By Patrick Brendel, Cayman Current
In the autumn 2020 term, following the closure of schools due to COVID-19, Year 6 public primary school students scored significantly worse on tests designed to measure their reasoning abilities than students had the year before the pandemic.
Results on the ‘Cognitive Abilities Test Fourth Edition’ (or CAT4) predicted that anywhere from twice to four times as many Year 6 students in 2020/2021 would be unable to pass reading, writing or mathematics as the CAT4 tests had predicted for Year 6 students in the prior school year.
In reality, more Year 6 students ended up passing reading and maths than the year before, although the percentage of students ‘exceeding expectations’ was lower in all three subject areas, according to the Education Data Report 2021.
New Inclusion Cayman CEO wants to bring ‘empathy and insight’ to role in charity
Shan Harriman became the new Chief Executive Officer of Inclusion Cayman in April.
Harriman is a certified public accountant with experience in the private and public sectors. She is a generational Caymanian and the mother of a teenage daughter with disabilities.
Formerly known as the Special Needs Foundation Cayman, Inclusion Cayman’s mission is “to support the community in the commitment to cultivating and upholding values and practices that ensure the equal rights of ALL individuals and families, regardless of ability”.
“I’ve had the experience professionally. Having a child with disabilities gives you a little bit more insight into what the parents of children with disabilities face on a daily basis,” she said in a video interview with the Current.
LIFE welcomes new executive director
Erica Dell’Oglio was named the new executive director of local charity Literacy Is For Everyone (LIFE).
Dell’Oglio joined LIFE in July 2020 as a volunteer and programmes coordinator. In that role, she coordinated all of LIFE’s programmes, volunteers and community events, including paired reading, book donations, Partners in Print, and LIFE’s signature Thrive by Five programme.
She previously worked at Cayman Prep and High School and was also a Montessori teacher.
UCCI launches free job-training programme
The University College of the Cayman Islands is launching a free year-long training programme in tourism, construction, solar energy or information communications technology (ICT), culminating in an internship with a local employer.
The programme for 50 Caymanians is being funded via a 432,000 euro grant from the European Union’s RESEMBID Programme.
Cleveland Julien, who is UCCI’s project officer for the local training programme, said RESEMBID recognised the need, particularly in overseas territories, to build up capacities in critical sustainable industries.
“The real challenge that we see is really ensuring that our participants won’t go and just register but are able to actually stay in the programme throughout the entire duration,” he told the Current.
CIIPA honours Caymanian accounting graduates
At their annual awards gala on 28 May, CIIPA celebrated dozens of Caymanians who earned university degrees in accounting.
Forty-five Caymanians were honoured throughout the evening, including 35 who earned a bachelor’s degree and 10 who earned a master’s degree.
“Long gone are the days where accountants are primarily concerned with bookkeeping and preparing financial documents. Accountants are no longer behind-the-scenes players in the workplace. But rather they are driving forces that research, collect, analyze and advise,” CIIPA President Rennie Khan said.
The event marked the first of two CIIPA Awards Galas scheduled for 2022 as the gala had been postponed and rescheduled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The second gala is slated to be held in September and will honour Caymanians who have earned their professional designation, and those who complete their bachelor’s and master’s degrees this year.
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