Gadsby-Dolly Slams Government Over Book Grant Delays Ahead Of School Reopening
Former Education Minister and current MP Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly has accused the Government of failing thousands of families over the 2026 School Supplies and Book Grant, as the new academic year approaches.
In a social media post on Friday, September 4, Gadsby-Dolly claimed that approximately 20,000 children were still awaiting payment on the final working day before schools reopen. She branded the situation the “#UNCBookGrantFiasco2026” and questioned Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath’s handling of the programme.
“This incompetence is unacceptable,” Gadsby-Dolly wrote, while also questioning what action Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was taking.
Her claim that 20,000 children remain unpaid has not been independently confirmed by TG News, and the figure should therefore be attributed to the MP rather than presented as established fact.
The criticism comes amid genuine concerns from some parents over the timing of this year’s payments. In Tobago, parents have complained that they were still awaiting updates on applications just days before the start of the academic year, with at least one applicant reporting that her online application remained at 80 per cent completion.
The Ministry of Education officially launched the 2026 grant programme in June. Under the means-tested scheme, households earning no more than $7,500 gross per month could apply for assistance for eligible students. Most eligible students qualify for $1,000, while students entering Form Two receive $500.
The Ministry has also published payment and cheque-collection arrangements for the 2026 programme, indicating that the disbursement process is underway.
Gadsby-Dolly further linked the delayed payments to wider employment concerns, alleging that more than 30,000 vulnerable workers had been displaced from CEPEP, URP and the Forestry Programme.
Article and image source: instagram.com
