October 29, 2024
Chair of the 48th Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) – Education and Grenada’s Minister of Education, Senator the Honourable David Andrew, has highlighted adapting to changing technology, the need for education transformation and the threat of climate change as some of the critical areas of focus for the education sector.
Minister Andrew made these comments during the 48th COHSOD Education, hosted by the CARICOM Secretariat in Trinidad and Tobago from 24 to 25 October. The Meeting provided a platform for stakeholders in the education sector to discuss the challenges, learning gaps and threats to the quality of education, such as the impact of climate change on education systems.
The Impact of Climate Change
“The urgent challenge we have in this Meeting is developing an answer to the question- how do we ensure that our education system is responding to the immediate realities that we face?” I ask this question as an Education Minister who is now rebuilding and/or repairing 15 schools that experienced varying levels of damage due to the passage of Hurricane Beryl on 1 July,” stated Minister Andrew. He also expressed solidarity with other Member States recovering from Beryl’s destruction.
The Meeting Chair advocated for regional collaboration to transform the education system into one that is resilient to the impact of climate change and offers better opportunities and outcomes for the People of the Caribbean Community.
“Now is surely an opportune time to transform our education system into one that has greater levels of resilience and delivers lessons that create a climate-aware citizenry. I am optimistic that decisions we will make in this Meeting will serve to secure these and other important outcomes,” added the Chair.
Paradigm Shift toward Education Transformation
In her remarks, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Foreign and Community Relations, Elizabeth Solomon, said that the Region agrees on a paradigm shift to align its education sector with the global agenda for education transformation.
She stated, “The [CARICOM] Secretariat has an ambitious mandate to implement the 2030 Strategy, but we look to your support as we review to make the necessary adjustments to meet our target of 2030 and beyond. Based on assessments thus far, we all agree on the need for a paradigm shift and for the Caribbean Community to embrace and keep in step with the global agenda for transformation of our education system.”
She added that one of the key drivers would be repositioning the education system to respond to 2030 challenges. As a result, education stakeholders are asked to re-examine the Region’s education standards and the issues that affect student learning.
CARICOM Secretariat Interventions for Education Transformation
ASG Solomon also highlighted the CARICOM Secretariat’s successful interventions for the education sector. “Over the past year, we lay claim to some major accomplishments as a result of the support provided by Member States, partners and international donors. We continue to build strong partnerships, which have yielded positive results. In collaboration with The University of the West Indies, Organisation of Easter Caribbean States (OECS) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the CARICOM Secretariat launched Cohort 2 of the Learning Recovery and Enhancement Programme, known as “Let’s REAP”, for Caribbean schools. Two thousand two hundred and forty-nine (2249) educators from 16 Member States and Associate Members are enrolled in this cohort, which commenced on 25 March 2024 and was completed in July 2024. Fifteen Thousand (15,000) educators – teachers, principals, and Ministry of Education officials are targeted for further training,” stated the CARICOM ASG.
She also highlighted the Digitalisation of TVET Delivery Project as another successful initiative. She noted that the Project is establishing a regional digital platform that supports the digitalisation of TVET delivery across CARICOM Member States.
Digital Education
During her opening remarks, Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Education, Dr the Honourable Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, advocated for a tailored approach to the Region’s digital education gap. “It is not enough for us to deliver the basic tenets of literacy and numeracy. In this dynamic world, we must equip our citizens with the skills and values needed to move through this revolving digital economy. We in the Caribbean face unique challenges that require tailored solutions. So, whether we are grappling with the widening educational gaps post-pandemic, the migration of skilled talent, or the pressure to revitalise our [Technical and Vocational Education and Training] TVET systems to meet the demands of the 21st-century workforce, our responses must be deliberate and unified. COHSOD provides us with the ideal forum to exchange ideas, craft policies, and strengthen the networks that bind us as Caribbean brothers and sisters,” stated the Minister.
CARICOM Ministers of Education, chief education officers, chief technical experts and other regional stakeholders participated in the two-day session. Regional and international partners, the Caribbean Association of National Training Authorities (CANTA), the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the Commonwealth Secretariat, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and The University of the West Indies (UWI) also contributed.