Williams (1960) wrote, “In such a colony, both in order to form a society and develop a spirit of
community; and in order to train the people for self government, education would have animportant role to play.”
There was little or no need for formal education in Trinidad. As a British West Indian island, the
formal education of the slaves was considered incompatible by the slave owners of Trinidad.
Attaining and being educated meant that your social status in society was that of the upper class and the wealthy, therefore, mostly the “whites” held such a status. It was not until the abolition of slavery in 1834, the black and coloured children were afforded the limited opportunity to acquire some type of formal education. The development of such a program came directly from England, from British philanthropy, the Protestant missionary zeal and a conscience aroused British government. During the period of 1835 and 1845 the British government gave an annual subsidy of £30,000; however this was reduced gradually after 1841. The monies were then used to build schoolhouses and to pay teachers salaries in the British Caribbean islands. It is unsure, how much of this grant reached Trinidad, since the island was not economically fruitful due to the small number of Protestant missionaries working here at the time.
——— Read Full Text Below ———
