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PRESENTATION There are few persons whose opinions about education in Trinidad and Tobago I regard as highly as those of Dr. Michael Alleyne. Over the years that I have known him, he has maintained an outstanding level in the quality of his analysis and commentary on educational matters both at home and abroad. Education has been and will continue to be a principal vehicle for transforming Trinidad and Tobago into viable, progressive and integrated society. In our quest for nationhood, the 15-Year Plan for the Educational Development of Trinidad and Tobago (1968-83), laid the foundation for an educational system which would develop the human resources of the country for the overall social and economic growth and provide opportunities to every citizen for the fulfillment of his or her potential. Dr. Alleyne has made a singular contribution to the formulation, implementation and evaluation of this plan. Most notable were his efforts during the early years of its implementation to explain the details of the Plan to the people of Trinidad and Tobago by his regular radio and television broadcasts and public appearances. His professional training and career have included a solid West Indian grounding in our own university and exposure to sources of learning throughout the world and educational systems in a variety of countries. The book, therefore, embodies the experience of someone who is not only endowed with a sound theoretical knowledge of education, but has also passed through the fire of putting theory into practice. For me, the greatest value of this book is that it constitutes a useful evaluation of the implementation of the plan and provides rich insights which would inform future planning of education in Trinidad and Tobago and other developing countries. Dr. Alleyne's recent receipt of the Pelican Award of the University of the West Indies for Excellence in Education is testimony of the recognition of his contribution to the improvement of education in Trinidad and Tobago and the West Indies as a whole. This book is another concrete expression of his dedication to the education of the people he has served throughout his life. Patrick Manning
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