Teachers told to upskill as entry rules tighten
Teachers in the Virgin Islands have been told that they must upgrade their qualifications as the government raises entry requirements for the profession.
Chief Education Officer Orlandette Crabbe explained that before 2022, teachers were allowed to enter the system with an associate’s degree, but that is no longer acceptable.
“We told teachers listen, you have to upskill yourself, an associate’s is not going to be accepted as the level of qualification for teaching anymore,” Crabbe stated. To support the shift, the Ministry of Education has developed new training programmes in partnership with H Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) and the Institute of Education.
These include a Certificate in Education for classroom teachers and a leadership programme for those aspiring to become principals.
“We worked tirelessly with the college, HLSCC, the Institute of Education, to create a purpose-built programme … that our teachers can take to become upskilled,” Crabbe said. The government is also finalising an agreement with Walden University to offer online study pathways.
According to Crabbe, this will help teachers who cannot attend face-to-face classes because of personal circumstances. Teachers are already taking advantage of opportunities to advance their qualifications.
“Since we’ve given the mandate… [many] have gone and gotten their bachelor’s degree, some even a master’s degree,” she added. The Ministry has also introduced a professional development framework requiring educators to complete 60 hours of essential learning each year.
These sessions are increasingly being delivered in small groups at schools to maximise impact.
“Teaching is a profession that requires networking. And the strength of any teacher is the strength of the school,” officials noted.
Beyond upskilling, the Ministry is laying the foundation for a teacher licensing regime. Within the next few years, local teachers in both public and private schools will need to hold a teaching licence.
“Our aspiration is that once teachers are trained, we have a licensing regime where teachers… will be required to have a teaching license in the Virgin Islands,” Education Minister Sharie deCastro explained.
The push for higher standards comes amid broader reforms in education, which include new curricula, better infrastructure, and stronger professional support. The government has argued that improved training will enhance classroom performance and student outcomes across the territory.
Copyright 2025 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Teachers and staff in the ministry of education are running for the doors because of this lady and her immature and rude boss. Check the turn over in staff and you will see. They have turned the whole education space into a place of toxicity.
In a place of toxicity in which the same friends are hired to be superiors but have no skills in communicating with the teachers they’re supposedly have more experience than. Willard W. Leonora D. those two schools especially need to be checked because the Act. Prin. and Principal of those schools have no people skills whatsoever.
Be for real. Those individuals had to have gone through a process and more than likely a vigorous one in order to be placed in those positions. Stop hiding behind this mask and being malicious.
I know for a fact the Education Department will not hire/promote without the requisite documentation. Not because someone does not advertise to the public what they have doesn’t mean they dont have.
Stop it!
It’s been only a week and I love her already Never judge from the outside LDPS very nice lady
Bring her back enis adams then would take her back quick. Miss her there
Facts! We miss you Ms A!
This comment has no merit to it whatsoever! You speak about the principal of WW. She is just a no nonsense person and its evident she cares for her students and advocates strongly for her teachers. Please don’t get it twisted!
If you know, you’d realize.
Uh huh and yall alrdy stuggling to find teachers as it is…good luck mehson.
for the salary you all are paying and the support they give to teachers and risk from the bad kids, it is not worth it to be a teacher at a public school especially at eshs
Please let teachers upgrade their English (Grammar) and Math skills. Too many teachers are afraid of teaching the upper classes. When a teacher could stand in general assembly saying aryou this and aryou that it’s scary.
Half of them cant even write a proper sentence. Dont know the difference between their, there, theyre. I could understand dialect or speaking to your peers but when you gone type a whole paragraph and those homophones are all over the place, thats a problem.
I thought you had to attain a Bachelors Degree(or higher) in Education and a Teacher’s Certificate. And have some sort of classroom experience before you are hired as a Teacher. But teaching with only an Associate degree or a simple certificate from the College is crazy. I stand to be corrected.
Don’t let the degree fool you.. I guarantee you there a teachers without degrees that can teach a solid more fullfilling lesson than those with a Masterd degrees. I have seen it I have lived it. Not saying they shouldn’t advance but its definitely not the only factor.
lava splash
Teachers must upskill, really… C is a bias person who only looks out for her friends and family. She bypass every mature teacher to hire her friends. Many of these teachers already have over 20 years of service. Yet she hired principals now getting their masters. She changes to rules to fit her friends. The AP at Enis Adams (I.S) is a downright bully. Met a good school culture and there to contaminate it with her bad attitude. Face always screw up and behaving like a slave master. They know who she is but hired her to torment people with her miserable self … Education needs a overall
By getting all the qualifications, will the salary increase? Allowances and housing are being offered to non belongers. So what is being offered for the local teachers, the BVIslanders.
What is the Ministry doing for their own.
Just one question. Will a pay raise be reciprocal for the new expectations. You cant be asking for a bachelor’s degree with an associate pay scale.