Nigel Carty In Guadeloupe
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
October 18, 2010 (CUOPM)
St. Kitts and Nevis and the French Overseas Department of Guadeloupe have agreed to increase cooperation in the area of education.
St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Education, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty, who led a delegation of officials to the French Caribbean island, held discussions with the Chairman of the Guadeloupe School Board, Mr. Laurent Dever on cooperation in the areas of continuing education for teachers of French in St. Kitts and Nevis, teacher exchange programmes and student exchanges and or internships for skills development in the services sector, especially the hotel industry and sports.
The visit, which was coordinated with the assistance of the St. Kitts and Nevis Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Embassy of France in St. Lucia and the Honorary Consulate of France in St. Kitts and Nevis, also discussed matters of national security and disaster mitigation.
The purpose of the visit was to build on the historical ties and forge closer collaboration with the neighbouring French speaking island.
Minister Carty made reference to the existing economic challenges facing the global community that necessitate that small developing countries, such as St. Kitts and Nevis, attempt to engage those nations that are endowed with the requisite resources and capabilities to make a meaningful contribution to our national development efforts.
He said nationals of St. Kitts and Nevis will be given the opportunity to interact with their francophone counterparts and benefit from the professional expertise of renowned coaches in one of Guadeloupe’s top sport training institutes, the CREPS
In response to the request of the Education Minister, the French officials also committed to provide one teacher of French to assist with the shortage of teachers of French in the Federation.
Attachments or internship for teaching assistants from St. Kitts and Nevis, also received the nod of the Guadeloupian officials.
Minister Carty also expressed his anticipation for the launching of the pilot programme “˜Europass’ at two of the high schools in the Federation next month and spoke of the importance of the programme in developing proficiency in the French language.