The guiding words of Saint Lucia’s Nobel Laureate, Sir W. Arthur Lewis – “The fundamental cure for poverty is not money, but knowledge” – are often quoted as a testament to the commitment of our political parties and governments to education.
Yet while Lewis’ principle of poverty reduction through knowledge is broadly accepted, its implementation has varied significantly across party lines. The parties may share a commitment to recurrent education spending in the annual Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, but their approaches to realising Lewis’ vision are, as we say, “night and day”.
After all, education policy, like any other, is shaped by the underlying ideologies and political philosophies of the party in power.
Education philosophy of Saint Lucia’s political parties
The Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP), a centre-left party akin to the Unity Labour Party in St Vincent and the Grenadines, the People’s National Party in Jamaica, and the Dominica Labour Party, views education as a universal right: free, accessible, equitable and empowering.
In this philosophy, education is the great equaliser, breaking cycles of poverty and opening doors regardless of socio-economic background.
SLP-aligned parties believe the state must actively fund education to improve quality of life, especially for the vulnerable and economically disadvantaged. Education, in their view, should not be a luxury reserved for the wealthy, but a right made accessible through government intervention.
They also advocate for value-based education – one that goes beyond academic performance to address the whole child and tackle social issues like poverty and marginalisation that affect learning outcomes.
This philosophy explains initiatives like Dr Kenny Anthony’s Universal Secondary School Education and the dismantling of the shift system. It also underpins current efforts by Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and Education Minister Shawn Edward, including free early childhood education, the One University per Household Initiative, UNIPASS, TVET institutes, payment of four CXC subjects for secondary students, First Generation Scholarships, and the inclusion of African History and Kweyol in schools – alongside an aggressive global strategy to expand scholarship opportunities.
In contrast, the United Workers Party (UWP) – similar to the Jamaica Labour Party, New Democratic Congress in St Vincent, and the UWP in Dominica – also recognises education as a human right, but frames its policy through a market-driven lens, focused on economic realities and future competitiveness.
Their emphasis lies in building human capital: aligning curricula with market trends, integrating ICT, promoting foreign languages, and preparing students for futuristic jobs through technical and vocational training. The UWP prioritises modernising pedagogy to equip youth with relevant, employable skills.
As a centre-right party, the UWP sees the government’s role as providing infrastructure – school buildings, digital platforms – on which curriculum and pedagogy can be built. This foundation, they argue, enables private sector growth and national productivity.
Hence, their consistent focus is on making the education system globally competitive. Their priorities lean toward infrastructure, curriculum reform, and system modernisation, rather than expanding universal access.
This reflects a conservative development philosophy: economic expansion through physical and digital infrastructure must precede, or enable, broader educational accessibility. Their policies emphasise technical training, performance accountability and private sector partnerships, positioning education as the engine of productivity.
A surprising shift?
This column is not intended to assess the merits or drawbacks of these philosophies. My personal views are irrelevant; such judgements belong to the people.
Still, given the UWP’s established philosophy, one might be “surprised” by their recent announcement to provide free tertiary education at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, a policy squarely focused on expanding access.
This proposal appears to contradict the UWP’s market-oriented stance, which favours merit-based access and economic alignment over universal provision.
Shifting the financial burden from individuals to the state challenges their typical view of government as infrastructure provider, not direct funder of individual advancement.
More significantly, it runs counter to the centre-right belief that social safety nets foster dependency. Traditionally, the UWP has framed such interventions as “handouts”, preferring self-reliance and cost-sharing.
In contrast, this policy aligns more closely with the SLP’s ethos: education as a right, not a privilege, and government as a leveller of opportunity in the name of social justice.
It will be interesting to see how the UWP leadership responds to critics who may label them flip-floppers or hypocrites. Will they redefine what constitutes a “handout” versus a “hand-up”? Is dependency only problematic in public assistance programmes, but not in education?
Some may argue this is a strategic co-opting of a left-leaning agenda for electoral gain. But it could also reflect the fluidity of Caribbean political ideologies – parties that shift in response to societal needs, sliding across the ideological spectrum when circumstances demand it.
Perhaps it’s just politics.
But active citizenship demands scrutiny. The public must ensure that such policies are comprehensive, responsive and not mere electoral stunts.
In today’s global political climate, it’s increasingly common for leaders to campaign on bold promises, only to abandon them post-election, sometimes with little intent to follow through.
Still, surprise should not deter support. “Free education” is a progressive policy that deserves public embrace.
Rahym R. Augustin-Joseph, 24, is pursuing a Bachelor of Laws at UWI Cave Hill, after earning first-class honours in political science and law. The current Commonwealth Caribbean Rhodes Scholar and a former UWI valedictorian, he is dedicated to using law and politics to transform Saint Lucia and the wider Caribbean.
