their creation in 1994 these agencies have been…

Overview

A new approach: Reforms to tertiary-level grant system roll out as the sector examines ways to better prepare students for the job market
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Successive governments in Trinidad and Tobago have placed a high emphasis on education, and many of the profits derived from the country’s flourishing hydrocarbons sector have been channelled towards the development of schools and funding of tertiary education. The education system, despite at times eliciting criticism for its competitive examination culture, has allowed generations of T&T citizens to receive free primary, secondary and tertiary education and, in many cases, has funded…

Interview

Leading establishments: Brian Copeland, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal, The University of the West Indies (UWI), on shifting educational paradigms
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Interview:Brian Copeland How would you assess the recent changes implemented to the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses Programme (GATE)? BRIAN COPELAND: The changes to GATE were necessary given the economic and financial circumstances of Trinidad and Tobago. Through this government assistance programme, participation in higher education has widened and classes have swollen in size, affecting staff-to-student ratios and teaching quality. At the same time, it was necessary to limit…