Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will host the Seventh (7th) Meeting of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Council of Ministers: Education (COM:Edu) on February 17th and 18th 2022 under the theme “Education in Extraordinary Times: From Vulnerability to Resilience”.
The annual meeting of the COM:Edu is a two-day event that enjoys the participation of key Development Partners and provides a platform for Ministers across the OECS region to collectively reflect on issues in education, share on local strategies and innovations to address some of these challenges as well as collaborate on troubleshooting issues to develop joint approaches, policies and practices in an effort to improve the access to quality education in the region.
On the agenda for this meeting are Reflections: Policy Direction within the Education Sector in the Covid-19 Period; Special COVID-19 Report on Education and The OECS Declaration for Education, which is a major highlight of the meeting and will guide the development of all future policies, strategies, plans, and programs in Education.
Amidst the inherent challenges to the education sector being exacerbated by learning losses caused by recurring school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director, Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) will serve as the feature speaker.
The meeting is usually held face to face. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s 7th COM:Edu will be convened virtually, with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines delegates meeting face-to-face, in accordance with health protocols.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ Minister for Education and National Reconciliation, the Hon. Mr. Curtis King, in a statement, expressed his country’s commitment to advancing education as part of its focus on achieving the OECS vision 2020-2024.