The Schools Publications Department was officially launched in 1970 as a joint venture between UNESCO and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. It was proposed that the unit be set up as a statutory body to produce textbooks of an indigenous nature for schools. However, budgetary and administrative constraints involved in the decentralization of the unit were cited and these proposals were eventually rejected. Alternatively, the unit was given a mandate to produce supplementary texts for, and relevant to the needs and sensitivities of the primary school population of Trinidad and Tobago. The Publications Department was also expected to play a role in the assessment of textbooks aimed at the primary school population.

In structuring the department the planners may have had in mind the original suggestion to allow the department a fair degree of autonomy to carry out its operations. They scheduled posts to be filled by publication officers who were travelling officers and who specialised in various subject areas viz. Language arts, mathematics, art and social studies, a schools publications assistant and a library assistant. These officers were expected to liase with resource persons and agencies in and/or linked to the field of education. Thus, in terms of manuscript conception, research, production, and the distribution and utilization of its products the department has always operated with a fair degree of autonomy.

The Educational Journal of Trinidad and Tobago - aimed at the primary school teacher - The School Paper of Trinidad and Tobago (a supplementary learning aid for primary school students and not a 'newsletter') and supplementary texts of a social studies nature constituted the items through which the unit's mandate was to be mediated. Since 1970 to the present time these publications have constituted the main products of the Schools Publications Department.

The changing scenarios in the field of education since 1970 to the present time have brought with them new and challenging demands for the Schools Publications Department. Included in these changes were those which took place within the publications unit itself, e.g. modernization in terms of equipment and retraining of officers, and changes with respect to the expected role of the department, e.g. within the context of the Learning Resource Centre.

The role of the department within the context of a learning resource centre is not unknown. In fact it has been clearly articulated by persons who were mandated to propose the operational framework of the units within the existing centre. The implementation of these proposals has been problematic for one reason or the other.

However, it is generally agreed that apart from a department's link with other units in the Learning Resource Centre, that department does retain a role of its own. By and large the Schools Publications Unit operates within the policy framework and modes of operation envisioned by its original planners. It is felt that the time has come for the Unit to revisit its original policy framework and mandate with a view to making them play a more meaningful role in the education system of Trinidad and Tobago.

To this end it is proposed that a meeting be set up between relevant persons in the Curriculum Unit and those of the Schools Publications Unit, including the Director of Educational Services. It is felt that the establishment of more pivotal links between the Publications Unit and the Curriculum Unit is an appropriate starting point to help the Publications Unit reassess its mission and modes of operations.

We do look forward to further communication on this issue.
 

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