BASSETERRE St. Kitts, May 15th, 2012 (EMU)  –  Students enrolled in the Learning Support Programme of the six public secondary schools are taking part in a Week of Activities to boost their learning potential following a partnership forged between the Curriculum Development Unit and the Rotary Club of St. Kitts.

Director of the Unit Mr. Calwyn Morton told attendees at an official handing over ceremony on Friday (May 11) that his agency’s mission is “to facilitate the actualization of each student’s potential through creative curriculum development.”

He stated that the collaborative venture between the Rotary Club of St. Kitts and his Unit is one avenue of achieving this through a week of activities for special students including competitions in Math, choral speaking, spelling and reading. Apart from funding the prizes and other expenses associated with the activity, Mr. Morton added that the Rotary Club had also pledged its on-going support through providing mentorship to students of the Learning Support Programme.

Learning Support Coordinator Ms. Eleanor Phillip revealed that the partnership birthed out of the request of one Rotarian Mr. Howard Mc Eachrane who sought to find what the organization could do to help address issues related to learning disabilities and the often associated deviant behaviour.

What was initially envisioned as assisting the Learning Support Department with books to advance reading, soon mushroomed, by way of discussion between Rotary, Curriculum Development Unit officials and teachers, into a strategic learning development plan involving non-traditional means of helping motivate students.

Rotary Club St. Kitts President, Scott Caines in expressing the vision of the Club, referred to some of Rotary International’s achievements including the virtual eradication of Polio, providing access to clean and healthy water to people around the world, as well as the promotion of peace and understanding.

Commenting on Rotary’s pleasure at being able to assist the Learning Support Programme locally, he emphasized the fact that sustainability was an important requirement of all of Rotary’s areas of assistance.

Rotary’s contribution towards the May 14-18 Week of Activities and other related donations total close to E.C. $5000.00.

Minister of Education and Information hon. Nigel Carty in declaring the Week of Activities for the Learning Support Programme officially open stated that he was concerned that the statistics showed an excessively larger percentage of males requiring special education at the high school level than females. His conviction was that the diagnostic techniques needed to be revisited as well as a greater emphasis placed on early and more systematic intervention.

Commenting on existing attempts to help students such as the provision of free texts and uniforms through the SELF Programme, as well as the payment of examination fees at CXC level the minister said more would be done.

Minister Carty added that his ministry would continue to source and train teachers to be  better able to deliver the necessary level of quality instruction as well as implement gender mainstreaming in classrooms where males and females are equally able to access traditional Technical and Vocational Training subjects such as woodwork, metal work, technical drawing as well as food and nutrition.

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