Morgan calls for more focus on sports in the education system

Chester Morgan, Technical Director of Team Athletics SVG, and one of SVG’s track and field coaches to this year’s Junior Carifta Games, is calling for a paradigm shift to the education system here.

Essentially, Morgan wants the system to be readjusted to accommodate students who are adept at sports.

Morgan made this plea as he gave brief remarks at the welcoming ceremony to celebrate the performance of the St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) team to the 2022 Junior Carifta Games in Jamaica over the Easter weekend.

Speaking directly to three ministers of government, namely Minister of Agriculture, Saboto Caesar; Minister of Education, Curtis King; and Minister of National Mobilisation Frederick Stephenson, who were present at the Argyle International Airport (AIA), on Thursday April 21, Morgan reasoned, “We have all the secondary schools doing the same subjects, the same thing, but we don’t have the same set of children, so it is time that we cater for the needs of our children” .

Taking his argument, a step further, Morgan said: “ It is time that we head towards what St Lucia is doing… We have enough talent, enough human resources at home that we can create a sports school”.

Morgan was referring to the move by the St Lucia government in 2019 to establish a Sports Academy.

The Sports Academy provides students with a foundation in academics , life skills, as well as the opportunity to specialise in particularly in football, cricket and track and field. Additionally, there are courses in coaching and media arts.

Pointing out that the St Lucia Sports Academy is proving to be a successful venture, Morgan added that Lucia’s lone medallist at this year’s Carifta Games, is a member of that academy.

The last occasion that St Lucia gained a Carifta medal was in 2015; there were no Junior Carifta Games in 2020 and 2021.

Apart from his post as Technical Director of Team Athletics SVG, Morgan is also the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association’s ( NACAC) Director of Coaches and Camps.