Nevis, West Indies. ?A Non-Tourist-Trap? Blog About Nevis.

Minister of Education – Nigel Carty
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
August 19, 2011 (SKNIS)

Minister of Education Honourable Nigel Carty has assured that the Single Sex Classes earmarked for several pilot primary schools intend to ensure that the boys and girls of the Federation get the very best that the system of Education has to offer.

“One of the things we really want to focus on come September, is this whole idea of single-sex education, whereby we separate boys and girls, firstly on an experimental basis, into different classrooms out of the concern we have had about the disparity between boys and girls,” Minister Carty revealed.  “There has to be a better way to educate boys and educate girls so that each of them gets the very best chance of maximizing their potential to learn and to become the very best human beings they can be.”

Minister Carty, during an SKNIS exclusive, mentioned the single-sex classes approach in the context of the fact that new strategies have to be applied to the teaching methods considering that boys in particular, are performing well below capability.

“We are starting at Grade Three and this is going through Grades Four, Five and Six,”  Minister Carty explained.  “So in four years time we’ll have a whole cohort of students in single-sex classrooms and over time we should be able to see what the results are.  So part of what is important right now is setting baselines.  What exists right now?  How do boys perform?  What do they like to do?  What don’t they like to do?  We will see if over time there’s a shift.  And we believe all of this feeds into dealing with the issues of crime of violence because whilst there are immediate issues with respect to the fight against crime, there are also systematic issues, and so our education system is going to reorient boys and girls.”

During the interview, the Minister responsible for Education noted that St. Kitts and Nevis has achieved much in education and been a leader in the Caribbean Region.  He mentioned whilst Grenada has recently introduced a policy to make secondary education accessible to all young people, the Federation has had this in place for decades.  As such, the single-sex classroom experiment is designed to improve learning in general with the indirect benefit of decreasing male delinquency in the long-term.

Minister Carty further assured the government’s willingness to invest in the Federation’s youth.

“This government is committed to doing reasonably what is in the best interest of the boys and girls and in the best interest of the country, Minister Carty emphasized.  “We need young people who are leaving schools with competence and confidence, having a desire to play a constructive role in society – that is what we are investing in.  For starters we are doing this on an experimental basis.  We are having five schools or thereabout and we are using those that already have multiple classes at the same grade level.

“So if you have two classes at Grade Three, three classes at Grade Four, then you are a good candidate for what we want to do, because it does not cost a lot in terms of resources.  But where a lot of commitment is needed is in the training and orientation of our teachers.

The Minister noted that a Single-Sex Education Task Force had been established to oversee the initiative.  He noted that in order for the experiment to be successful all key partners would have to be receptive to what could be achieved.  Minister Carty noted that while single-sex schools was not new to the Federation, the concept of single-sex classrooms is innovative considering the present societal environment.  He further noted that the practice is tried and proven with positive outcomes and encouraged parents and guardians to be receptive and cooperative because it will take the involvement of all parties to influence positive change in today’s youth.

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St. Thomas Primary School Students

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
June 08, 2011 (SKNIS)

Education Official Calwyn Morton says its time for the “hype” surrounding the Test of Standards to be discontinued.

Mr. Morton in presenting a report on plans for the examination which is scheduled to start on June 15, said he hopes parents and students would get a greater understanding of the intent of the annual Test.

According to Mr. Morton, misconceptions surrounding the test tend to raise unnecessary anxieties among parents and students alike.

This he added is geared toward student attainment levels and assessment of performances with a view of implementing the necessary interventions across the board and continuing best practices. The idea that it is a placement test puts many students on edge, he said.

While the test does shed light on individual performance, it also highlights inconsistency in performance between schools.

In an effort to raise transparency and bring parents “on board” with an understanding of the reason for the test, the Curriculum Development Unit has designed a brochure which gives information about the test, as well as the proposed schedule for this years’ examinations.

Students are tested in the area of English, Math, Science and Technology and Social Studies.

The exams start on Wednesday June 15 with English Papers 1 and 2; Continue on June 16th with Math papers 1 and 2 and Social Studies on Tuesday June 21, culminating with Science and Technology on Wednesday June 22.

Additional improvements this year include the introduction of Student I.Ds as well as an improvement in the administration of the Test.

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No More School Violence

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
June 08, 2011 (SKNIS)

The Schools Anti-Violence Programme, which is being piloted in five high schools in the Federation, has achieved several of its initial objectives.

Education Officer, Psychologist Dr. Tricia Esdaille, said although the project is a long term strategy, there are key indicators along the way to measure the programmes’ progress.

Dr. Esdaille elaborated that the recent visit of Chief of Police of Miami Dade County, Florida, in the united States, a great development in bringing the success of the project to fruition as the Ministry of Education seeks to employ best practices in youth violence intervention.

The psychologist said apart from getting assistance in determining the role of law enforcement in seeking to curb crime in schools, the presence of Chief Hurley was also very significant as far as sourcing training for local law enforcement, guidance counselors and other key personnel.

Dr. Esdaille said one of the programme’s main findings to date has been the need for a standardized Behaviour Management Policy in schools. She also said that an emphasis is being placed on hearing the voices of youth; school beautification and life skills programmes.

Minister of Education Honourable Nigel Carty, in a recent planning meeting of Heads of Departments in his Ministry expressed his commendation to Dr. Esdaille and her team of assistants who have been working on the project feverishly.

The Minister said the project was important because it fell in line with the Government’s anti-crime policies as well as his Ministry’s White Paper Policy on making schools pleasant and nonthreatening environments where children can learn.

He added that his Ministry would continue to keep this project as one of its focus areas and anti-violence interventions are being made a common part of the pilot schools’ curriculum with a view to expanding to other schools in the future.

Permanent Secretary of Education Osmond Petty said while the programme is being piloted in some schools it is not being done in isolation and that other schools have implemented other activities which will directly and indirectly assist the anti-violence objectives such as after school programmes and students’ councils.

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