The Ministry of Education is enforcing measures aimed at protecting students while they participate in Carnival competitions, designating such venues as safe zones.
Speaking at the 2026 Carnival Competitions Prize Giving Ceremony on Thursday, Minister of Education Dr Michael Dowlath said the measure is intended to create a conducive environment for students.
“No alcohol, no smoking, no vaping, no glass bottles. And this is in keeping with the government’s policy of promoting safe and secure learning environments. We want our young people to understand that they can enjoy themselves, celebrate their culture, and participate fully while still making responsible choices.”
The Ministry of Education is also aligning the National Schools Carnival Programme with its Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) curriculum.
According to Dr Dowlath, the initiative is aimed at giving students greater opportunities to develop their creativity while also earning academic credit through cultural activities.
“This is very significant because you may have heard that at the primary school level, we have introduced a Continuous Assessment Component. And so VAPA is an important part. And so imagine by playing pan, playing tassa, singing soca, singing calypso, you can actually make SEA marks towards your final SEA performance.”
For the 2026 Junior Soca Competition, Kymani Hector-Kalloo of St Peter’s RC Primary School took first place in the Primary School category, while Marcus McDonald of Presentation College, San Fernando, won the Secondary School category.
In the National Schools Panorama Competition, St Margaret’s Boys’ Anglican placed first in the Primary School category, while Holy Faith Convent, Penal, took the top spot in the Secondary School category.