Delegates at the 10th Annual Meeting of Statisticians.

OECS Concludes 10th Annual Meeting of Statisticians with Commitment to Data-Driven Education Policy

OECS MEDIA RELEASE

March 6, 2026

The 10th Annual Meeting of Statisticians was concluded on November 25th, 2025, following two days of focused dialogue and collaboration. Hosted by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), the meeting marked a significant milestone in a decade of regional data collection and cooperation in education statistics.

A key driver of the meeting was the recognition that comprehensive statistical analysis is fundamental for achieving systemic impact in education. It was attended by statisticians, education officers, technical specialists, education leaders, and development partners to strengthen the role of data in informing decisions and guiding education policy formulation.

The two-day session focused on building technical capacity among regional statisticians for improved SDG4 coverage and reporting. UIS trained participants in the use of the Dynamic Data reporting template and Laser EMIS forms, which are used for national data reports. The agenda underscored the statistical importance of obtaining and applying high-quality data appropriately within the unique context of the OECS region's education systems for more effective outcomes.

Key Highlights

Interactive sessions for Shared Challenges: Participants shared critical challenges and solutions, with discussions focused on best practices, data quality, regulatory compliance, and human capacity development, resulting in clear priorities for regional action.
Development Partners Roundtable: Regional and international partners aligned technical support with the data agenda, focusing on building capacity, achieving long-term data stability, and recognising the need for a more permanent regional data-reporting strategy.
Presentation of the new Regional Education Digest Platform: A live demonstration of the platform, which showcased real-time updates, built-in validation checks to reduce data-entry errors, and an embedded Artificial Intelligence Assistant to support accurate narrative reporting, which statisticians can review and refine.
Education Digest Working Session: The Digest team conducted a technical review to ensure accuracy and quality assurance to finalise the Education Digest.
OECS Student Census Presentation: Delegates reviewed the methodology, technical architecture and preliminary findings of the ongoing OECS Student Census (Grades K to Form 5).
Regional EMIS Initiative Update: Discussions covered new governance structures, key supporting documents, the Data Management Framework, and Regional Open Data Standards.
ISCED Mapping Review: Countries reviewed their respective International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings to ensure consistency and comparability.

The two-day meeting was formally brought to a close by Mrs Sisera Simon, Head, Human and Social Division, OECS Commission. Calling upon delegates to reflect on a decade of collaboration that has laid a strong foundation for the future, Mrs Simon urged all delegates to continue to work collaboratively and support the finalisation of the data initiatives.