(EMU) – St. Kitts, June 28, 2018: In an effort to assess the needs of the country as it relates to professionalizing the teaching force, the Ministry of Education in collaboration with UNESCO, is presently conducting a series of discussions within the Federation.
The Ministry recognizes that the education sector has experienced major improvements over the past several decades, and with this scoping mission being conducted with the focus on providing assistance in ‘Professionalizing the Teaching Services.’
The 2016 UNESCO Education Sector Policy Review for St. Kitts and Nevis states;
“The country must seriously reflect on what kind o
f teaching and learning processes would suit its development needs, and align the most important components of the education system – namely teachers and curriculum – with this renewed vision of learning. In so doing, SKN will have to face the need to modernize its educational administration.”
During the week June 25th – 29th a series of consultations were organized to include discussions with various stakeholders in Education and were spearheaded by two UNESCO officials, Mr. Claude Akpabie, Programme Specialist for Education in the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean, and Mr. Edem Adubra, PhD, -Chief of the Section for Teacher Development & Head of the Secretariat of the International Task Force on Teachers.
The consultants initially met with Permanent Secretary of Education, Vincent Hodge, then met with representatives from Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Advanced Vocational Education Centre, and Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College.
Additionally, they met with Chief Education Planner, Organization of American States Country representative, human resource personnel, principals of the various schools within the Federation and top ranking education officials, including Education Officers. Other meetings will include, representatives from the St. Kitts and Nevis Teachers Unions, Minister of Education, Hon. Shawn Richards and UNESCO’s Secretary General Antonio Maynard.
A courtesy visit was extended to the Junior Minister of Education, Troy Liburd on Nevis as well as the Permanent Secretary, Kevin Barrett.
This initiative is one of the key components included in the MoE’s 2017 – 2021 Education Sector Plan. Future UNESCO missions to St. Kitts and Nevis will take place over a period of time to determine the specific scope of support from UNESCO.