The Former St Michael’s School for Boys will be opened in a matter of months. This information was shared with the Honourable Foster Cummings, Minister of Youth Development and National Service as he led a site visit with Ministry officials to the Diego Martin location on Tuesday 1st November, 2022.
“I have been hearing of the progress of this project. I wanted to get a first-hand view of how soon we could start operationalizing this facility. I am very impressed with the work,” Minister Cummings expressed.
In August 2020, the Former St. Michael School for Boys was transferred to the purview of Ministry of Youth Development and National Service. The School was first established in 1889 by the Church of England in Trinidad and Tobago as a residential industrial school for homeless boys. Over the years, the School operated successfully under the management of the Anglican Church and was a place of hope for homeless boys in Trinidad and Tobago.
In March 2022, the Honourable Foster Cummings, Minister of Youth Development and National Service, “kicked-off” restorative works on the facilities for Children in Need of Supervision (CHINS), at the former St. Michael’s School for Boys in Diego Martin and the upgrade works are nearing completion. The National Maintenance Training and Security Company Limited was selected as the project manager for the restorative works. The works will consist of general masonry, plumbing, repairs to the rainwater and guttering system, carpentry, painting, as well as upgrades to the electrical and air conditioning systems.
The St. Michael’s School for Boys, before its closure in 2018, accommodated young men who were homeless and in need of care and supervision, as well as those who were in conflict with the Law. When re-opened, the facility will provide a Residential Restorative Development Programme for up to 80 young boys between the ages of 12 and 18, which would incorporate Psychosocial Support, Skills Training, Career and Personal development and Job Placement for reintegration into society.
The Ministry of Youth Development and National Service remains committed to bringing all stakeholders together to provide programmes and services that cater to the personal and professional needs of our youth.
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