Education

Financial Literacy Programme Already Bearing Fruit

The pilot phase of the Ministry of Energy and Business’ National Financial Literacy Programme is already bearing fruit, with some students reporting that they have improved their spending habits, and at least one has created a small business.

Forty-three students of the technical and vocational group of the Barbados YouthAdvance Corps recently completed the pilot phase of the programme, described as a critical tool in Government’s efforts to empower Barbadians in the management of their money, so that they can generate wealth.

Recruit Lévonté Williams praised the programme, saying it taught him a great deal and even motivated him to create a small business.

“As a result of this programme, I have been able to save and create my own business. I had plans to start another small business, but I got an idea from Ms. Armstrong (the facilitator), she doesn’t even know, and I went from there,” Lévonté stated.

Initially, he said, he was unsure about how much he would learn from the programme since he was familiar with some aspects of the topics being taught. However, he is elated that he did not allow his first thoughts to get the better of him, and he has thoroughly enjoyed and benefitted from the informative sessions.

“The programme was a good one, and I would encourage persons to be a part of it, especially the young generation. From the information shared with us, we are in a better position to spend our money wisely and also make wise investments,” he surmised.

“The programme was a good one, and I would encourage persons to be a part of it, especially the young generation. From the information shared with us, we are in a better position to spend our money wisely and also make wise investments.”Lévonté Williams speaking on the National Financial Literacy Programme

His classmate, recruit Kymara Trotman, said she learned a lot about budgeting and saving; focusing on one’s needs and not wants; and making investments, so she has the option of retiring by a certain age.

Kymara added that she has been practising what she learned, especially since, in the past, she sometimes leaned towards purchasing items she wanted and not needed. “I like to eat, so I thought about what the facilitator said and the money that I would spend on food. I now save and I have a ‘tot’ that I put the money in….

“I am not sure how much I have saved but I know I saved a lot…. I would spend a lot of unnecessary money…when I go to the supermarket…. I would see something on the shelf and say, ‘I want it’, and put it in the basket, knowing that it is not in my budget…. Then, I would have to put out money from somewhere else and then I would have to put back the money,” she stated.

The young recruit thoroughly enjoyed the programme, which was taught to her and her peers twice a week. She lauded the facilitator, whom she described as “very professional and understanding” and methodical in her teaching.

*Lead Facilitator, Marcia Armstrong, discussing financial literacy issues with recruits from the Barbados YouthAdvance Corps recently.*

Kymara is encouraging young people to save some of their money, no matter how little. “There is no limit to saving; a dollar or two dollars a day – all is saving. If you get $20 a day, you can put down $2 daily, and that will add up and grow,” she suggested.

To her peers who undertook the programme, she encouraged them to share the valuable information learned with their families, in an effort to strengthen their budgeting skills and make wise decisions when spending money. She also put forward the view that the Financial Literacy Programme is needed in secondary and primary schools.

Second Form students in seven secondary schools and those in Class Two at six primary schools are being taught about financial literacy, in partnership with Affinity Plus Credit Union Limited.

Programme Officer for Career Development at the Barbados YouthAdvance Corps, Fabian Sargeant, explained that from January to August, the organisation offers “bridging programmes”, where young people are exposed to various areas to strengthen their skill sets as they prepare for the world of work.

Mr. Sargeant underscored the importance of the financial literacy training, saying it was timely as the recruits receive a stipend and would therefore learn about managing their money. He proffered the view that it was necessary to reinforce these concepts along the students’ career development path.

“There is no limit to saving; a dollar or two dollars a day – all is saving. If you get $20 a day, you can put down $2 daily, and that will add up and grow.”Kymara Trotman

He continued: “It is really about helping them to understand how to plan, the best ways to spend, and how to grow their money. A lot of them at this stage believe in spending…. These young people…have not been really exposed to money and the growth of money in a real productive way. These particular programmes are extremely important to fill that void…regarding understanding finances, and everything associated with it….

“If they don’t know how to manage [money], if they don’t understand the whole concept of growing money and business, then chances are they will fail at whatever they are doing, even in their personal lives, because then they will not be able to afford the very basics that they would need.…”

Mr. Sargeant sees the Financial Literacy Programme as a potential “staple” in the Barbados YouthAdvance Corps’ technical and vocational programme.

Facilitator Marcia Armstrong said the young people are enjoying the programme and practising what they have been taught. She added that there has been a “high level of engagement” at the various locations, with the children utilising the concepts and terms learned.

*Financial literacy matters on their minds: From left to right (front row) are Arrianne John, Jaheem Kellman and Donte Headley. In the back row are Deshawn Blackman and Sergio Parris.*

“This initiative is just awesome overall. We planted the seeds with this programme, and I honestly believe that when I look back two or three years from today, I expect to see businesses being birthed from this experience…. Some of those children know exactly where they want to go….

“I’m so happy that Barbados launched this initiative. I believe that it will pay back a return on the investment time and time again…. I honestly believe that they (young people) will be in a position to take Barbados into the next dimension, in regard to what they can accomplish and at an earlier age as well,” Ms. Armstrong suggested.

She wants each student who undertook the training to become an ambassador for the programme and share their knowledge with their family.

“I’m so happy that Barbados launched this initiative. I believe that it will pay back a return on the investment time and time again…. I honestly believe that they (young people) will be in a position to take Barbados into the next dimension, in regard to what they can accomplish and at an earlier age as well.”National Financial Literacy Programme Facilitator, Marcia Armstrong

Programme Coordinator for the schools and online component of the National Financial Literacy Programme, Corey Worrell, said the principals and teachers have been very supportive of the programme, and the latter have even given suggestions on how its delivery could be improved.

Mr. Worrell noted that some aspects of the programme will be adjusted as it continues to be rolled out. He pointed out that the Minister of Energy and Business, Senator Lisa Cummins, has given the team the mandate to scale up the National Financial Literacy Programme. (PR/GIS)

Education

Culinary Arts Student ‘Cooks Up’ A Scholarship

A first-year Culinary Arts student at the Jean and Norma Holder Hospitality Institute (JNHHI) is the latest recipient of the Peter Barker Memorial Scholarship.

The $2,500 scholarship is given annually to students in the General Catering Certificate or Associate Degree in Culinary Arts programmes.

This year, 31-year-old Natasha Wilkinson was selected for the award. Natasha was inspired to pursue culinary arts after helping a man with health issues by cooking for him, which sparked her passion for the profession.

“This scholarship would help me. I would more than likely take the money and invest it into some kind of venture so it can give me a return as I continue to study rather than just spend it up,” Natasha said.

The scholarship was created by Dr. Nigel Barker, in memory of his late brother, Peter Barker, who passed away in 1995 while a student at the JNHHI.

Explaining the rationale behind its existence, Dr. Barker said he asked himself a few questions. He said: “I thought, how do I bring some value, he was 28 years old, to a life that was ended very short and I then decided I would add value to other people’s lives through his memory, so that’s how it came about.”

Acting Director at JNHHI, Lynette Francis-Thornhill, explained that the scholarship is based on financial need and a strong commitment to Culinary Arts.

She noted the number of applicants this year was lower than expected, with only two students vying for the award. Ms. Francis-Thornhill explained that students often hesitate to apply for scholarships due to concerns about financial disclosures and the potential requirement to repay funds if they do not complete their programme.

She emphasised, however, that scholarships like this one are crucial for supporting students, especially in fields like culinary arts, where additional costs like uniforms and equipment can add up.

“While education in Barbados is free at the point of delivery from nursery to tertiary, there are still costs associated with doing the programme. So, definitely it would be of assistance when they have these opportunities for persons to be able to get through their programmes more comfortably, which then provides a freeness of the mind and enables them to focus more on their studies and worry less about material concerns,” she stated. (PR/GIS)

Education

BAC Monitoring Impact Of AI On Higher Education

The Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) is very closely monitoring the impact that artificial intelligence (AI) is having on higher education institutions (HEIs) in Barbados.

To this end, the Council has been conducting research into the impact of AI so far, and assessing the positive and negative factors and challenges it may present in the future. This relates to both external quality assurance agencies (EQAAs) like itself, and also for the local HEIs it recognises.

Research & Development Officer I with the Council, Jonre Waterman recently made a presentation on the topic: ‘Investigating The Adoption of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education In Barbados: The Opportunities for Innovation and the Implications for Academic Integrity’.

He made the presentation to delegates in attendance at the 20th Annual Conference and General Meeting of the Caribbean Area Network for Quality Assurance in Tertiary Education (CANQATE).

The conference was hosted by the University Council of Jamaica and held at Pegasus Hotel in Kingston Jamaica under the theme: ‘Twenty Years of Promoting Quality in Higher Education: Development, Impact and Opportunities for a Sustainable Future’.

In his presentation, Mr. Waterman said while there are some noteworthy benefits that come with AI within higher education, from the institutional and academic perspective, the reality is that there are also some challenges for such institutions.

Among the key concerns, he says HEIs will have to ensure that students are not utilising the technology to give the impression that their breadth of knowledge is greater than it really is, whenever they are tasked with turning in reports or doing exams and papers.

“As it relates to the use of the AI-powered technologies…it’s not going anywhere. Global institutions will continue to incorporate AI-powered tools into their teaching and learning process. What this will do is advance the quality of the higher education process and HEIs that fail to address this run the risk of being left behind on the quality curve. This presents a challenge for EQAAs like the BAC as it seeks to assure and enhance the quality of the local higher education space,” he said.

“As it relates to the academic integrity concerns, the biggest fear is the ability of students to subvert the rigour of the academic process in favour of skipping straight to the finishing line and receiving qualifications and awards that do not speak to their actual level of knowledge and understanding.”

Mr. Waterman said a failure of HEIs to respond to this will create a scenario where the quality of the higher education process would be eroded.

He says the BAC has come up with some recommendations to help address its AI-related concerns. “These include conducting assessments to determine the capacity to incorporate emerging technologies such as AI that can improve the quality of educational offerings.

We understand that based on your size and scope, for some institutions there may not be any feasibility for AI-powered or any that would actually provide any significant improvements to your quality…but you can’t just say so without conducting that assessment. So, our recommendation is that you conduct that assessment; then you can determine whether there is any use to the institution, but it must be done first.”

He said another important recommendation is for higher education institutions to assess vulnerabilities of academic integrity to emerging technologies such as AI. He also noted an important recommendation that the Council itself undertake going forward: “Also, as the BAC, there exists scope for us to review our quality standards to ensure that they adequately call upon institutions to address and respond to technological advances.” (PR/GIS)

Education

ACTIVE TALK PANEL DISCUSSION

A look at learning deficits in early stages

The need for transformative changes in the region’s education systems, particularly to address learning deficits at early stages, was a key focus during the UNICEF Eastern Caribbean and Barbados National Students’ Council (BNSC) #ActivateTalk panel discussion. Held on recently at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, the event centered on the theme: “Navigating the Challenges of Higher Education in the Eastern Caribbean and the Importance of Regional Integration as a Viable Solution.”

Jean-Benoit Mahnes, UNICEF Representative (ad interim) for the Eastern Caribbean, highlighted troubling statistics about secondary education outcomes, noting that only a third of students across the region achieve the qualifications needed to advance academically.

“In the region, not just Barbados, too few students are achieving good enough results at the secondary level,” Mahnes said. “Additionally, the parameters of success can be too narrowly defined—it’s not only about becoming a lawyer or doctor. Society needs people with diverse skills and aspirations. We know that we need to do better, and we know we can do better.”

Mahnes also underscored the importance of democratising access to educational technology and fostering regional integration in education while maintaining respect for individual cultural identities.

“Can we access technology in a way that can be democratised? What role does educational integration and standardisation play? We want all children to have the same chance, whether they’re in Barbados, St. Lucia, or Grenada, while avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach. Culture, perspective, and environment must inform education systems,” he said.