Building a Better Education System

Building a Better Education System

Stay informed of the progress being made in revitalizing Saint Lucia's schools

Introduction of computer coding and robotics in schools

The Computer Coding and Robotics pilot, an initiative intended to foster positive behavioral change in students through their engagement in both computer coding and robotics was launched in March, 2018. With funding and technical support by USAID, through the Community, Family and Youth Resilience (CFYR) Programme, the innovative undertaking was born according to facilitators out of the need to modernize the school curriculum.

Dennery Infant School

With financing form the World Bank, from the International Development Association and the Climate Investment Fund, the Dennery Infant School benefited from timely renovations under the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP). December 8th 2017 marked the official handover ceremony for the freshly reconstructed facility.

Hon. Minister Gale Rigobert visiting with primary school students

Progress Made in Rehabilitation of Schools

‘Building back better’ has been a priority for government, particularly where schools are concerned. In his 2018-2019 budget presentation Prime Minister Allen Chastanet noted, “When we came into office two years ago we found an alarming state of decay in most of our school buildings and a moribund curriculum unsuited to the demands of a service economy.” Thus, the government set about to correct those deficiencies in several ways. In addition to sprucing up physical structures, rehabilitation plans for schools include a modernized approach to teaching and learning, as well as technology rich curriculums.

Model Safe Schools Programme

School and student safety and security has remained a priority for this administration, particularly with the launch of the Model Safe Schools Programme, that offers tools to assess the level of safety of schools. The programme which focuses on risk reduction was launched by the Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations in collaboration with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) with financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). Complementing this initiative was a targeted training session for school security officers, meant to boost their ability to maintain security and enforce regulations at schools across the island.

Launch of #EducateSaintLucia

Unveiled by the Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations, the #EducateSaintLucia initiative highlights eight fundamental pillars as the foundation for the project. These include the ACT initiative, 1st Generation Initiative, Knapsack Drive, Lifelong Learning, Vocational Qualification, Volunteerism and Apprenticeship, Career Readiness and Innovation. The project aims to improve the quality, accessibility and affordability of education for Saint Lucians.