The Ministry of Education is part sponsor for the National Junior Extempo Monarch Competition 2018 to the tune of twenty five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) for first time. Organisers of this Carnival event have been seeking financial assistance in the past without success.
This commitment from the Honourable Anthony Garcia, Ministry of Education following an Extempo performance and a public appeal from students of St. Francis, St. Benedict’s Colleges and Mr. Brian London of Two Cents Movement during the Ministry’s Schools Safety and Awareness Carnival programme launch at Naparima College, San Fernando on Tuesday 16th January, 2018.
The Ministry was considering a ten thousand dollar ($10,000.00) contribution towards the National Junior Extempo Monarch Competition this year, considering the financial constraints.
Minister Garcia said the financial increase is an indication of Ministry’s commitment for school Carnival activities.
He said “in fact we are committed to provide support for all Carnival activities in which the schools are involved for example, the National Schools Soca Monarch Competition, we are giving active support to that, the National Schools Carnival Chutney Soca Competition, the National Junior Calypso Monarch and the National Schools Panorama, the Ministry of Education is committed to support all these activities by our schools and our students.”
Curriculum officers from the Visual and Performing Arts Unit of the Ministry’s Curriculum Division generally provide technical, logistic and other forms of support to organisers of all Carnival events every year.