Policy shift needed to transform Caribbean Education says OECS Director-General

Highlighting the Caribbean education crisis, where only 35 per cent of students obtain five or more CXC passes, and just 4.9 per cent pass five subjects including Maths and English, Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Dr Didacus Jules, has pointed to eight key failures that have kept the region’s education system stagnant for more than 50 years. He listed these as: persistent inequality, social challenges, colonial legacies, outdated education, limited access to higher education, lack of technology integration, poor policy development, and resource constraints.

Delivering the keynote address at a regional symposium and policy dialogue on Transforming Education last month, Dr Jules said the failure to make real changes in education comes from not seeing it as a connected, system-wide priority. last month.

Dr Jules, a former Registrar and Chief Education Officer of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), delivered the keynote address on, ‘Reimagining the Future (Again): Radical Shifts Needed for Caribbean Education Transformation’, a release from the OECS states.

The OECS official, who is trained in Educational Policy and Curriculum Instruction, and has extensive experience in education reform, social policy, and organisational transformation, stressed that true transformation goes beyond relying on technical experts or trendy approaches such as focusing on Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

“What do we really mean by educational transformation? The problem is not just a skills problem—it’s a mindset problem. What we really mean by educational transformation is not a technical answer, but a political challenge with deep technical implications, requiring the broadest possible social coalition,” he said, emphasising the need for making policy shifts and fixing other connected factors to transform Caribbean education.

Pointing to philosophers who defined the purpose of education as the development of human virtue, the elevation of the human spirit, and the shaping of social and individual values, Dr Jules referenced the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) 1997 Ideal Caribbean Person, which embodies qualities such as emotional intelligence, environmental sensitivity, cultural grounding, and entrepreneurial capability, as values that most closely encapsulate the true meaning of education.

“Driving it all must be a compelling vision and purpose… the why of education. Throughout the entire march of human history, a constellation of thinkers has emphasised the ‘why’ of education. It is this definition of purpose that has guided education systems in every civilisation. Yet it is sad that we in the Caribbean have only paid superficial attention to this crucial question,” the distinguished educator said.

The three-day Regional Symposium and Policy Dialogue on Transforming Education, hosted by the Caribbean Development Bank in collaboration with the CARICOM Secretariat, OECS Commission, and The University of the West Indies, marked the first in a series of initiatives aimed at addressing critical educational challenges in the region. It also represents a major step towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4, which emphasises inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all.

The event was convened in response to pressing educational challenges, many of which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.About the Caribbean Development Bank

The Caribbean Development Bank is a regional financial institution established in 1970 for the purpose of contributing to the harmonious economic growth and development of its Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs). In addition to the 19 BMCs, CDB’s membership includes four regional, non-borrowing members (Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela) and five non-regional, non-borrowing members (Canada, China, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom). CDB’s total assets as at December 31, 2022, stood at US$3.46 billion (bn). These include US$2.06 bn of Ordinary Capital Resources and US$1.40 bn of Special Funds Resources. The Bank is rated Aa1 Stable by Moody’s, AA+ Stable by Standard & Poor’s and AA+ Stable by Fitch Ratings. Read more at caribank.org.