\nMonday, April 25, 2016 – guardian.co.tt<\/A><\/I><\/p>\n
Sinanan said the Constitution defines this country as a \u201csecular state\u201d and therefore questioned \u201cwhy should the state give monies to certain religious bodies to perpetuate their faith?\u201d \u201cAs leaders we have a sacred duty to challenge systems and arrangements that are inimical to the overall well-being of the society, even if it means we incur the wrath and anger of those that benefit from the maintenance of the status quo,\u201d Sinanan said.<\/p>\n Sinanan called on current Education Minister Anthony Garcia to review the Concordat \u201cas it is inimical to the development our country\u201d and \u201cperpetuates a class differential.\u201d Sinanan said the \u201cchurch-state arrangement is naked privatisation disguised as a partnership.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe state gives monies, large sums of it, to private entities to run schools as they see fit, at their whim and fancy, to own conveniently when it suits them.\u201d<\/p>\n But even as Sinanan called for a separation of the two, Garcia signalled the government\u2019s intention to strengthen the bond between church and state.<\/p>\n \u201cWe looked at violence and indiscipline in our schools and this is an area where really and truly TTUTA and the Ministry of Education have been holding hands in working together,\u201d Garcia said. Garcia said the 1960 Concordat was being looked at. <\/p>\n \u201cIt is never our intention to diminish the role of the church in education in fact it is our intention to strengthen the role the church can play in education,\u201d Garcia said.<\/p>\n Sinanan and Garcia were speaking at TTUTA\u2019s 37 anniversary function held at Centre Point Mall\u2019s Auditorium on Saturday night. Teachers who retired over the last calender year recognised were given special tokens and a certificate.<\/p>\n Source: www.guardian.co.tt\/news\/2016-04-25\/dismantle-church-state-partnership<\/A><\/I><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" TTUTA president urges reform By JOEL JULIEN Monday, April 25, 2016 – guardian.co.tt The partnership between the church and the state at our schools must be dismantled as it is detrimental to our country, president of the T&T Unified Teachers\u2019 Association (TTUTA) Devanand Sinanan has said. Sinanan said the Constitution defines this country as a … Continue reading Dismantle church, state partnership<\/span> ![\"Bible\"](\"http:\/\/www.trinidadandtobagonews.com\/blogimg\/thebible.jpg\")
<\/a>The partnership between the church and the state at our schools must be dismantled as it is detrimental to our country, president of the T&T Unified Teachers\u2019 Association (TTUTA) Devanand Sinanan has said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n\u201cWe are a secular society and while we must be tolerant and respectful of each other\u2019s religious beliefs, we must not allow the lines that separate church from state to be blurred,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n