The Massy Foundation has launched a new back-to-school pilot aimed at helping families manage the cost of preparing children for the new academic year.
The programme, called ‘Classroom Ready’, is expected to support approximately 500 students across ten primary and secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago.
Under the initiative, selected families will receive vouchers to help cover school-related items.
Massy Foundation officer Ariel Taylor said the intention was to provide practical support that could make a difference to a child’s experience in the classroom.
“A new uniform, a new pair of shoes, textbooks, or stationery may seem like simple things, but they can make a real difference to a child’s experience at school. As we know, those needs do not end on the first day.”
According to the Foundation, principals and school representatives are central to the process because they are often best placed to understand which students and families need additional support.
The organisation said the extended voucher redemption period allows families to access assistance at the times they need it most during the school year.
“Through this pilot, we are supporting 500 students across primary and secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago. But we also recognise that we could not do this effectively without the people who know these children and their circumstances the best.”
Massy Group Senior Vice President of People and Culture, Nadia McCarthy, said the pilot supports the company’s broader education goals by helping students stay engaged in learning and strengthening partnerships with schools and communities.
“A pair of glasses, a STEM room, a remedial learning centre, or the support being provided through Classroom Ready may look like very different interventions, but they’re all connected by the same principle: removing barriers that can prevent a young person from fully participating in their education.”
The Foundation says it will use the pilot to guide how Classroom Ready develops beyond its first year. For the participating schools, the handover marked the beginning of a longer-term partnership aimed at ensuring more children come to class ready to learn.