Early Childhood Practitioners graduate from PEARL Programme

A GRADUATION CEREMONY was held on June 11, 2026 at the UWI Global Campus for two cohorts of Early Childhood Practitioners who underwent professional development training (2024-2026), under the OECS PEARL Professional Development Programme.

Held under the theme, ‘Celebrating Growth: Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow’ Senior Education Officer, Mavis Joseph, in her congratulatory greetings on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, Innovation, Digital Transformation and Information, said they joined the early educators in celebrating this significant achievement in their professional journey.

Joseph said these practitioners have successfully completed a programme which focused on the holistic development of young children at a time when they learn most profoundly.

“Today is indeed a celebration of your growth, through learning – an experience which would ultimately result in you leading in the area of Early Childhood Education in the near future.

“It is the time when children rapidly develop the various foundational skills that they need. They develop language, cognitive and other essential skills upon which they continue to build throughout their educational journey and entire life,” Joseph noted.

“It is the time, more than ever, when our students need to be socially and emotionally well-adjusted, where they learn to care for each other, solve problems amicably and peacefully, and to use their words to communicate effectively,” she emphasised, as she reminded the Early Childhood practitioners that this is the start of their role in the creation of a more peaceful, loving and powerful Vincentian society.

Joseph said the Ministry of Education remains grateful to the OECS PEARL for hosting the impactful training, which made the graduation ceremony possible.

Senior Education Officer, Early Childhood Education, Ethny Williams, in her opening remarks, said the graduation ceremony celebrates not only the completion of modules, but the strengthening of a movement.

“A movement dedicated to nurturing the minds and hearts of our youngest citizens across the Eastern Caribbean.”

Williams explained that the OECS PEARL Early Childhood Professional Development (PD) Training programme is structured into specialised modules. Each module blends synchronous sessions, asynchronous activities, and product-based assignments to ensure educators apply new knowledge directly in their daily practice.

The graduands completed three modules on Optimising the holistic development of 3-4 year olds.

Williams noted that the journey which began in October, 2024 culminating in April, 2026, and while it was not without its challenges the educators persevered.

Ninety-two per cent of the participants completed the modules.

Professional Development Training sessions were carried out simultaneously in St Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, BVI, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.