Education Minister, Petter Saint Jean, have told the start of a two-day Gender Socialization workshop for Early Childhood Development (ECD) Practitioners, that Dominica has made significant progress towards the realization of the Goal Three of the Millennium Development Goals.
That goal speaks to gender equality and empowering women.
The workshop, being funded by the Caribbean Development Bank and the Basic Needs Trust Fund, is currently underway at the Fort Young Hotel.
Saint Jean, who delivered the feature address, said to achieve gender equality and equity among adults, it must be nurtured from a tender age.
“We sought development from our primary schools a national curriculum that will help to eliminate gender stereotypes among our children while affording each child an equal opportunity,” he stated.
Meantime Chief Education Officer, Melina Fontaine, said the workshop is timely and very significant.
“Timely in the sense that throughout the Caribbean, there is a move to increase access and provide quality within the field of early childhood development. A focus on access and quality has seen the development of legislation, policies, regulations, teacher training and upgrading of facilities…” she said.
She added that the workshop focus on gender socialization is significant, as it not only adds to the quality of gender, but helps us to pay attention to the issue of excluded, vulnerable and marginalized groups.
The workshop will also provide case material and recommendations for enhancing teaching skills among ECD practitioners for challenging traditional gender stereotypes.
The ten BNTF participating member countries are: Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Turks and Caicos Islands.
Well done Peter St Jean. You’ve done it again. This is the doing of a futuristic, progressive and proactive Minister. I truly and firmly believe that as our future lies in the hands of our young , it is vital that the equality agenda is brought to the forefront so that our young women will grow with confidence which will enhance their competence and that our young men will grow up respecting women. Well done Peter. God bless you and God bless DOMINICA.