BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CABINET has approved the appointment of Dr. Robertine Chaderton as the new chairperson for the St. Kitts and Nevis Institutions Accreditation Board.
The move comes after Shawna Lake’s recent resignation from the position and the Ministry of Education’s recommendation that Chaderton be her successor.
The Accreditation Board is responsible for evaluating, certifying and acccrediting all tertiary level institutions operating in the Federation and has due authority to monotor such institutions over time.
Minister of Education Hon. Sam Condor deemed Chaderton as being “eminently qualified and certainly the most appropriate person for the position”. He pointed to her PhD in Accounting, her long history of consultancy work and her stints as a University of the West Indies lecturer as factors validating her ascension to the position.
Condor emphasised the importance of having the best qualified person fill the Chairman post.
“The Federation’s Accreditation Board is constantly under scrutiny and we must ensure that we meet and adhere to international standards and criterion. I am confident in Chaderton’s ability to be an effective leader and I wish to express my thanks to Cabinet for their endorsement of my Ministry’s recommendation,” said the Education Minister.
According to Monday’s (Jan. 19) post-Cabinet briefing, Cabinet has agreed that the accreditation process for tertiary institutions such as medical schools needs to maintain a very high standard, as the government is committed to attracting only highly reputable institutions to the Federation.
The communiqué further states that the government continues to view education tourism as a major plank of the industry and a driving force behind construction, transportation, rental, the purchase of goods and other forms of economic activity.
Cabinet also took the opportunity to publicly thank Lake for her tenure of service as Chairperson and to welcome the incoming Chaderton.
The Accreditation Board was established under the 1999 Saint Christopher and Nevis Accreditation of Institutions Act and was later amended in 2001.
