Former Minister Gadsby‑Dolly Blames Education Minister Dowlath for Delayed 2026 Book Grants as School Vacation Ends

Former Education Minister and St Ann’s East MP Dr Nyan Gadsby‑Dolly intensified her criticism of Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath on Friday, saying the 2026 School Supplies and Book Grant had not been delivered as the school vacation ended.

Gadsby‑Dolly warned that at least 20,000 vulnerable children remained unpaid on the last working day before schools reopened, dubbing the situation the “UNC Book Grant Fiasco 2026.” She linked the shortfall to families hit by recent job losses in the CEPEP, URP and Forestry programmes, estimating more than 30,000 people now at risk.

The former minister accused Dowlath of turning the ministerial school visits into a “pointless PR exercise” to distract from the grant delays, and noted that Dowlath had admitted the distribution would take another two weeks, leaving thousands of students without promised assistance as classes resume.

Parents in Tobago echoed the concerns, reporting late payments and incomplete online applications—one mother said her portal showed only 80 % completion days before school started. The issue traces back to October 2025, when Dowlath told Parliament the grant was under review after Gadsby‑Dolly highlighted its absence from the 2026 draft estimates.

The dispute now centers on how many of the 2026 applicants have received payments, how many remain pending, and the ministry’s timetable for completing the rollout. Opposition figures have pressed Prime Minister Kamla Persad‑Bissessar for a clear response, framing the controversy as a test of government accountability and delivery.