Last Updated on August 30, 2019, 2:43 AM AST by Anthony Morris
The opposition St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) will reintroduce a number of programmes which improved the learning capabilities of St Kitts and Nevis students, assisted them in pursuing university degrees in preparing them to compete with their peers worldwide. The programmes were scuttled by the Timothy Harris-led Team Unity Government when it took office in 2015.
SKNLP’s political leader, former prime minister the Rt Hon Dr Denzil L Douglas said the Labour Party, will on assuming office following the upcoming general elections, re-instate the REACH and one-to-one laptop programmes.
“Our NextGen Labour Administration will bring back the one-to-one laptop programme, which was part of a comprehensive educational strategy to upgrade the way that we teach and learn in the present global teaching environment. Our students would be able to use the technology in class to learn 21st century skills in problem solving, critical thinking and team work. Our teachers will be able to move away from the chalk and talk and become more interactive with students using audio-video technology,” said Dr Douglas.
Students in high schools in St Kitts and Nevis were provided laptops under the programme.
Under the REACH – Recognizing Everyone’s Ability to Climb Higher – programme every high school student enrolling in the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC), the Nevis Sixth Form College or AVEC – Advanced Vocational Education Centre, were provided with a basic yearly academic allowance in the amount of EC$2,500.00 to assist them in meeting their financial obligations associated with post-secondary education.
To go further to encourage students to strive for excellence and to raise the bar with respect to minimum qualification among the young people in St. Kitts and Nevis, the then Labour Government awarded an additional EC$250.00 to the student for every CXC/CSEC subject passed above five subject passes up to 8 subjects passes, and an additional EC$100.00 for every subject pass above 8 subjects passes.
To boost student enrolment in special interest areas of study, students who enroll at college to study any two of the following subjects – Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Foreign Languages – received an additional EC$1000.00 per year as a special incentive for pursuing these subjects.
“We will also bring back our Student Loan Guarantee Fund that allowed the Federal Government to act as a second guarantor for students seeking loans to pursue higher education,” said Dr Douglas, who pointed out that his former Labour government had committed over EC$8 million with the help of the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) to the Loan Guarantee programme which assisted over 100 students.
He said the three essential programmes that equipped St Kitts and Nevis students with the tools and financing necessary to perform well and thrive in their academic and vocational pursuits have been abolished by the Team Unity Government.
Describing the situation as “a real travesty,” Dr Douglas said many students have not been able to go to AVEC, CFBC or the Nevis Sixth or go off to study because these programmes are no longer available.
“It is like a sin that is committed against the young people of St Kitts and Nevis. My heart breaks every time I hear of our high achievers and others are not being able to go off to study because his or her mother or father, does not have any property to secure a student loan for his or her child. This is a pathetic situation that has to be corrected,” said Dr Douglas.
“No one should be denied an opportunity to study at the University of the West Indies, because the Team Unity Government fails to pay economic costs. This is not right. This must be reacted to. The young people must stand up for what is right, what is just and what is fair in our country,” said Dr Douglas.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
