MyrnaPresentatoin (CARICOM)

8/12/2019 MyrnaPresentatoin (CARICOM)

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Challenges to Education

in the Caribbean

Workshop for the CaribbeanEducational Sector on the OAS

Horizontal Cooperation Program ,Miami, Florida July 14 -18Presenter - Myrna Bernard

CARICOM Secretariat


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The Changing Environment

This increasingly important role ofknowledge as a factor of production

Emergence of new economic activitiesbased on information and knowledge

Demand for higher quality of goods andservices to enable competition in theglobal market

New jobs associated with highertechnology occupations requiring higherentry-level skills.

Rapidly changing skill sets required forjobs


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The Changing Environment

Changing nature of organisations and thenature and organisation of work flexible, problem oriented, and

collaborative in contrast to thetraditional work place in which work isrepetitive, routinised, and organizedhierarchically.

Changed life plans of individualsnolonger linear, educationwork- leisure

Imperative of re-training/ lifelong learning Erosion of values Receding influence of family, more

reliance on schools for inculcation of

values


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Some Realities: Youth Unemployment

Youth unemployment is a prominentfeature of Caribbean labour markets

Rates among 15 24 age group in the

region is about or above 30% Unemployment rates among young

women are higher than among males

Unemployment exists alongside skillshortages in key areas of theeconomy


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Some Societal Realities

Illicit drugs valued approx. US$3.3Bn / yr produced in S.America - the Caribbean used as conduit

Increasing incidence of unemployed youth /schooldropouts lured into illicit drug activities by drug barons

Increasing incidence of youth involved in violent crimesassociated with drugs and drug trafficking

An estimated 2% of secondary school students using drugs(mainly marijuana)

HIV/AIDS - leading cause of death among 1545 age groupin the region, irrespective of sex

- Females in the 1019 yr age group particularlyvulnerable


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Regional Integration

CARICOM Single Market andEconomy

A single enlarged economic space achievedby:

free movement of goods, services,

capital technology and labour non-discriminatory access to the

regions resources and markets forCARICOM nationals

common external trade policy


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Main focus of the CSME

The CSME is intended to provide the framework for:

greater opportunities for employment,investment, production and trade

competitive products of better quality and prices improved services provided by enterprises and

individuals

greater opportunity for travel for nationals to

study and work in CARICOM countries increased employment and improved standards

of living


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The Education System

composed of inter-related subsystems open system:

- it is in continual contact with its environment,exchanging information, energy or material

a transformation system

inflow of resources, energy and information istransformed by the system into products, services,human satisfaction, economic growth andsocial benefit. These are fed back into the system asinputs to ensure the sustainability.

a socio-technical system.

- social system is anchored in the attitudes,perceptions, beliefs, motivations andexpectations of human beings.

- social-technical system integrates human activityaround various technologies


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A Surviving System

A survivingsystem isone

which providesacceptable

and relevantoutput to its

environmentalsupra- system

Relevance:

The capacity of the educationalsystems and of the institutions to

respond to the needs of theirlocality, region or country, and tothe demands of the new worldorder, with diverse outlooks,

instruments and modalities.

The CRESALC/UNESCOPlan of Action for the Transformationof Higher Education in Latin Americaand the Caribbean (1998)


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The Desired Output

Students must demonstrate:

Critical thinking Ability to access and systematise

information Competence in the use of new

technologies

Commitment to continuous learning Openess to new experiences

Creativity and adaptability

Positive work ethic


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The Desired Output (contd)

Strong appreciation of family and kinshipvalues, community cohesion, and moralissues including responsibility for andaccountability to self and community

Emotionally security with a high level of selfconfidence and self esteem

Multiple literacies

Problem solving skills


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involves

LEARNINGTO LEARN

DEVELOPING

AND USINGDifferent

ValueSystems

DifferentIntelligences

Differentskills

Differentknowledge

frameworks


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CHALLENGES


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Imperatives

Re-tooling and re-configuration of education andtraining at all levels

Development of literacies beyond the traditionalliteracy and numeracy

Promoting equity at all levels

Integration of essential employability skills asintegral components of education programmes

Development of relevant life skills

Addressing issues such as HFLE, drug

education, relationships and emotional health,conflict resolution etc

Integrated learning experiences for full range ofabilities


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System should be as flexible and adaptable

as the workforce it is seeking to prepare

Imperatives (contd)

Commitment to lifelong learning andcontinual retooling of the workforce at alllevels

Diversification of content and deliverymodalities, especially at the tertiary levelto address access and external efficiencyissues

Research


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Targets / Priorities set by 18thHGC

15 % enrolment of the post secondarycohort in tertiary programmes by 2005

Universal secondary education by2005

Setting of target dates for fullenrolment of the pre- primarycohort in ECED

programmes

Learning outcomes for primary level

Male under achievement to beaddressed

Increased focus on TVET


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Re-focusing operations to meet these imperatives involves:

Educating for citizenship of the Community ratherthan country

Becoming more inclusive, flexible and dynamic.

Curriculum becoming more holistic

Fostering closer relationships among school,parents and the wider community.

Promoting positive academic ANDsocialoutcomes for students

Building the foundations for lifelong learning


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USE OF NEW ICTs

The effective integration of new ICTs intoall aspects of education provision mustbe seen as one of the most pressing

challenges facing systems

This is one area in which intra-regionaland inter-regional collaboration can beof great benefit


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Early Childhood Development

Specific concerns: Absence of common national vision for

ECED among parents, practitioners andstakeholders

- consequent ad hoc programmingwithout required linkages andsupports

insufficient resources allocated to thesector

lack of human and institutional capacity,and lack of priority accorded to thesector.


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Early Childhood Development Imperatives

Mainstreaming ECD into socio-economicprogramming at national and regionallevels

Articulation of National and RegionalVision for ECD

Development of a Structured Approach toECD programming

Advocacy and public sensitisation


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Issues in Primary Education

Most countries have achieveduniversal, or close to universalaccess

Insufficient levels of literacy andnumeracy after 6 years of schooling

Development of quality standards

and indices of attainment Integration of technology into

curricula

Development of more rounded


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Universal Secondary Education

Entrants without the required levels of literacyand numeracy to benefit optimally fromsecondary education

Development of curricula suitable for the full

range of aptitudes and abilities Certification for wider range of abilities, interests

and learning styles

- CXC addresses the needs of approximately one

half of the relevant age cohort and of these, only50% leave with acceptable levels of certification

- This situation is likely to be even more obviousas more students actually attending secondaryschools leave uncertified


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Technical and VocationalEducation and Training

Articulation of TVET Policies

Attracting better qualified entrants to copewith new challenges

Re - orientation to competency basedapproaches

Development of regionally standardised

vocational qualifications Credentialing of already employed workers

Facilitation of free movement of labour


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Teacher Education & Prof. Development

The new learning paradigm means that therole of the teacher has changed. Theteacher now needs to become, in ter al ia:

a creator of learning environments an independent professional, open-

minded and critical

an active co-operator and collaborator

a mediator between learners and whatthey need to know

Comfortable with the use of new

technologies


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New Vision for Teacher Development

Teacher development as a continuum made up ofpre-service programme, induction, andcontinuing career-long professional development

Dominant training model - focused primarily on

expanding an individual repertoire of well-definedand skillful classroom practice--is not adequateto deal with the ambitious visions of teaching andschooling embedded in present reform initiatives

Shift from a deficit model of teacher development, emphasising remediation to a developmentalmodel, emphasising growth

Development of standards of competence for

teachers


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MAINSTREAMING GENDER

Specific concerns: Under-participation and achievement by males

Continuing curriculum segregation

Need for gender training for teacher trainees andpractising teachers

Gender justice in schools

Need for gender sensitive learning materials

Addressing gender directly within the curriculum

-Actively promoting studentsunderstandingof the construction of gender and the ways inwhich gender stereotypes may inhibit thelearning and subsequent life choices of bothsexes


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Tertiary Education

Expansion of offerings More flexible pathways for students

Operationalisation of regional integratedqualifications framework

Quality assurance issues Articulation and accreditation issues

Expansion and rationalisation of provisionin the Community College system

Use of distance education modalities toexpand access


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Capacity Building at all Levels

Training and orientation in managementof change for

- policy makers

- administrators of institutions

Capacity building at the community levelfor effective participation

Education for parenting Sensitisation of the media

Engaging unions and employers


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Education as Part of a Larger HRD System

Strategic objective of HRD

The equipping of people tocontribute to, and to benefit

from development through anenhanced quality of life


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CONTOURS OF HRD

Core Elements

Education/Training

Health

Labour

Complementary Elements

Youth Development

Drug Demand Reduction

Sport Development

Stakeholder participation


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Integrated Planning

Imperative to address the challengesof Human Resource Development

within the logic of a holistic,coherent, inter-sectoral operation, inorder to reduce inefficiencies, takeadvantage of the synergies thatmight be created and consequently,increase impact


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Partnerships

Advantages of collaborative planningand action

Countries / regions at different levels ofdevelopment

Leapfrogging

Efficient use of technical resources

Forums such as this one provide an excellentopportunity for sharing and learning together!


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Documents

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