With just a handful of the 15 government schools across the Cayman Islands receiving a ‘Good’ OES rating and none rated ‘Excellent’ in the run-up to the general election, education was always going to be a key challenge for the incoming administration.
It wasn’t just school standards which were a key pre-election topic though; school infrastructure had also been a major topic in the months running up to the national vote, most notably at the proposed new high school on Cayman Brac.
Priority for new government
The escalating cost of the Cayman Brac school, from an initial $25 million to an estimated $50 million, coupled with concerns that expenditure could rise even further, was cited by West Bay West MP and Deputy Premier André Ebanks at the time as one of the reasons he and three other MPs resigned from the UPM coalition towards the end of 2024.
After the 30 April election, the newly elected Premier Ebanks and Deputy Premier Gary Rutty singled out education as one of the new government’s top priorities in their first interview after the general election, listing both infrastructure costs and the quality of education as their main concerns.
Rutty suggested an overemphasis had been placed on buildings over the past two decades and the results in Cayman’s schools did not measure up to the expenditure.
“We talked about $200 million in these schools,” he said, referring to the John Gray and Clifton Hunter high schools. “We should not have one student coming through those schools failing, with that kind of investment. To spend $200 million and have the results that we have right now? We’re failing.”
Rutty went on to suggest that the dollars were needed elsewhere in the education system, referencing exam results and school inspection outcomes.
“That’s unacceptable for a country like Cayman. We’re one of the top financial centres in the world. We should be producing the top students here.”
Foundation for life
It was no surprise then that it was listed at the very first priority in the coalition government’s Strategy Policy Statement that spelled out NCFC’s plans for “exceptional education” to not only provide qualifications for further academic story, but also to serve as a foundation for work and lifelong opportunities.
“Education must open doors, nurture dreams and inspire us to be persons of character, knowledge and confidence,” it said, listing government’s aims to promote learning at all ages, from formative pre-school years to scholarships for mature students.
Of the nine specific outcomes listed in the SPS, the first two dealt with education, with pledges to “Ensure equitable access to a quality, well-rounded education system at all stages of learning,” and “Enable a modern, relevant, and future-focused education system.”
As promised, the multi-million-dollar budget for the high school on Cayman Brac was one of the first projects tackled in line with the new coalition government’s shift in direction on education.
In August, Education Minister Rolston Anglin announced that plans for a new gym and connecting walkways had been scrapped, an immediate $6 million savings.
He made no secret of his true feelings about the project in a Parliamentary session later in the year, saying that he would not have approved the design had he been in government at the time.
OES ratings
Since the election, four government establishments – Clifton Hunter High School, Creek and Spot Bay and Sir John A. Cumber Primary Schools and the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre – have improved their OES ratings from Satisfactory to Good, and more are due for reassessment.
In November the government followed up its SPS promises in its first budget, which it said was focused on the overhauling Cayman’s education system. The education-prioritising-budget earmarked $250 million, or 17% of total spending, to strengthen infrastructure, enhance programmes, train teachers and build a workforce ready for a more equitable future.
The transformation, Ebanks promised, will start with early childhood education and stretch through higher learning, to address Cayman’s “social deficit” – the result of years of growth that, he noted, failed to create equal opportunities for all Caymanians.
Anglin expanded on the premier’s vision, outlining plans for a “comprehensive restructuring” of the education system.
“Too often, our education system has been segmented – one policy for early childhood, another for primary, another for special education,” said Anglin. “The future demands coherence – a unified, learner-centred system that connects every stage of the journey.”
Funds earmarked
Major allocations included $17 million for expanding the Lighthouse School, $4 million to complete the new Cayman Brac High School, and $5.5 million for a new school hall at Joanna Clarke Primary School. Additional funding was given to the phased construction of a new West Bay high school, new classroom blocks at Edna Moyle and Sir John A. Cumber primaries, and the relocation of the Sunrise Adult Training Centre to the George Hicks Campus.
The budget also earmarked funds for new school halls, technology upgrades and enhanced public library facilities, with library capital spending projected to rise by approximately 410% over 2026-2027 compared to 2025.
While the impact of the investment decisions will take a while to be felt, results at the end of last school year showed promise, with Cayman Islands hosting the exam results from the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), the first time it had ever done so.
Speaking about the results, Education Minister Anglin’s comments to students could equally apply to the government itself, but its budget commitments show that it is putting its money when its mouth is. “The bottom line is, whilst today is a hugely important celebratory point,” he said, “there’s still work to be done.”
Compass Media will continue its coverage of the NCFC administration’s first year in office and key national issues across all platforms.
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