by Linda Straker
- Regional symposium on transforming education being held in Cayman Islands
- Symposium will focus on leadership transformation, revamping teaching and learning methods, and expanding access to quality education
- Symposium hosted by CDB, Caricom Secretariat, OECS Commission, UNESCO, and UNICEF
Education Minister David Andrew and Chief Education Officer Dominic Jeremiah are Grenada’s participants at a regional symposium on transforming education which is being held under the theme “Understanding, Leveraging, and Unlocking our Full Potential” in the Cayman Islands.
The symposium at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel is hosted by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), in collaboration with the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretariat, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, UNESCO, and UNICEF from 2–4 October 2024.
A news release from CDB said that the event will bring together key regional stakeholders to determine methods for transforming the delivery of education across the region.
The symposium includes a series of plenary sessions and panel discussions that will allow participants to explore strategies for reimagining teaching practices, expanding access to education, and fostering innovative, effective leadership for the teaching and training sectors.
The release said that the symposium will focus on leadership transformation, revamping teaching and learning methods, and expanding access to quality education. Key areas of focus are:
- Inclusive, equitable, safe, and healthy schools
- Learning and skills for life, work, and sustainable development
- Teachers and the teaching profession
- Digital learning and transformation
- Financing education
The agenda is exploring decolonising education, AI in education, building a culture of social and emotional learning, and the role of education in creating healthier societies, as well as other pressing issues impacting regional education systems.
Topics include:
- Reimagining the Future (Again): Radical shifts needed for Caribbean education transformation
- Education for All: Creating inclusive, gender-responsive and learner-centred systems in education
- Schools for a Healthier Caribbean: Joining forces to effect changes in patterns and behaviours, and
- A Youth Mandated Agenda for Education Transformation: Amplifying youth voices in education policy and planning
“Regional leaders will use these discussions to develop the Agenda for Action, a consensus-driven roadmap for transforming education across the Caribbean,” said the release.
