So what is really the policy of this Cabinet?

Our Ministry of Education refuses to acknowledge students who excel at their examinations, but there is the Ministry of Trade rewarding business people who already are rewarded by making money in their businesses.

Oh, but wait, the Caribbean- based Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) decided to acknowledge performances of T&T students in their examinations, and there is the Minister of Education lauding the students who are tops in the Caribbean.

Maybe this Government thinks the children who excel want to receive money or something of value; maybe someone should tell them all the children need is acknowledgement. Please reconsider your lack of policy on merit. We need to feed children who exceed with encouragement.

Let us bring children up to want publicity for the right reasons. Those who do wrong are receiving their ’15 minutes of fame’ after all, both in print and online. Maybe one day we will get it right.

Anne de Silva