Compensatory Programs and Academic Support Services Program Overview

A change agent, Emmanuel Gonsalves has dedicated more than three decades to the field of academia. Emmanuel Gonsalves specializes in corporate turnarounds and played a crucial role in leading the Compensatory Programs and Academic Support Services program following its expansion and rebranding at the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT), where he served as president.

Commonly referred to as COMPASS, the Compensatory Programs and Academic Support Services program offers an alternative pathway for students to gain tertiary level education. It caters to students that COSTAATT deems to have the aptitude to succeed in higher education, but have not had opportunities to complete appropriate courses. Students with less than five Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) and General Certificates of Education (GCE) passes are eligible to apply. Admitted students will commit time to completing a COMPASS program that varies in duration based on proficiency in specific topics. Finishing the program gives pupils the opportunity to continue their education at COSTAATT in the program of their choice.

Public-Private Partnerships Can Increase Access to STEM Education

An experienced leader with a background in finance and strategic planning, Emmanuel Gonsalves is the former president of the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago. In addition to supporting learning institutions through multiple executive roles in the education sector, Emmanuel Gonsalves supports public-private partnerships (PPP) in higher education.

A public-private partnership is a collaboration between government and private companies in order to plan, fund, and construct schools. This method of school creation can yield more positive results for both students and countries because it broadens an institution’s curriculum, improves access to valuable learning resources, and attracts teachers with specialized talent due to a lack of operational and budget restrictions.

An example of the success that PPPs can bring to the education sector in the United States can be seen in initiatives created to help generate student interest in STEM fields. Nonprofits like Change the Equation and US2020 have appealed to philanthropic private companies in order to create STEM learning programs which appeal specifically to minorities and girls in low-income communities.