Officials of the Ministry and Department of Education, Principals and Deputies of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School and the Primary Schools, have just completed another annual review of the current Strategy for Education 2015-2020 towards a better future for Anguilla. The event was at the Teachers’ Resource Centre on August 18.
“It is that time of the year again when the components of the Ministry of Education come together to reflect on the past year, its accomplishments, challenges and emerging issues, “ Education Services Planner, Mrs. Dawn Reid, told the gathering. “It is also time to take stock of changes in the education sector. The changes include, since our last review, we now have a new Minister; a new Ministerial Assistant; a new Permanent Secretary and also new Education Officers. It is hence also a time to regroup and to bring ideas and concerns to the table for discussion as a Ministry and also as the lead agency for the development of education for our nation’s youth.”
Minister of Education, Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge, said in part: “This review provides us with the perfect opportunity to celebrate progress we have achieved and to identify priority areas for the future. Achieving our target is linked with receiving European Development funding which, in turn,will get us closer to our overall objective of the promotion of long-term sustainable economic development and welfare in Anguilla through qualitative improvements in both the institutional framework for education and training, as well as available physical school plant.
“We have had support from partners like UNICEF as we worked towards our targets. UNICEF has supported us in establishing child friendly and effective schools, promoting early childhood development, strengthening health and family life education, and in developing the educational and statistical framework. We are grateful for this support.”
UNICEF’s Education Manager, Mr. Unai Sacona, said Anguilla was now inthe middle of its education plan and was pleased with UNICEF’s involvement. “We don’t have all the answers to the many problems, but we have the capacity to sit with you and to work together to find the best way to address the needs of our countries and peoples,” he stated.
Anguilla’s Chief Projects Officer in the Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Anthea Ipinson Connor, spoke on behalf of the European Union’s Caribbean representative, Dr. Stephen Boyce. She reported on the EU’s involvement in education in Anguilla and the financial assistance the island is receiving as its meets certain requirements. (Her address, which contains some very useful information, is published on page 11 of this edition of The Anguillian.)
During the review, there were presentations by Mrs. Susan Smith, Education Officer Primary and Pre-Primary; Mrs. Joyce Webster-Stuart, Principal of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School; Mrs. Janis McKeag-Richardson, TVET Coordinator; Mrs. Rhonda Connor, Chief Education Officer; Ms. Sandra Fahie, Education Officer, Curriculum; and Dr. Bonnie Richardson-Lake, Permanent Secretary, who gave an update on the Master Plan for the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School..
The priorities of the Strategy for Education and Training in Anguilla are as follows:
• Numeracy Development
• Implementation of the TVET Framework
• Teacher Professional Development
• The Redevelopment of Deteriorating Education Infrastructure
• The sustainability of Education Systems with regard to Limited Education Financing
• The Development of an Education and Training Statistics Framework to facilitate effective Monitoring and Management of the Education Sector and informed Decision-making
• Staying Abreast with ICT Developments.
Meanwhile, the Mission Statement for Education states as follows: “The Government of Anguilla is committed to providing quality education services, through highly-motivated and competent educators, to produce loyal knowledgeable and skilled citizens of sound character, empowered to function effectively in a rapidly-changing technological society.”
