MINISTER OF EDUCATION OUTLINES GOALS FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023
Basseterre: St. Kitts, Monday, September 05, 2022: Minister of Education Hon. Dr. Geoffrey Hanley has announced seven main goals for the promotion of inclusivity and equity within the education sector for the 2022-2023 academic year.
In an address to the nation on Sunday September 04, the minister said
“As the Minister of Education, this year is a significant one for me as I embark upon a journey to re-assess, re-imagine and redefine education as we know it. Quality education is a fundamental right to which every human being should have access. Citizens and residents, it is my intention to ensure that the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis continues to lead in the area of education.”
He added, “The Ministry of Education’s goals for the 2022-2023 academic year focuses on inclusivity and equity. We intend to provide every child equitable access to quality education in a safe child friendly environment.”
The goals outlined will enable the minister to deliver on his promise to provide teachers with an imperative of ‘C.A.R.E’ under the ‘New Deal’ initiative.
“Therefore, as the Minister of Education, I aim to heed the call from our teachers for greater ‘C.A.R.E’ by: Increasing the number of teaching assistants in our schools; improving our professional development model to incorporate more TVET related fields and Learning Disabilities courses. Professional Development needs to be more personalized, competency based and accessible anytime or anywhere.”
Focusing on infrastructural development, Minister Hanley continued “Rebuilding Basseterre High School and converting all of our high schools into centres of excellence; renovating Joshua Obadiah Williams Primary School; expanding our maintenance unit to incorporate skilled trade persons who will ensure the continued maintenance of our school plants”.
The sixth goal outlined by Minister Hanley concentrated on the use of technology as a mechanism to enhance the teaching and learning experience by making it “interactive and fun”.
Additionally, the minister promised to “strengthen the TVET sector through the provision of certification at the end of the training period.” The Acronym C.A.R.E. stands for Community, Attention, Respect and Equity among and for all teachers.
It was proposed by teachers’ advocate Ms. Micheleina Charles-Hazelle in remarks at the opening ceremony of Summer Workshops for Teachers. Since then, the Ministry of Education has embraced the recommendations of Ms. Charles-Hazelle emphasizing that they go hand in hand with aspects the ministry’s project to professionalize the teaching force and re-imagine and redefine education throughout the island.
