More than 400 Tobago students are currently enrolled at the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, while many others are pursuing tertiary studies at institutions across Trinidad.
But for these students, navigating university life can come with challenges that are unique to being from Tobago.
That is why the Tobago Students Association in Trinidad and Tobago (TABSATT) continues to support students, particularly those entering their first year of university.
TABSATT’s President and Founder Luke James-Trim says many students struggle to access the resources they need and understand how to navigate the university system.
“You know we appreciate, sometimes as Tobagonians, when it is time for us to access those university resources and start school, it is always a challenge, it is always an ‘I don’t know what’s going on’. So we are there to help, we are here to guide them because at the end of the day access to quality education remains a priority for us at TABSATT.”
Among the challenges are accessing financial assistance. Through their advocacy, TABSATT has been able to secure a special grant facility from the Division of Youth Empowerment and Sport within the THA, called the Student Development Fund.
“We know that GATE does cover tuition, but when it comes to probably having that grant that could assist us with groceries, whether it is to help with books or even, you know, when it comes down to transportation, how do we as Tobagonians have an initiative that responds to our needs?”
Meanwhile, another challenge involves students’ identity as Tobagonians, which Mr James-Trim explained is often met with animosity.
“There are some people who believe that our Tobagonianness should be subsided and we should be quiet. There is also this perception that as Tobagonians, when we advocate and we speak about our issues, we are trying to separate from the island of Trinidad.”
Looking ahead, he said the Association hopes to engage Caribbean Airlines and the Port Authority in discussions on improving inter-island transportation for students, making travel between Trinidad and Tobago more accessible and efficient.
“When it comes to our part-time students and we need access to inter-island travel, sometimes we have to go on standby. For a student who needs to travel probably three times a week, that is about what, 4×3, $1200 per week that we have to spend on plane tickets because we appreciate that at times the boat does not really coincide with your class time.”