Tuesday, October 21, 2014 - Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it is my distinct honour to be part of this historic event this morning, the opening of the Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies. The appropriate recognitions were already given, so it should be sufficient for me to simply say, good morning to all of you.
In 2011 on taking office as the Minister for Education and meeting with Officers of the Ministry and Department of Education, the various stakeholders in education – including the business community, and reviewing the plethora of education studies that have been done over the years, it became clear that there was a need to formulate a full education quality improvement strategy, followed by swift and deliberate action to implement the same.
This strategy called for a number of reforms to our education system to address the urgent need of our students for a higher quality of education and also the equally urgent need of our society to provide a new generation of competent and capable employees and entrepreneurs to ensure the Virgin Islands remain economically relevant in our changing times.
It was also important for this strategy to fit into our vision and goal for education as adopted from the OECS Education Sector Strategy.
Our vision being that Every Learner Succeeds – That All citizens, at every stage of their learning journey, from early years to adulthood, are able to reach their full potential and be successful in life, at work and in society.
Our goal of education in the territory is for it to contribute to the socio-economic advancement of the territory through a quality education system that enables learners of all ages to reach their true potential.
The main improvements we have sought to put in place in our Quality Improvement Strategy include:
Licensing of principals and teachers. Evidence show that schools that have strong leaders perform best and that is why we have started with our principals and senior teachers in this licensure programme. Thirty plus participants started the process this past August and will be fully licensed principals and prospective principals in the education system of the Virgin Islands after completing the eight-month programme. We intend to ensure that all principals, teaching in the Virgin Islands undergo this training and become certified. Continuous Professional Development for all teachers will continue several times during the school year.
We introduced a remediation programme in our schools to help the students who are having difficulties and give them a better education foundation. We understand that children learn in different ways and at different paces. It is therefore important that we put measures in place to assist our children to develop the necessary skills and competencies.
We increased the assessment grading scheme to make sure our students understand the real world and how hard they have to work to be successful.
An opportunity was provided for all secondary school leavers to sit the CXC CSEC Examinations where the government paid all the associated fees. Instead of only permitting our brightest to sit these regional exams, we have given all of our students this opportunity. Based on the results from last school year, our students accepted the challenge and performed exceptionally well.
We now require that students pass at least five CXC CSEC subjects, including Math and English to be eligible for scholarships going forward.
It is our intention in 2015 to have some of our students assessed using Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), two international assessments in Mathematics, Science, Reading and Literacy to see where we fall as a country in the various subjects. If we are competing as a country internationally; our education system cannot be placed in a vacuum and be only limited to our national school leaving examinations
We introduced Key stage testing and ended the Primary V examination. While this means that students will be involved in more school-based assessments it also means that at varying levels throughout the school system, centralized assessment will be done to ensure our students are developing as they should. Reports from these assessments will help Principals, teachers, students and parents identify areas of weaknesses and strengths and where more emphasis needs to be placed to ensure our students have the requisite skills to move on to the next grade level.
The decision was made to change the nomenclature of our system and introduce the K-12 Model which among other reasons will require our students to spend an additional year in high school to ensure that they are properly prepared for tertiary education and the job market. Too often in recent times we have heard that our students are leaving the secondary school system ill-prepared for the world of work and also for tertiary education. The additional year will also usher in the offerings of A-Level Subjects to our advanced students in the system. These subjects will include Entrepreneurship, Performing Arts, Advanced Math, the Sciences and others.
We have introduced the national citizen service in our high schools which require all students to perform 120 hours of community service in order to graduate. This is all part of our territory wide drive to build national pride and to get our students to understand that as citizens they have a responsibility to give back to the territory.
Financial Services and Tourism were introduced in the high schools to give our students an understanding of the economy to enable them to make informed decisions on leaving school on how they will be a part of the development of this Territory. The twin pillars of our economy are vital to our existence.
·School Management Committees will be established to assist our Principals with the management of our schools and allowing the education officials more time to pay attention to policy development.
And today the opening of our technical high school demonstrates our commitment to provide the necessary knowledge and skills to ensure that our people can more effectively participate in the development of the Territory.
Many have suggested that a technical education institution should not be a priority for this government and for the people of the Virgin Islands at this time. To those persons, I ask these questions:
- Do we have an unemployment issue among young people in the Virgin Islands?
- Are students prepared for the available jobs in our economy?
- Is it satisfactory that in our country, our own people, particularly our young men, are relegated to sitting on the sidewalks, while labour is imported to do jobs that our youth can perform if they were adequately prepared?
The Government of the Virgin Islands must take the lead in addressing this situation. I say that the best thing that any government can do for its young people is to ensure that they receive a sound education that will enable them to live independent and productive lives, where they can also make a contribution to this community.
I contend that the development of this institution provides our young people with opportunities that will not only lead them to personal and professional success, but will also lead this Territory to continued success.
Shortly you will have the opportunity to tour this new facility. In it you will see that as part of our education quality improvement strategy, we seek to modernize the environment in which our students learn. We seek to teach them in the way they need to learn to function in today’s technologically advanced world.
Each classroom is outfitted with smart boards and other interactive tools that will engage our students and create a better teaching and learning environment for both teacher and student. Each student at this institution will be given an iPad for the strict purpose of supporting their educational pursuits and to be used in the class lessons.
We have made a significant investment in this institution and in our students and we believe the time is ripe for us to turn the corner on technical and vocational education in the Virgin Islands and prepare our students and this Territory to benefit from opportunities that will come when we have a skilled labour force.
This institution is a technical high school and not just a trade school, as there is a strong academic component that complements the technical subjects. I want to emphasize this to help our community understand that this school is not and will not be a reservoir for students or educators that are on the fringes of our education system. This school will not be used to place students who for whatever reasons are having academic or social difficulties, as we have implemented other programmes in the system to help such students. This school is a high school intended for students interested in pursuing careers in the various trades and technical fields.
The curriculum for this school also has a strong component to teach our students, life skills, work skills, customer service skills, and entrepreneurial skills. Our students will also have opportunities to become entrepreneurs in this community and we want to make them aware of these prospects.
The curriculum also has a strong apprenticeship programme component and I am happy to also inform you today, that I have spoken with several business owners who understand what we are attempting to do with this school and have already signed up to provide our students with opportunities for apprenticeships in their businesses.
Today we open the initial phase of the Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies. While we are more than delighted to see this day arrive, in the Ministry, we are already planning for Phase 2 of the school’s curriculum. In the future an agricultural science programme will be added to expose students to the science and economic opportunities in local agriculture.
We envision that this school will be able to simultaneously provide the theoretical and practical training for students, but also provide services to our community. Our agricultural science students will not only grow food, but learn the importance of branding their products, marketing their products and also experience the gains of selling their produce at market.
Our senior auto mechanic students will have an off campus shop where they will not only learn their trade, but practice their customer service skills on community members that use the shop to maintain their vehicles. Our students will learn about ensuring the auto shop is well stocked, marketed and again, experience the gains or even losses of managing an auto shop in the Virgin Islands.
To our inaugural cohort of students, and your parents, I commend you for taking this step towards an education in the technical and vocational fields. Your enrollment in the Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies tells us that you are ready to embrace what some might view as alternative careers, but what The Government see as fundamentally important career choices for young people in the Virgin Islands.
Our government is continuing to make huge investments in education. This ceremony in itself should tell all present and all who will read or hear about the opening of the Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies that the Government of the Virgin Islands understands the importance of preparing all of its youth to face the challenges of tomorrow. Our part is to provide you with a quality education and prepare you for the opportunities ahead.
Students, your job will be to ensure the Virgin Islands is prepared for this new age, by being knowledgeable, tenacious, astute and upon your graduation, being ready to become engineers, architects, accept jobs in the technical fields, open businesses and becoming leaders in your own right and a driving force in the future development of this Territory.
In our efforts to celebrate the men and women that have built the country that we know today, a wing of this school will be named after a great technical and vocational teacher of the Virgin Islands, Mr. Stanley Nibbs. Today we are honoured to have his family join us as we open this new school.
Shortly, you will hear the vote of thanks, but permit me to just also say thanks to a few persons.
I would like to thank a group of private citizens for their work and diligence in laying the groundwork for the establishment of this new school. Within months of taking office, I formed a Steering Committee to look at Technical and Vocational Education in the Territory. The Committee was chaired by Mr. Colin O’Neal who was ably assisted by Dr Charles Wheatley. Other members included; Cromwell Smith, Pastor Gregory George, Dr Birney Harrigan, Allen Hodge, Germaine Scatliffe, Spencer Grant and Acting Chief Education Officer, Jillian Douglas-Philips. The opening of this school also marks your contribution to the recognition of the importance of technical education to our Territory.
I must also thank Mr. Dion Stoutt from STO Architects for the drawings and design of the project, our project manager Mr. Steve Augustine, Mr. Claudius Wheatley and his team. A special thank you to Autland Construction, Dereck Maduro and his team and Diamond Construction. We must also thank Mrs. Annabel Skelton-Malone and her team at Information System Units for working over several weekends to assist us. The Mercer family must also be recognized for their partnership with the Government to realize this project.
This school could not have been possible without the support of our Premier, Hon Dr. D Orlando Smith. From its inception, he has supported this project. I feel confident and excited about the direction of education and youth development in the Virgin Islands, because we have a leader who has always been a friend to our young people and a leader who understands that we must prepare our young people to lead this country. Premier, thank you very much for your continued support.
I must also thank the Ministry of Finance and their team who have been a great help in ensuring that this project was completed within the set deadlines.
The job as Minister for Education and Culture is not one that any man or woman can effectively do alone. Along with me on this mission to create a culture of excellence in our education system is a team of hardworking professional public servants that truly understand the importance of a revived education system to the economy and the future of the Virgin Islands. I want to thank my Permanent Secretary, Dr Marcia Potter for her insight and knowledge that guides our initiatives.
The Acting Chief Education Officer, Mrs. Jillian Douglas Phillip and her team as well as Acting Principal for this school, Ms. Germaine Scatliffe who have all worked tirelessly since the inception of this project.
I would also like to thank Ms. Lorna Stevens who has worked closely and aggressively to see this project through, and I believe it is a testament to her belief in providing a quality education for all of our students and her dedication to these Virgin Islands. I have worked both in the private sector and the public sector and I have not seen another employee with such drive, determination and commitment. Deputy Governor, you have an excellent public servant in Ms. Lorna Stevens and I would like to see her rewarded for her excellence, now or in the future.
I would also like to thank HEART Trust/NTA of Jamaica who was responsible for the training of the educators at this institution. Their training is playing an integral part in the in the development of this institution. Our teachers have completed two weeks of competency based training in technical vocational education and starting this week a sub group of that initial training will go on to the Assessors training and the Internal Verification training. We are truly grateful to the institution for partnering with us to ensure our teachers are ready to take this institution forward.
The Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies is as much an opportunity for the Virgin Islands as it is for our students. In closing – I want to tell the present students of this institution that you will play a very important role in the overall development of this institution and how our Territory will from this day on, view careers in the trade field. We have provided you with what might possibly be the best-equipped school in the Territory, but beyond the smart boards and iPads, students we need you to take your role seriously.
The standards you set this school year will tell our community the direction this school will take. Now this is where the pressure is laid on thick. We have invested in you, and we are asking that you take your schoolwork seriously. We are asking that you set a standard of excellence in the way you act as students on and off campus, the quality of work that you produce and also the pride that you take in yourself as students and aspiring professionals.
As you wear your uniform, go about your business in school, raise our flag in the mornings, and sing our Territorial song, - students, I want you to remember the journey from whence these Virgin Islands came and be proud to positively add to the story that is still being written about the people of the Virgin islands. We expect nothing but the best from you all and I will be personally checking in on all of you to ensure that even within your lives you are creating a culture of excellence.
I encourage all of us in this community to support the efforts of this institution and our students.
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