Content for Trinidad & Tobago

The prospect of independence for Trinidad and Tobago threatened to end the tradition of mission schools. These were state subsidised, but “totally controlled” by each religion’s Denominational Board. Just before a crucial election the religious interests pressured the government to accept an education “concordat” which hampered government plans for school reform.

A distinguished Trinidadian, Senator Professor John Spence, objects to the concordat giving the religious interests a veto over teaching materials in the denominational schools: “In a multi-religious democracy such as ours this is an untenable imposition in schools that receive public funding and which cater for students of all faiths.”