Education Minister Dr. Michael Dowlath has launched a scathing critique of the People’s National Movement (PNM) administration’s vacation remedial programme, labeling it as an ‘expensive illusion’ marred by financial mismanagement and lack of accountability. Speaking during the budget debate in the House of Representatives on October 17, Dowlath refuted claims by former Education Minister Dr. Nyan Gadsby-Dolly that the current government had discontinued the programme. He revealed that the PNM’s initiative, titled ‘Re-Re-engaging For Success,’ left behind over $3.5 million in unpaid teacher stipends, $1.3 million owed for snacks, and $10.5 million in pending costs, with no verifiable impact data or clear objectives. Dowlath also highlighted the absence of four critical reports from various educational support divisions, further underscoring the programme’s inefficacy. In contrast, Dowlath introduced the government’s new Priority Schools Project, a data-driven initiative targeting 56 secondary schools and 187 primary schools for intensive support based on academic, attendance, and behavioral indicators. The project integrates literacy and numeracy recovery, teacher training, parental engagement, and school leadership development, all monitored through key performance indicators. Additionally, Dowlath praised the ministry’s July-August vacation repair programme, which completed a record 458 major and emergency repair projects across schools, addressing issues such as leaking roofs, rewiring, and sanitation. He also defended the government’s decision to extend the July-August school vacation by one week, emphasizing its role in ensuring curriculum balance and supporting the mental and emotional well-being of students and teachers.