Naparima College – A Composite Secondary School
Failure to implement
This article was written in the Naparima College Olympian 1980.
Based on Ministry of Education documents
At our Annual Graduation, Prize-Giving, and Speech Day function on Saturday 12th January 1980, the Principal Dr. Allan Mc Kenzie announced that Naparima College intends to change into a Composite Secondary School. Mr. Malcolm London, School Supervisor, also announced the government’s intention to give the school administration the sum of ten million dollars for the purpose of converting the school.
At present, Naparima College is a purely academic school. Students only study subjects such as Chemistry, Physics, Geography, History, Zoology, Economics, etc. When converted to a Composite Secondary School, Naparima College may be described as a combination of a Junior and a Senior Secondary School. The school will remain with classes from Form One to Form Six. The range of subjects available will be increased.
At the end of five years, students will be allowed to register for the Cambridge Ordinary Level and the Caribbean Examination Council’s examinations for the academic subjects. In the technical and specialized craft subjects, students will be allowed to write an examination that is being organized by the Ministry of education and Culture. Successful candidates will be given a certificate.
Naparima College is converting from a purely academic school to a Composite School following proposals to Cabinet by the Prime Minister. In a document issued, it was stated that schools should have an integrated comprehensive programme embracing academic, technical, commercial, industrial, and craft training. This, it was stated, should be adopted as the national model for fourteen plus education. All necessary costs to be paid by the public sector.
There were three ways in which Naparima College could have been converted. They are:
- A Junior Secondary
- A Senior Secondary
- A Composite Secondary
With its present facilities, Naparima College chose to be converted into a Composite Secondary. The new student population will be thirteen hundred and thirty (1330). There will be an annual intake of approximately three hundred and five (305) students, of which two hundred and forty (240) will enter at the Form One level and sixty at the Form Six level. Because of this increase of students, as well as subject areas, Naparima College will now have a teaching staff of sixty-seven.
The curriculum to be offered to students will be more relevant to the type of occupations that will be available at places such as the Steel Mill. In years to come, it is known that Trinidad and Tobago will be needing many workers in the technical and specialized craft areas.
In the Form One to Form Three classes, students will study eleven compulsory subjects. The traditional subjects are English Language, Mathematics, General Science, Spanish and Physical Education. The subjects to be introduced are Social Studies, Agriculture, Industrial Arts, Art and Craft and Music.
The Form Four and Form Five students will have to study five compulsory subjects. These are Mathematics, English Language, General Science, Spanish and Social Studies. These students will also be divided into three groups:
- Academics
- Pre-Technicians
- Specialised Craft
In the academic group, students will be studying the traditional academic subjects. Some of these subjects will be Chemistry, Physics, Geography, History, Biology, Literature, etc.
The students in the pre-technicians group will be allowed to do courses in Business Studies, Mechanical and Construction Technology, Drafting and Electronics.
The specialized craft students will be allowed to do courses in Machine Shop practice, Auto-Mechanics, Carpentry and Electrical Installation.
The Form Six students will continue to study the traditional subjects such as Geography, History, Economics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Zoology, etc.
These changes will be expected to take place within the next five years. Naparima College will have the most modern facilities. Students will thus be better qualified for jobs in the many factories and industrial centres that are being built.
Philip Ayoung-Chee
Olympian 1980
