Uplifting message from Education Minister

EDITOR: Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Innovation, Digital Transformation and Information, Hon. Phillip Jackson, is calling on students to embrace empathy as a guiding principle in their leadership journey. Delivering remarks at the Student Leadership Conference of the St. Vincent Grammar School, Minister Jackson challenged the students, to be more compassionate, supportive classmates, and good friends.

What an uplifting message from our education minister.

It comes at the same time as a Vincentian educator in the diaspora is suggesting a reform of curriculum to include what were once called soft skills and are now regarded by employers as most desirable power skills.

For decades, communication, teamwork, empathy, leadership, and adaptability were dismissed as “soft skills,” a term that unintentionally suggested they were secondary to technical expertise. Today, that perception has changed dramatically. In boardrooms, universities, and recruitment offices around the world, these abilities are increasingly known as power skills because they have become central to individual and organizational success. The transformation reflects the changing nature of work. Artificial intelligence can process data.

Machines can automate repetitive tasks. Software can perform complex calculations in seconds. But always remember that technology cannot easily replicate emotional intelligence, sound judgment, ethical leadership, creativity, resilience, or the ability to inspire and collaborate with others.

These distinctly human capabilities have become a competitive advantage. Employers no longer recruit solely on the basis of academic qualifications or technical competence. They seek individuals who can communicate ideas clearly, solve problems collaboratively, navigate conflict, adapt to uncertainty, and build productive relationships. A brilliant engineer who cannot work effectively in a team may be less valuable than one with slightly less technical expertise but exceptional interpersonal abilities.

This point is briefly discussed in a new 2026 book titled Along The Way authored by Maralyn Ballantyne.

Maralyn Ballantyne LLB. Hons.