Tobago Schools Reopen with High Teacher Turnout, Lower Student Attendance

September 8, 2025- Schools across Tobago reopened today for the 2025/2026 academic year, with strong teacher attendance but a dip in student turnout. The Division of Education, Research and Technology reported overall student attendance at 78.4% and teacher attendance at 93%.

At the secondary level, student attendance stood at 78.7% and teacher turnout at 89.8%. Primary schools saw 79.3% student attendance, with 95.6% of teachers present. ECCE Centres recorded the lowest student turnout at 62%, while teacher attendance remained high at 96.1%.

Mason Hall Government Primary School was a notable outlier, with only 13% of students present due to emergency washroom repairs. Despite this, all teachers reported for duty, and the Division confirmed that full classes will resume on Tuesday, September 9th.

The Division also dismissed false claims circulating online that male and female students were instructed to share washroom facilities during the repair period, stating that no such directive was ever issued.