Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, plans to institute a national task force that will lead the process of education reform in Dominica.
His comments came following what he described as ” a constructive discussion “between government officials and secondary school principals on Monday during which the current state of the education system was discussed and strategies to improve it were formulated.
“We discussed key issues [such] as the quality of primary and secondary education, the importance of parental involvement, the need for a more holistic approach to education, and the various challenges faced by teachers and students,” Skerrit pointed out.
“I took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of understanding students’ behaviors and adopting teaching
methods to cater to the different learning styles, abilities, and interests of our students.”
The Prime Minister said that he also took the time to reinforce his call to a return to civic education “as a way of instilling national pride, discipline and a sense of duty and responsibility among our young Dominicans.”
He said the principals made several recommendations during the meeting including revisiting the national curriculum, reallocation of resources for teacher training and education, and improving accountability within the education system.
“Similar engagements will be held with primary school principals, teachers, and students following which I plan to institute a national task force to lead the process towards the necessary reforms,” Skerrit remarked.
According to him, Monday’s meeting was a very important step towards education reform on the island.
“I believe the meeting marked an important step in our efforts to transform and modernize the education system, improve the quality of education for all children and foster a generation of well-rounded civic-minded citizens who can contribute to our nation’s development,” he stated.
At a regional symposium on crime held in Trinidad in April, Skerrit told Heads of Government that he believes education reform is important as the Caribbean faces a surge in violent crimes.
“I think we need to have, in my respectful view, a comprehensive review of our education system in the Caribbean,” he stated back then, adding that he hopes there is an “urgent review” of the regional education system.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday morning, he also stated that when he assumes the chairmanship of CARICOM in July, the matter of education reform will top his agenda.
“I must also mention that when I assume the chairmanship of CARICOM in July of this year, the matter of education reform will top my agenda and I will propose a symposium of regional leaders and educators to take action on this important matter,” he remarked.
The chairmanship of CARICOM is rotated every six months among Heads of Government of member states.
Did the minister of education play any role in that discussion? And did she speak?
What did she have to say besides “shake your pampalam”?
We have allowed the national library to remain a place of ruins yet talk of education reform? What about the state palace to serve as the national library? That should be education reform number one. See here – https://www.academia.edu/resource/work/57257123
Libraries are important, and we do need a National Library they have a use, but I will tell you this, there are times when wisdom and knowledge cannot be obtained in a Library or any academic institution. To suggest that a National Library should be education reform number one priority is somewhat over prioritizing the Library in an education reform.
The PM made a suggestion about a task force on education reform, the reform has not been established, but you are criticizing, don’t you think that plans for a National Library will be included in that task force report on education reform, do you have to make such a silly statement “What about the state palace to serve as the national library” is that necessary in your opinion, does it add anything constructive to the debate, it only serves one thing, your political sarcasm.
You will only succeed in making changes to the same eurocentric education that brainwashed us.
There can be no reform without African Studies or Black Studies. You might as well leave it as has been from emancipation when they quickly built you those little one-room schools to teach you Christianity and european studies, while they get you out by age 15 to go carry fig for British stores.
Is this your take on what Education fundamentally really means to you or supposed to focused on primarily. It is funny how everybody has their version as to what education means to them and thinks that their version is essential for other people, lol, one thing I have come to learn is, the past has no power over the present moment. This is not to say that the studies you mention should not be known. When you cannot have a relationship with people, when you have a mental problem or challenges in your life, can the studies you mention give you the knowledge to overcome them, finally is it not important to study people of other races other than your own race. That word Education is complex and means different things to different people and no one, no authority, should have a monopoly to define what education means or should be comprised off, that’s why the first vow a person should undertake is to know thyself.
Hence eurocentric education imposed upon you/us that prevents you from rationalizing or thinking critically on the issue of your education.
Everything bad in Dominica is Skerrit,Skerrit,Skerrit.When Skerrit say I,I,I all the blue bugs get MAD.The most educated people in the Caribbean are Dominicans.98% of Dominicans are literate,and masters on international affairs.Dominicans know more about world affairs than any other Caribbean country.
While we’re on the subject of education, what about what was once the historic Roseau Library?
The silence is deafening from all quarters on that score.
Sorry pal, everyone now had a library in their hands. We Only need to teach how to effectively enhance the use of these libraries in the palm of their hands and save that piece of real estate from nassief.
Everyone ” has “
In case there are still people out there in any doubt if this man is right in his head… well the answer is there to see for everybody now. I mean a task on education reform!!?? Why do we have an Education Minister, why do we have and pay a government?
Since we are on the subject, why don’t the man establish an independent task force for electoral reform?? Where is the original report from Byron, I mean the one that was done before Skerrits censored one.
What are we Dominicans paying Skerrit for? To pull the wool over our eyes on a daily basis? I’m sure, if so inclined, we could find somebody who could do that much better than him and would cost us a fraction what we have to pay this charlatan.
Really, does all Dominicans see and doubt that this man (The PM) is right in is head, what such ludicrous belief, where does such nonsensical belief come from, reason or your partisan political belief, the latter that what drives to make such statement. Have you not heard of the term “Chain of Command” don’t you understand how elected governments works with a Political leader if you did you would not be make such deceitful comment quote “Why do we have an Education Minister, why do we have and pay a government” if you do not have anything sensible to say why write such thing, but again It is your opinion.
Calling for national task force on education reform in Dominica by The PM, what is wrong with this to consider him not right in his mind, lol, isn’t it not time to reform our Education System, are you satisfied with education system we have. As to the rest of your comment, it just the same irrational beliefs based on your political
partisan beliefs, wallow in it.
Mr. Goebbels, your propaganda is getting cheaper by the day. You for sure have run out of arguments. Let me tell you, it’s not only him that’s not right in his head but also YOU and the majority of your red neck friends.
Is this all you have to say, I was expecting such a reply from you, lol.
Your beliefs are ‘partisan’. Most other comments on here are based on clear thinking. You can’t fool me anymore than your hero Skerrit.
Another pronouncement from King Skerrit.
No focus. No real plans. Nothing is ever implemented.
So what do we get? Another pronouncement.
Never ending.
Do we not have a Minister of education? P. M. constantly complains he cannot do everything alone, Well, stop,interfering then and let people do the job they are paid to do. Only 70,000 people we have but he wants to control everything. Nobody is indispensable you know.
It seems we have a cult following in this Country, why don’t you go and understand what is the role of an elected Political leader, yes nobody is indispensable, We see it by the replacement of UWP headship, so long.
What elected leader? We only have a “leader” courtesy of electoral fraud. Is that the one you referring to? But that’s not a leader, it’s a corrupt Scharlatan. Mary, you are loosing it…
Skerrit, how about establishing a National task force for Electoral Reform and another one for proper accounting of CBI revenue. Never mind education! You can’t fool us anymore, get out of here!
You question how about establishing a National task force for Electoral Reform https://electoraloffice.gov.dm/media-centre/604-notice-electoral-reform Why are you trying to create the illusion that the Government has not created a task force on electoral reform, you are being dishonest. As to the accounting of CBI revenue, it’s your ignorance and understanding, as to fooling people, the greatest deceiver in man is the mind, not external, rumors are carried by haters, and disseminated by incompetent leaders for political gain and accepted by his followers, rejecting reason, sad.
…”I plan to institute a national task force to lead the process towards the necessary reforms,…” These remarks illustrate even more starkly what is wrong with the education system in particular and this administration in general. Note that the PM is not saying we will, or my government will, or the Ministry of Education will, but “I will.” This is typical of the Lucifer Syndrome: I, I, I and Me, Me, Me. Is the current Minister for Education not competent enough to institute a simple task force for the ministry she heads? Now may be a good time for her to show her mettle and in her own words, “shake [her] pampalam.” And then the man has the audacity to talk about reintroducing civic education? With that kind of Lucifer Syndrome attitude, no amount of tasks force (stacked with political hacks) will be able to dig the education system out of the hole it is in.
From the Lying lips of this tainted ruler we hear about electoral reform, education reform, reform of the healthcare system, reform of the civil service, but it these systems only deteriorate every time.
Roosevelt needs to some self evaluation. Reform his dishonest and lying ways if that is even possible after so many years as old habits die hard.Reforming this perpetual Liar will take an eternity.
Mr Roosevelt, did you have a meeting with high school principals before you and Blackmore ran to parliament to legalize marijuana? Did you meet with teachers of both elementary and high schools to discuss the danger you were about to create for our young boys and girls with that marijuana thing you legalized?
Oh one more question: Mr Roosevelt, are you the new Education Minister because you feel Octavia Alfred is too dunce to be Education Minister? I don’t know but you seem to give that impression
Boy, I don’t know why at least eleven candidates that won their seats in the last elections cannot save Dominica and the blood of our children, by picking a leader and lead a massive protest against this Roosevelt that he’ll dumped on our country. Guys, please do this for Dominica I beg you.
You realize I referred to him as Mr Roosevelt and didn’t put a last name? That’s because my name is Chi-chi Bang Bang
@Chi-chi Bangbang
Eleven of them won’t do it. Remember that they are equally corrupt. That’s why they had a purchased price!!
Everything for skerrit is I, I, I so is not de government is he..yessa and those foochette in de cabinet they moo moo
He said he runs things in Dominica, but does not want to take the blame when things go wrong!!! Reasons why he must be blamed for everything that goes wrong in this country.
He thinks of all the members of the cabal as jellyfish. They are all spineless, mindless and senseless.
I am convinced that the rags-to-riches autocrat thinks of himself as God’s sacred gift to Dominica. But, you reap what you sow. Karma is a female dog.
Well there we have it. An absolute ruler, a dictator… He has fooled all you for years and some still don’t realise.
I wish the national task force well. At least a task force is better than a committee.
But unless the task force includes those outside the system, and hence able to speak their mind without fear or favour, its effect will be limited.
When I offered Saturday morning art classes to secondary school students that had not the option of studying art in school, the response from one headmistress was: “My girls don’t have time for that kind of thing”.
Little did she realise that one of her girls would go on to distinguish herself in the arts.
Did de minister of education play any role in that discussion?
Did she speak?
What did she have to say besides “shake your pampalam”?
Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit have you seen the level of development in the other CARICOM countries? Has any CARICOM country tell you that their education system is broken? Do you really believe that you can lecture Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, the Bahamas, St Lucia, just to name a few and expose your joke, on educational reform in CARICOM? Try reforming and fixing the education system that you broke in Dominica, try that first.
@Truth Be Told
Who listens to Skerrit around the Caribbean? Noone! Only in Dominica where he has impoverished the people, they must listen to him, because otherwise, they will not survive…
Skerrit has been Prime minister for about 19 years, if he was interested in our children, and indeed our young people, he would have acted long ago.
This guy is WICKED!
“In the field of personality psychology there is a term known as Machiavellianism, which is a trait centred on manupalativeness, callousness and indifference to morality“.
As a claimed graduate of psychology himself Dr. Skerrit should be familiar with this and perhaps this is at the basis of his Faustian pact with the devil. Nothing else would explain it.
Alas Dominica, this man has no idea! He undid education, he removed vocational education, he removed technical, he arranged and rearranged education until he rendered it completely broken! Now he wants to attempt to fix it after over twenty years of destroying it!
When Skerrit is finished with Dominica and leaves the office of Prime Minister, I believe Dominicans will be able to more clearly see the damage he has done over his two decades as Prime Minister. He has to hold on to power for now to delay the inevitable but nothing last forever and everything is just for a while.
No economy built. Education broken. Hospital in the hands of the Chinese. Tourism is all paid publicity but low overnight stays. The international airport may well end up being a Chinese military base or a Chinatown. And we are still waiting to see one of those six previous announcement of a Ross University School of Medicine replacement actually come to fruition!
Dominicans can take Skerrit blows, yes I!
Let’s seriously scrutinise the various public organs and institutions in Dominica. All, without exception, are grossly dysfunctional.
The public service is unproductive; the education sector is short changing many children; the national security division works like a defective car engine; the Cabinet is corrupt, opaque, anti-progressive and only cares about self-enrichment.
For Roosevelt (even if the position is rotated) with such a dismal record, to be appointed as the chairman of CARICOM, is an egregious insult to all Caribbean people. Roosevelt is not even qualified to be a dog catcher.
So many i”, “i” , i and more i”..A one man government, who spoils everything he touches…. A former minister of education, and parlimentarian for 23 years. The wicked soul was too busy doing other things, so he forgot the youthful population. This will take time, and i’m afraid it may never materialize..
You all can remember those promises:
the Ravine Cocque Road, the accounting for our missing passport sales money, the boats for the farmers, the several airports, the new Roseau as the envy of the Caribbean, the national insurance for Dominica, electoral reform, etc,.. This man is delusional, he LIES, he is shameless, embarrassing and wicked.
Just look at the face in the pic. A pic tells a billion stories!!