Union Island’s Home Economic Centre – a blessing or a curse

Editor: “Let not then your good be evil spoken of.” Romans 14:16

The Home Economics Centre was designed to operate independently and provide for the schools and the community. Despite the availability of qualified personnel to staff the institution, no appointments and arrangements were made to implement the needed programs. Tourism, being an important pillar of our economy needs well-trained workers and this institution should be allowed to play its role. Trying to use it to serve some other purpose is counter-productive.

St Vincent has several Technical Institutes that serve the surrounding schools that access their programmes. Our Home Economics Centre should be the one designated for Union Island.

When the Centre opened, students were bussed in for classes. The frequent movement of students between periods resulted in loss of instructional time.

Bussing was discontinued and students were timetabled to spend entire blocks of periods at the centre with movements occurring during the break and lunch periods. This worked very well but meant that the Home Economics subjects must be given priority in the Timetable. Recently students were seen moving to and from the Centre at odd hours which apparently means that much instructional time is lost in transition from class to class. Undoubtedly, the performance of students was negatively impacted by the loss of instructional time.

Allowing independent management of the Home Economics Centre should restore the traditional 100 per cent success in Nutrition and Health, Home Economics Management, and Clothing and Textiles at the CSEC level. Additionally, the short courses such as House Keeping, Bartending, Sewing, and Baking can be offered to students and adults who need them.

Flexible instructional time will benefit both the school and community. Too much control has led to stagnation and is visible in the overgrown compound.

The centre can offer any needed short course to the community by putting tutors and students together. We can have a brighter future at the Home Economic Centre if it is allowed to function as it was originally designed.

Anthony G. Stewart, PhD