We are at a pivotal moment in global digital history. Technologies such as AI, quantum computing, 5G, IoT, and blockchain are no longer futuristic—they are shaping our present.

The Honourable Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada and lead head with responsibility for Science and Technology (including Information and Communications), is advocating for a shared partnership between governments and the private sector towards the realisation of the CARICOM Single ICT Space.

He underscored this in his keynote address at the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organizations (CANTO) 40th Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition.

“Governments cannot do this alone. The private sector must be a full and active partner—not just in service delivery, but in shaping policy, co-investing in infrastructure, and ensuring inclusion,” stated the Prime Minister.

Please read his keynote address below:

Good morning

It’s a great pleasure to join you at this milestone 40^th Annual CANTO Conference and Trade Exhibition. Being here in The Bahamas — a country that has not only helped shape the foundation of CANTO but continues to lead by example in regional ICT advancement — feels both timely and fitting. This gathering isn’t just a celebration of four decades of collaboration; it’s a moment to take stock of how far we’ve come and to ask bold questions about where we go next. I begin by extending heartfelt thanks to the Government and People of The Bahamas for their warm hospitality and unwavering commitment to regional ICT development.

CANTO @ 40: A Legacy Worth Celebrating

This 40th anniversary is not just a celebration of longevity—it is a testament to CANTO’s enduring impact, influence, and ambition. From its modest beginnings in 1985 with just eight members, CANTO has grown into a formidable regional force, now uniting over 120 members across 32 countries. It stands as the Caribbean’s premier platform for ICT cooperation, technical exchange, and public-private partnership.

CANTO’s evolution mirrors the digital transformation of our region—from landlines to fiber optics, from analog to digital, from isolated systems to integrated cloud infrastructure. It has been a constant enabler of progress, guiding us through the complexities of modernization and innovation.

Grenada’s Commitment: National Vision, Regional Responsibility

As Prime Minister of Grenada and the CARICOM lead Head of Government for ICT, I carry both the responsibility and the passion to ensure that digital transformation in our region is accelerated, inclusive, and human-centred.

In Grenada, we are advancing this transformation through five strategic pillars:

1. Digital Government – Reimagining public service delivery through e-Government platforms that enhance transparency, reduce bureaucracy, and improve efficiency.
2. Digital Infrastructure – Investing in resilient, future-ready systems, including national broadband and satellite connectivity, especially for disaster response.
3. Digital Identity – Rolling out secure national e-ID systems to enable seamless access to services and prevent fraud.
4. Digital Economy – Empowering entrepreneurs and small businesses with digital tools, skills, and funding to scale.
5. Digital Inclusion and Skills – Ensuring every citizen, regardless of age or location, has access to devices, connectivity, and digital literacy.

CARICOM’s Unified Vision: The Single ICT Space

Grenada’s efforts are part of a broader regional ambition: the creation of a CARICOM Single ICT Space—a unified digital ecosystem enabling seamless movement of people, services, and data across borders.

This vision addresses our fragmented markets and infrastructural gaps by:

• Harmonizing spectrum and regulatory frameworks,
• Enabling cross-border digital identity recognition,
• Expanding roaming-free mobile environments,
• And developing shared approaches to cybersecurity, AI, and cloud governance.

Why This Agenda Matters: Global Trends, Local Urgency

We are at a pivotal moment in global digital history. Technologies such as AI, quantum computing, 5G, IoT, and blockchain are no longer futuristic—they are shaping our present.

The question is not whether we will participate, but how—and on whose terms.

Key priorities we must tackle together include:

• Satellite Connectivity – Crucial for small islands and disaster-prone areas to ensure digital continuity.
• Federated Cloud Infrastructure – Building regional cloud capabilities to store data securely and in compliance with our laws.
• Fraud Prevention & Digital ID – Embedding trust architecture into our digital systems from the outset.
• Open RAN and 5G – Leveraging cost-effective, vendor-neutral paths to 5G deployment.
• IoT, Smart Cities, and Fintech – Unlocking their potential through interoperability and regulatory agility.
• AI and Cybersecurity – Ensuring that innovation is matched with robust digital safety frameworks.

The Role of CANTO: Enabling, Bridging, Mobilizing

CANTO is more than a conference—it is a Caribbean institution. It bridges policy and innovation, government strategy and private sector action.

Through CANTO, we have:

• Shared best practices in universal service funding,
• Explored future-proof regulatory models,
• Fostered dialogue on OTTs, fair contribution, and infrastructure sharing,
• And most importantly, built trust across diverse economies with shared aspirations.

I urge CANTO to deepen its role in:

• Policy Shaping – Amplifying the Caribbean voice in global ICT forums,
• Capacity Building – Strengthening the skills of our regulators and engineers,
• Investment Brokering – Connecting infrastructure needs with global capital,
• Talent Development – Cultivating a digitally fluent Caribbean workforce.

Public-Private Synergy: A Shared Responsibility

Governments cannot do this alone. The private sector must be a full and active partner—not just in service delivery, but in shaping policy, co-investing in infrastructure, and ensuring inclusion.

To our telecom providers: your success is tied to the prosperity of the societies you serve. You are not just providers—you are partners in our digital future.

Let us commit to:

• Expanding affordable access in underserved areas,
• Sharing infrastructure to reduce duplication,
• Supporting national initiatives like digital ID and cybersecurity,
• And investing in the education and upskilling of our youth.

This is not a dream. It is a vision within reach—if we act boldly, collaboratively, and with urgency.

A Caribbean Without Digital Borders: Our 2030 Vision

Let us imagine, for a moment, the Caribbean in 2030:

• A child in Barbuda logs into school on a satellite-linked tablet after a hurricane, missing no lessons.
• A nurse in Saint Vincent securely accesses a Grenadian patient’s health records for regional telemedicine.
• A Dominican fintech startup expands to Trinidad and Jamaica through a common digital regulatory framework.
• A digital nomad living in Carriacou contributes to the global AI industry, powered by local gigabit internet.
• Our people, services, and ideas move seamlessly—united by a digital fabric that mirrors our shared history and destiny.

That is the unified and sustainable Gigabit Society we are building.

In closing, let us honour CANTO’s 40-year legacy by building a future that is unified, sustainable, and digitally empowered. We are not simply digitizing our societies—we are shaping the Caribbean’s place in the world.

Let us be bold. Let us be collaborative. Let us be future-ready.

Let us build a Caribbean where every citizen has the access, tools, and confidence to participate fully and securely in the digital age. Let us remember: the next 40 will be even more decisive.

Thank you—and may CANTO continue to grow, lead, and let us move forward—together—towards a truly connected Caribbean.

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Watch video highlights from Prime Minister Mitchell’s keynote address here.

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“The proposed CARICOM Education Transformation Commission was also discussed. This is devised to drive a unified equity-based education reform agenda across the Region.  In particular, we discussed how it can be operationalised in a manner that ensures its sustainability and does not compound the requirements of Member States.”

In a strong show of leaders’ commitment to education transformation, CARICOM Chair and Prime Minister of Jamaica, Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, PC, MP, announced the advancement of a bold initiative to enhance education across the Caribbean Community: the CARICOM Education Transformation Commission.

Speaking at the closing media conference of the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government, held from 6–8 July in Montego Bay, Prime Minister Holness confirmed that the Commission was a key topic of discussion among regional leaders.

He emphasised that the body is intended to drive a unified, equity-based reform agenda for education, designed to uplift learning outcomes and create consistent educational opportunities across Member States.

“In particular, we discussed how it can be operationalised in a manner that ensures its sustainability and does not compound the requirements of Member States,” stated Dr Holness.

The proposed Commission signals a renewed commitment to education as a cornerstone of regional development and social equity. The CARICOM Chair explained that leaders explored collaborative approaches that will ensure long-term success and impactful implementation without overextending national capacities.

During the Meeting’s opening ceremony on Sunday, Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, SC, MP, Prime Minister of Barbados underscored that the Caribbean Educational Transformation Commission must be established as a matter of urgency, as the current educational system is not “fit for purpose” for today’s citizens.

She posited that data and evidence should inform necessary changes to give young people the best possible chance.

Helpful Links:

Keynote Address | Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, PC, MP | Prime Minister of Jamaica | Chairman of CARICOM | 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government| 6 July 2025

Video | Closing Media Conference of the 49th Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government | Montego Bay, Jamaica

“We were able to also take a report from the concerned parents with respect to CXC, and we’ve asked for them to meet with CXC to remove any misunderstanding and to improve the response to their concerns. In addition to that, the Community took a decision that the time has come for the establishment of a CARICOM Educational Transformation Commission.”

CARICOM leaders have decided to establish an Educational Transformation Commission. CARICOM Chair and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley made the announcement at the culmination of the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government in Barbados during the closing media conference.

In 2024, a representative for the Group of Concerned Parents of Barbados and the Caribbean Coalition for Exam Redress advocated for the need to analyse Barbadian pupils’ performance in light of a CXC report, which revealed a concerning fall in regional Mathematics proficiency.

Speaking to the media, the Chair highlighted the leaders’ decisive action.  “We were able to take a report from the concerned parents with respect to CXC, and we’ve asked for them to meet with CXC to remove any misunderstanding…to improve the response to their concerns. In addition to that, the Community took a decision that the time had come now for the establishment of a CARICOM Educational Transformation Commission,” explained the Chair.

“We all accept that our educational systems are not fit for purpose.”

The Chair emphasised that leaders agreed the current systems were not aligned with the Region’s education goals. “They were designed for a colonial period with a hierarchical structure that only saw a few of our people. If we are to be able to ensure that we produce citizens fit for the time with the appropriate social and emotional learning targets, it is now,” asserted the Barbados Prime Minister.

The terms of reference and the composition of the Commission will be completed soon.

View the Chair’s comments below:

“On this International Day of Education, it is useful to remind ourselves that, despite the intensification of AI, it remains true that the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers.  The Caribbean Community welcomes the potential of AI to transform many aspects of education and looks forward to a future in which AI complements the essential human elements of the teaching and learning process.”

Davion Leslie, Programme Manager, Human Resource Development (with responsibility for Education), CARICOM Secretariat.

On 24 January, the CARICOM Secretariat will join the world in a significant celebration: the International Day of Education. This year’s theme underscores the crucial role of our educators in using new technologies to improve how we learn and evolve as a Community while maintaining a human-centred learning environment.

“On this International Day of Education, it is useful to remind ourselves that, despite the intensification of AI, it remains true that the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers,” stated Davion Leslie, Programme Manager, Human Resource Development (with responsibility for Education) at the CARICOM Secretariat. 

His sentiments were echoed by Jennifer Britton, Deputy Programme Manager, Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) at the CARICOM Secretariat, who advocated for safeguarding the independence of educators and students in the rise of AI.

She underscored, “As we reflect on the theme for this year’s observance…and as educational environments become more automated and computerised, safeguarding students, educators, and society’s independence becomes paramount.”

Click below to hear more of their perspectives.

Click here for more on how AI can be used for education.

“Now is surely an opportune time to transform our education system into one that has greater levels of resilience and delivers lessons that create a climate-aware citizenry. I am optimistic that decisions we will make in this Meeting will serve to secure these and other important outcomes.”

Monday, 28 October 2024 (CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown): Chair of the 48th Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) – Education and Grenada’s Minister of Education, Senator the Honourable David Andrew, has highlighted adapting to changing technology, the need for education transformation and the threat of climate change as some of the critical areas of focus for the education sector.

Minister Andrew made these comments during the 48th COHSOD Education, hosted by the CARICOM Secretariat in Trinidad and Tobago from 24 to 25 October. The Meeting provided a platform for stakeholders in the education sector to discuss the challenges, learning gaps and threats to the quality of education, such as the impact of climate change on education systems.

The Impact of Climate Change

“The urgent challenge we have in this Meeting is developing an answer to the question- how do we ensure that our education system is responding to the immediate realities that we face?” I ask this question as an Education Minister who is now rebuilding and/or repairing 15 schools that experienced varying levels of damage due to the passage of Hurricane Beryl on 1 July,” stated Minister Andrew.  He also expressed solidarity with other Member States recovering from Beryl’s destruction.

The Meeting Chair advocated for regional collaboration to transform the education system into one that is resilient to the impact of climate change and offers better opportunities and outcomes for the People of the Caribbean Community.

“Now is surely an opportune time to transform our education system into one that has greater levels of resilience and delivers lessons that create a climate-aware citizenry. I am optimistic that decisions we will make in this Meeting will serve to secure these and other important outcomes,” added the Chair.

Paradigm Shift towards Education Transformation

In her remarks, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Foreign and Community Relations, Elizabeth Solomon, said that the Region agrees on a paradigm shift to align its education sector with the global agenda for education transformation. 

She stated, “The [CARICOM] Secretariat has an ambitious mandate to implement the 2030 Strategy, but we look to your support as we review to make the necessary adjustments to meet our target of 2030 and beyond. Based on assessments thus far, we all agree on the need for a paradigm shift and for the Caribbean Community to embrace and keep in step with the global agenda for transformation of our education system.”

She added that one of the key drivers would be repositioning the education system to respond to 2030 challenges. As a result, education stakeholders are asked to re-examine the Region’s education standards and the issues that affect student learning.

CARICOM Secretariat Interventions for Education Transformation

ASG Solomon also highlighted the CARICOM Secretariat’s successful interventions for the education sector.  “Over the past year, we lay claim to some major accomplishments as a result of the support provided by Member States, partners and international donors. We continue to build strong partnerships, which have yielded positive results. In collaboration with The University of the West Indies, Organisation of Easter Caribbean States (OECS) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the CARICOM Secretariat launched Cohort 2 of the Learning Recovery and Enhancement Programme, known as “Let’s REAP”, for Caribbean schools. Two thousand two hundred and forty-nine (2249) educators from 16 Member States and Associate Members are enrolled in this cohort, which commenced on 25 March 2024 and was completed in July 2024.  Fifteen Thousand (15,000) educators – teachers, principals, and Ministry of Education officials are targeted for further training,” stated the CARICOM ASG.   

She also highlighted the Digitalisation of TVET Delivery Project as another successful initiative.  She noted that the Project is establishing a regional digital platform that supports the digitalisation of TVET delivery across CARICOM Member States.

Digital Education

During her opening remarks, Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Education, Dr the Honourable Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, advocated for a tailored approach to the Region’s digital education gap.  “It is not enough for us to deliver the basic tenets of literacy and numeracy. In this dynamic world, we must equip our citizens with the skills and values needed to move through this revolving digital economy. We in the Caribbean face unique challenges that require tailored solutions. So, whether we are grappling with the widening educational gaps post-pandemic, the migration of skilled talent, or the pressure to revitalise our [Technical and Vocational Education and Training] TVET systems to meet the demands of the 21st-century workforce, our responses must be deliberate and unified. COHSOD provides us with the ideal forum to exchange ideas, craft policies, and strengthen the networks that bind us as Caribbean brothers and sisters,” stated the Minister.

CARICOM Ministers of Education, chief education officers, chief technical experts and other regional stakeholders participated in the two-day session. Regional and international partners, the Caribbean Association of National Training Authorities (CANTA), the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the Commonwealth Secretariat, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and The University of the West Indies (UWI) also contributed.

Additional Information:

The Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) promotes human and social development. Specifically, Article 17 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas states the Council, which consists of Ministers designated by the Member States, will promote the development of education through the efficient organisation of educational and training facilities in the Community, including elementary and advanced vocational training and technical facilities.

As he referenced climate change’s impact on education, the Chair stated that Grenada is rebuilding and/or repairing 15 schools that experienced varying levels of damage due to Hurricane Beryl’s passage on 1 July and expressed solidarity with other Member States recovering from Beryl’s destruction.

He advocated for regional collaboration to transform the education system into one that is resilient to the impact of climate change and offers better opportunities and outcomes for the People of the Caribbean Community.  

Please read his speech below.

48^TH MEETING OF the

Council for Human and Social Development – Education

Sen. The Hon David Andrew

Minister of Education, Grenada,

Chair’s Remarks

Salutations,

• My Colleague Education Ministers from across the Caribbean, with a special acknowledgement to our host minister, The Honourable Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Minister of Education, Trinidad and Tobago
• Ms Elizabeth Solomon, Assistant Secretary General, Foreign Policy and Community Relations and the Officer-in-Charge of the Directorate of Human and Social Development;
• Mrs Helen Royer, Director, Human Development, CARICOM Secretariat;
• Permanent Secretaries, Chief Education Officers and other Delegates from Member States;
• Mr Davion Leslie, Programme Manager, Human Resource Development, CARICOM Secretariat;
• Dr Densie Stoney-James, Deputy Programme Manager, Education, CARICOM Secretariat;  
• Other Delegates, Partners and special invitees,

Good morning!

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the 48^th Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development – Education. I bring you greetings from the Prime Minister of Grenada and the current Chair of the Caribbean Community, the Honorable Dickon Mitchell.

I want to place on record my appreciation for the work my colleague, Minister Octavia Alfred, and her team from Dominica did as the Chair of COHSOD for the period that has just now come to an end. Minister Alfred, I look forward to your continued support.

I am thrilled to accept the invitation to serve as the Chair of the Council for Human and Social Development (Education) for the next 11 months. I have spent much of my adult life involved in education – including 10 years as a classroom teacher. As a father of 3 children, a trained teacher, and a patriotic citizen of the Caribbean Community, I am highly invested in the advancement of education in the Region. I am excited, therefore, to have the opportunity, provided through this chairmanship, to help shape the development of the Region’s education sector.

I express thanks to my Permanent Secretary, Elvis Morain, who from all reports ably executed the chairmanship of the Officials Meeting last week and I also extend my commendation to all the Officials who had robust discussion on the agenda items and I look forward to addressing their recommendations.

Thanks also to the CARICOM Secretariat Team for the support already provided to PS Morain in the capacity of Chairman.

Colleague Ministers, when I look at the agenda for today’s meeting, I am seized with a deep sense of urgency. I wish to use my remarks this morning to recommend the same urgency to you.

The agenda invites us to discuss consequential issues such as the management of education data in the Region, the acceleration of the digital transformation in the education system, and the revision of the CARICOM HRD 2030 Strategy. These are all critical lines of action that, if done right, can fundamentally reshape the structure of the Region’s education system. This Meeting gives us an opportunity to initiate and advance action-focused exchanges to create a more resilient, relevant and responsive education system.

The urgency of reshaping our education system is further intensified by the opportunities presented by the ubiquity of technology, the acceleration of education transformation and the increased awareness of the existential threat of climate change.

The urgent challenge we have in this Meeting is developing an answer to the question, “how do we ensure that our education system is responding to the immediate realities that we face?” I ask this question as an Education Minister who is now rebuilding and/or repairing 15 schools that experienced varying levels of damage due to the passage of Hurricane Beryl on 1 July. And I know, each Ministry of Education across the Region is grappling with similar challenges.   

Given this, now is surely an opportune time to transform our education system into one that has greater levels of resilience and into one that delivers lessons that create a climate-aware citizenry. I am optimistic that decisions we will make in this Meeting will serve to secure these and other important outcomes.

So, colleagues, this is our opportunity to meet the moment with the urgency that it deserves. This is our opportunity to create legacy in the way that it matters most – by securing a safe and prosperous future for our children. Ministers, we have an ambitious agenda ahead of us and I ask you for your support through robust discussion on the items for this Meeting, but more than that, I ask you for your commitment as we work to advance the Region’s education system

The ASG made this declaration during her remarks at the 48th Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) Education, taking place in Trinidad and Tobago, 24-25 October 2024.

The meeting is being chaired by Sen. the Hon. David Andrew, Minister of Education – Grenada. The Region’s progress in implementing the CARICOM Human Resource Development (HRD) 2030 Strategy, education transformation, Mathematics education and assessment in the Region, a whole-of-education approach to violence against women and girls, and education system strengthening are the main topics on the agenda.

ASG Solomon also underscored that the Region remains committed to creating inclusive and equitable education systems. Referring to the CARICOM Human Resource Strategy 2030, she emphasised that regional collaboration was crucial to achieving the Community’s ambitious education goals for 2030.

Please read her speech below.

48^TH COHSOD-EDUCATION

OPENING REMARKS

OFFICER IN CHARGE, DIRECTORATE OF HUMAN AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL, ELIZABETH SOLOMON

24 OCTOBER 2024

PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Salutations

Good Morning.

Allow me to begin by extending warm greetings on behalf of Dr Carla Barnett, Secretary General of the CARICOM Secretariat.

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the Forty-eighth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development – Education. We share a collective purpose of closing the gaps in the education system and of using a transformative approach to ensure that the education system that underpins the future of this Region, can respond to the emerging 21^st century needs.

As we convene today, let us revisit the “state of play” on our progress in achieving the mandates set for ourselves at the last COHSOD, which was held under the theme “From Aspiration to Action”. As many of you will recall, that mandate included action on key issues that were impacting the implementation of the Human Resource 2030 strategy.  While the mandate may not have been fully achieved, we continue to be proactive towards fulfillment of these imperatives, even as we continue to navigate the difficult terrain left in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the past year, we lay claim to some major accomplishments as a result of the support provided by Member States, partners and internal donors. We continue to build strong partnerships which have yielded positive results. In collaboration with The University of the West Indies, Organisation of Easter Caribbean States (OECS) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the CARICOM Secretariat launched Cohort 2 of the Learning Recovery and Enhancement Programme, known as ‘Let’s REAP’, for Caribbean schools. Two thousand two hundred and forty-nine (2249) educators from 16 Member States and Associate Members are enrolled in Cohort 2, which commenced March 25, 2024, and was completed in July 2024.  15,000 educators (teachers, principals, and Ministry of Education officials, are targeted for further training.

The CARICOM Secretariat, in collaboration with the Caribbean Association of National Training Authorities (CANTA), designed and submitted the Digitalisation of TVET Delivery project in response to the Call for Proposals Trilateral Technical Cooperation between the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (“Agência Brasileira de Cooperação” – ABC), the European Union (EU) and Germany. The HRD Programme secured €700,000 in technical support from the Trilateral Technical Cooperation. The Digitalisation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, better known as ‘TVET’, Delivery Project is a crucial element of the CARICOM Human Resource Development (HRD) 2030 Strategy, which was approved by CARICOM Member States. To date, we are establishing a regional digital platform that supports the digitalisation of TVET delivery across CARICOM Member States.  In August, the project team visited the four pilot countries -Barbados, Jamaica, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago- to collect data to inform decisions in the project.

Esteemed Colleagues, the agenda for this Forty-Eight COHSOD-Education is a comprehensive one, covering a wide range of issues. It will require deep thought and systematic analysis and constructive dialogue, and I am optimistic that we will cover considerable ground under the steerage of our Chair, the Honourable Minister of Education of Grenada. 

Honourable Ministers and delegates, I look forward to your strategic direction and robust discussion as we move forward, in particular in getting  approval of the items placed before this body which will accelerate  the implementation of the HRD  strategy.

We have noted that these items generate much discussion and enthusiasm from the officials, and I am assured that this will be no different for this meeting. There is consensus that if education is to remain relevant, we must tackle the issues that impede our progress with robust focus.

The Secretariat has an ambitious mandate to implement the 2030 Strategy, but we look to your support as we review to make the necessary adjustments to meet our target of 2030 and beyond. Based on assessments thus far it is clear that we all agree on the need for a paradigm shift and for the Caribbean Community to embrace and keep in step with the global agenda for transformation of our education system.

One of the key drivers will be repositioning the education system to respond to 2030 challenges and as a result, the meeting is being asked to relook our education standard and the issues that impact student learning.

This meeting presents a profound opportunity to collectively shape the future of education in our Region and beyond. Our discussions and decisions over the two days will impact the lives of countless individuals. I am confident that our shared commitment to regional development will contribute to the four policy imperatives of the CARICOM Human Resource Development (HRD) 2030 Strategy: Access, Equity, Relevance, Quality, and pave the way for meaningful change.

While we deliberate on issues in basic education, lifelong learning skills, and the tertiary sector, we remain steadfastly dedicated to realising inclusive and equitable education systems in the Region. Together, let us harness the power of dialogue and action to drive tangible transformation and create opportunities for all.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges that remain with us, but also many opportunities for our education systems. It has placed in sharp focus the need to address the inefficiencies and to build more resilient school systems.

The Secretariat renews its commitment to providing the technical support to help advance this pivotal human development agenda.

In closing, I am confident our deliberations over the next two days will bear fruit and will ensure that our policy mandates are implemented.

Thank you.  

The Director shared her insight on the progress and challenges in the education sector during her opening remarks at the Meeting of Officials ahead of the 48th Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) – Education, held virtually on Friday, 18 October.

She emphasised that the CARICOM Secretariat recognises and applauds the continued commitment of education professionals and regional and international partners for their valuable contributions. “You have continued to provide leadership and strategic direction to the education sector. Your expertise and commitment will continue to shape and enhance the future of education across the Region,” stated Ms Royer.

Please read her remarks below.

MEETING OF OFFICIALS PREPARATORY TO THE FORTY-EIGHTH MEETING OF THE COUNCIL FOR HUMAN AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (COHSOD) – EDUCATION, 18 OCTOBER 2024

VIRTUAL

WELCOME REMARKS

By

MRS. HELEN ROYER

DIRECTOR, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

• Mr. Elvis Morain, Chair of the Preparatory Meeting of the Officials
• Permanent Secretaries
• Chief Education Officers
• Representatives of Institutions

Permit me to warmly welcome you to the Meeting of Officials Preparatory to the Forty-Eighth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) – Education, and to bring greetings from the CARICOM Secretariat.

Today, we are here to discuss the work of improving the education system  in our thrust to ensure that we realise the human potential of the Caribbean Person, and to ensure an improved quality of life for all. I take this opportunity to welcome Mr. Elvis Morain, Permanent Secretary,  as the incoming Chairman for the COSHOD (Education) and wish him well during his tenure.

With the increased challenges that the Region’s education sytem faced as a result of COVID-19, and the perennial issues that exist, it is imperative that an all inclusive and strategic approach be employed to strengthen our education systems  in order to effectively  respond to the emerging challenges we face.

For the next few hours, many critical issues related to education will be addressed, and as always, we look forward to your valuable input and guidance and subsequently, for implementation  of  strategic interventions at your local jurisdiction to address the education needs of the people of the Caribbean Community.  Among the agenda items are key policy areas that you, as chief technical experts, will discuss.

We will depend on your expertise to determine whether these should be advanced for policy approval.  The agenda reflects a consultative and all-inclusive approach; ongoing issues and new areas are being brought forward for discussion and recommendations. These include but not limited to –

• updates on the Revised Quality Assurance Criteria and Guidelines to Award the CVQ; and
• on the status of the implementation of the HRD 2030 Strategy.

There are several other policy areas that updates will be provided but I am sure the Chair will speak more extensively to these as the meeting proceeds.

Of critical importance, we note that all these items are aimed at strengthening of our education system and a thrust to transformative and innovative learning.

Colleagues, be mindful that moving the education agenda forward is not only necessary but imperative if we are to remain relevant and achieve the SDGs. This will require collaboration among all partners.  The Secretariat recognises and applauds the continued commitment of education professionals and regional and international partners for their valuable contributions. You have continued to provide leadership and strategic direction to the education sector. Your expertise and commitment will continue to shape and enhance the future of education across the Region.

Today’s meeting presents an excellent opportunity for us to provide our collective insight to address the challenges we face in assuring a stable education system in the Region, and we should chart a course towards more integrated and effective approaches to achieving a transformative education system. The diversity of expertise and perspectives in this room, will auger well for the necessary creativity and innovation to reach meaningful solutions.   I have every confidence that the way you have charted will lead us to success.  You will continue to turn seemingly impossible tasks into achievable reality.  The  Secretariat reaffirms our support to advancing these imperatives.

In closing, I wish you fruitful deliberations during the meeting and look forward to your recommendations that will be advanced to the Ministerial Meeting.

Thank you.