(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Thursday defended Government’s position to distribute laptops to Form One students, saying this is the modern age and every child deserves a computer.
“For those who are of the view that these laptops are going to damage children, these laptops are going to make them more violent, these laptops will do all manner of evil, I want to ask those persons, these naysayers, how is it that when parents can afford to give their child a laptop nothing is wrong with them?” Persad-Bissessar asked at the post-Cabinet press conference at the Coco Reef hotel, Tobago.
She continued, “With the greatest of respect, I’ve heard the concerns of some of John Public but I am determined … one day in this land every single student will have a computer.
“When we began school we had a slate … then we had copy books, today’s age is the computer so let us please give all our children an equal chance.”
She said Government will review the policy and process as the laptops are distributed.
“Children, if you are listening, every single Form One child is going to get a laptop and that includes Tobago. I have been told that there were people in Tobago saying no laptops for children in Tobago. If I have to come and hand the students the laptops myself I am going to come here if that becomes necessary. Tobago must rise with Trinidad as well,” Persad-Bissessar said.
Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh reiterated that the entire process to acquire the laptops was transparent.
