Gov’t promises to assist students moving to St Vincent

By Davion Smith, BVI News Journalist

Education Minister Myron Walwyn has promised to assist local students who decide to attend school in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in light of the hurricanes that gutted the British Virgin Islands.

The SVG government offered to accommodate BVI students who will be sitting the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) exams in a few months.

“Yes an offer was made. It’s a good idea and it’s a matter for parents to decide what they want to do. Whatever we can do from the ministry to facilitate parents who are interested in having their children continue their education in St Vincent and the Grenadines, we will do our best,” Walwyn said.

He said senior students who decide to remain in the BVI will start school next week.

“We intend by the 5^th of October to have Grades 11 and 12 functioning. My team tells me that we can also get Grade 10 functioning by that time as well.”

Walwyn added that students three to eight years old will get involved in ‘educational programmes’ by that date, too.

He said: “We intend by the 6^th of November to have all schools and all grades functioning. Obviously, it wouldn’t function in the way that it was before, but in a shift system.”

Shorter breaks

He said students will get shorter holiday periods because of the time already lost.

“UNICEF has committed some very large tents to us that we can use, as well, to supplement the existing infrastructure of the schools… The academic year will start effective November 5^th and, of course, we would have to relax the term breaks so that we don’t lose instructional days throughout the period of time.”

Walwyn added that the Learning Hub programme will now become more useful to supplement time already lost in the academic year.

Prior to the hurricanes, persons would have been able to access the hub at a cost of $5 per month.

“We are going to be waiving the subscription fee for parents on the learning hub, as well, so that all persons can have access to it,” Walwyn said.

He continued: “The Caribbean Examination Council recently put together an online content portal for senior schools across the Caribbean following the CXC syllabus. We are gonna to be subscribing to that and we’re gonna be waiving the fee as well for all the senior school students. So, at least using technology, we can supplement the shortened days.”