Delegates to the National Education Conference are mapping the future of education in the Cayman Islands, providing input in what will become the blueprint for reform.
More than 500 people from a broad cross-section of the community – spanning from teachers to the business community – are taking part in the two-day conference, which started Friday and wraps up today at Red Bay Primary School.
Divided into smaller working groups, delegates are tackling critical issues facing the country’s education system. Using feedback from these sessions, a National Consensus for Education will be drawn up and tabled in the Legislature.
‘The result will be a ‘Caymanised’ education system, uniquely tailored to meet the needs of our children and the wider society,’ Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts said at Friday’s opening.
In his keynote address, Education Minister Alden McLaughlin emphasised the document will produce results.
‘It will not have time to gather dust. It will act as a blueprint for the future of education. It will tell us what we need to do and it will spell out how we plan to do it.’
Mr. Tibbetts noted this is the first time Government has invited the wider community to participate in the conference. Involving all stakeholders is necessary for change, he said.
‘By inviting you here today, the Government is admitting that we need your help. . . Together, we will find solutions to the problems in our education system.’
Mr. McLaughlin urged participants to be open and honest in the workshop sessions.
‘We want the real picture, warts, pimples and all.’
At Friday’s sessions, delegates tackled issues ranging from teachers’ salaries, curriculum and professional training to identifying qualities and skills young people should have by the time they leave school.
The findings were to be compiled over the weekend and presented at today’s session, where delegates will prioritise issues, suggest steps to address them and the cost of effecting those changes.
The Consensus report will be presented to the Legislature 7 October with reforms to be implemented by the 2006-07 school year.
Conference beginnings
The idea for the national conference came about while Mr. McLaughlin was touring schools on the island. Raphael Daniel, principal of the Alternative Education Centre, suggested to the Minister that a conference bringing everyone involved would be a good starting point to address the problems.
‘I had been thinking about it for a long time,’ Mr. Daniel said at Friday’s conference. ‘The whole idea is that if you have people complaining, more than likely they have an idea for a solution and somebody needs to listen to them.
‘If action is taken from that, it will go a long way to empowering these people and improving the system.’
Dalton Evans, a support assistant at East End Primary School, said what made this conference different from previous ones is its focus on local resources – no outside experts were brought in. While outside professionals may have good ideas, many times they’re not relevant to Cayman, she said.
‘Usually our facilitators are from overseas. Now we’re getting them from within the system. And being in the system, you know exactly what’s happening.’
Like others, Carla Powell, a teacher at East End Primary, said the list of challenges facing the system is long.
‘There are a lot of concerns. We don’t have adequate facilities, resources, teaching supplies – a whole list.’
Kamala Murugesu, a Grade 12 student at John Gray High School, echoed those concerns.
‘Some classes are up to 30-something students. That’s too big. You lose control,’ she said. John Gray also needs upgrading.
‘It’s so old. The infrastructure isn’t solid, especially after the hurricane.’
She hopes the input from delegates will make a difference.
‘It’s a good idea since you can be very open.’
Rajpal Hemrag, a teacher at John Gray, said he was eager to share his views.
‘I’m enthused. I’ve come here with a lot of ideas. The (minister) is giving us the chance to say what we have to say.’
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Education Minister Alden McLaughlin gives the keynotes address to delegates at the National Education Conference Friday. Photos: Jenny Gabruch
Raphael Daniel, head of the Alternative Education Centre, suggested to the Minister that a conference bringing together all stakeholders would be a good start to addressing issues facing the education system.
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