OECS Concludes High-Level Meeting with Education Leaders on Education Sector Strategy Implementation and Challenges

The OECS Commission is focusing on collective action to strengthen education across the region. 

Permanent Secretaries, Chief Education Officers, Directors of Education and Education Planners from across the OECS region recently participated in a two-day virtual meeting to discuss the implementation of the OECS Education Sector Strategy and addressing critical challenges in the education sector. The high-level meeting was convened in May by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission under the theme “Advancing the OECS Education Sector Strategy through a Collaborative Community of Practice”. Representatives from key development partners such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the European Union, the World Bank, and the French Embassy were also in attendance. 

Held via Zoom, the meeting provided a platform for open dialogue on the current barriers to learning by students in the region. Key highlights, among the many agenda items discussed, include issues of access, improving student performance, the new Digital OECS Harmonised Primary Curriculum (D-OHPC), teacher training through the OECS My Professional Development (MyPD) platform, violence in schools, the role of school counsellors, post-secondary education to address gaps in the labour market and resource constraints. 

During the two days, participants engaged in working sessions, reaffirmed their commitment to collaborative solutions and took key decisions aimed at addressing the challenges flagged. These include strengthening student and institutional support, enhancing teacher quality, improving access to premium educational resources, and advancing inclusive education practices that leave no learner behind.

The meeting underscored the critical importance of partnership, regional alignment, and strategic investment in education to ensure that the objectives of the OECS Education Sector Strategy are fully realised. 

As the region moves forward in supporting and strengthening education, the OECS Commission reaffirms its commitment to strengthening monitoring mechanisms and supporting Member States in achieving measurable, systemic improvements across the region.