OECS launches new education programme to improve quality of education

Caribbean: Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States – OECS has announced that soon it will come up with a new educational programme with the objective to boost the quality of education in the region.

With this project, the organisation seeks to generate a new educational experience for children of the OECS with the launch of its new Programme for Educational advancement and Relevant Learning, or – OECS PEARL.

The US $10 million – OECS PEARL is being funded by the Global Partnership for Education – (GPE). OECS PEARL has been officially launched earlier this month only.

This programme that the OECS Commission has designed in collaboration with the – OECS Ministries of Education and the GPE will basically cover four key elements – enhanced quality & the equity of access to early childhood education, enhanced curriculum & the assessment, Strengthened leadership and management, and Programme management, institutional strengthening, monitoring and evaluation.

While his address during the launch of OECS PEARL, the OECS Director General – Dr Didacus Jules, noted the organisation’s longstanding role of the OECS Commission in promoting the harmonisation and advancement of education in the region.

Following the statement, he added, “Education in the OECS has profited from significant strides, virtually all of which involve various lines of collaboration across the Member States in topics such as education, statistics, curriculum and assessment – which also includes the national examinations and teacher training.

The education of children has been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak in the world, leading to only virtual classes and assessments.

The OECS Commission – will serve as a grant agent to the Caribbean nations of – Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia & St Vincent & the Grenadines on behalf of the GPE. Dr Jules further noted that the Commission sought and obtained GPE support to extend some of the benefits from this programme to non-GPE nations in the OECS.