The date for the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examinations will remain at August 20th, despite contention from the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), which has lobbied for the exam to be held in October.

Speaking in the House of Representatives on Friday, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley urged TTUTA to cooperate with the State in the best interest of students, as he attempted to clarify the decision to go with the August date.

“If the examinations are held in October as TTUTA is suggesting, it would mean that the first term of the year 2021 would be lost. If the exam is held in October, it means that the two month period going forward would ensure that no placement of students could take place in what should be the first term,” he said.

TTUTA has also argued that the Ministry of Education did not hold prior discussions with them about the decision to pay stipends for teachers to work during the vacation period, beginning on July 20th- one month before the exam.

Principals will be paid $900 per day, while vice-principals will receive $650 per day. Senior teachers will be paid $600 and heads of departments, $550.

The stipend comes at a cost to the State of $20 million, a figure which the PM justified.

“If that is what it takes to get the students into school (yes) it is prudent. People have stolen much more than that and were not interested in this country. The money that is being spent for people to be paid to work during their vacation is their money. The money that Trinidad and Tobago spends is the money of the people of Trinidad and Tobago. If they have to spend it on the teachers of Trinidad and Tobago to get the students into schools that is prudently spent, and the Government makes no apology for that.”

Dr. Rowley said he would be “very disappointed” if teachers decided to resist showing up to classes.