Across the region, from Castries to CARICOM, there is a shared message: invest in skills. Saint Lucia’s TVET centres are now seen as a national example, supporting Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett’s call for more vocational training to keep up with the Caribbean’s changing economy.
Barnett spoke to CARICOM’s education ministers and officials at a Council for Human and Social Development meeting on Education in Guyana. Saint Lucia is represented by Minister Danny Butcher from the Ministry of Education.
The meeting’s theme is “Educating for life, purpose and Caribbean progress”.
During her opening remarks on Wednesday, Barnett urged for a stronger focus on technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
“As CARICOM seeks to respond to the increasingly complex and rapidly evolving global environment, it is becoming ever more apparent that the education sector must be able to equip learners of all ages with the competencies and capabilities required to thrive personally and contribute meaningfully to national and regional development,” she said.
Barnett also encouraged ministers to recognise the rising need for technical, vocational, and digital skills in the region.
“This presents an opportunity to strengthen the connection between education, skills development and employment,” she said.
“In this context, Technical and Vocational Education and Training is equipping our citizens with the practical and critical competencies needed to navigate an economy where careers, technologies and even industries are evolving at an unprecedented pace.”
She explained that TVET is once again viewed as a strategic investment in the region’s resilience and competitiveness.
“It develops skills essential to advancing digital transformation, and enabling the transition to a green and climate-resilient economy, as well as driving the innovation and productivity that underpin sustainable economic growth,” the CARICOM Secretary General said.
Saint Lucia began coordinated efforts for a national TVET programme in 2007 with the creation of the Saint Lucia Council for Technical Vocational Education and Training.
In 2023, four schools were converted into TVET centres: Anse Ger Secondary School, Grande Riviere Secondary School, Piaye Secondary School and Stanley Jon Odlum Memorial Secondary School.
The Department of Education says that a main goal of these centres is to build stronger industry partnerships and link education and training needs with both the community and the formal education system.
