Chief Education Officer, Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw, believes that the Wizdom CRN Sustainable Stock Market Game has united secondary school students across the region on the goal of financial literacy, and will help to create global citizens.
Dr. Archer-Bradshaw was speaking at the recent inaugural awards ceremony for the competition, at the Ministry of Educational Transformation, Constitution Road, St. Michael. It was held under the theme “Replicating Success: AI in Education, Financial Literacy for Sustainable CARICOM Economic Transformation”, and was hosted by the Ministry, in collaboration with the Barbados Stock Exchange (BSE) and the ANSA McAL Group of Companies.
She said the Ministry has always been in the forefront when it comes to technology, and has focused on introducing programmes and initiatives to adapt to a world that is rapidly becoming more technologically advanced.
Dr. Archer-Bradshaw noted that Coding and Robotics was introduced in 2022; Digital Literacy in 2023; and in 2024, the Ministry partnered with the Ministry of Energy and Business in the introduction of a Financial Literacy Programme, which was offered to 50 schools.
The Education Chief encouraged the awardees to be creators and consumers of information. “One of the things that the Prime Minister always speaks about…is the fact that we don’t just want you to be consumers of information. We want you to be creators of information. We want you to think outside the box. We want you to come up with homegrown solutions to our everyday problems, and the homegrown solutions should be marketable. Think about how you can use technology to make these solutions marketable,” she stated.
In his address, Managing Director of the Barbados Stock Exchange (BSE), Marlon Yarde, revealed that his organisation made CARICOM history as the first stock exchange in the region to host an official awards ceremony for this competition.
“This speaks to our shared regional vision, one where financial literacy, capital markets and economic opportunities extend far beyond our borders. None of this would have been possible without the vision, leadership and innovation of Wizdom CRM Caribbean Limited, established in 2022,” he added.
The BSE executive told the participants that they are pioneers of a new financial era and that the lessons learnt will not only empower their personal financial growth, but will also serve as a catalyst for regional economic development.
“This competition leverages AI to make financial content concepts interactive, personalised and engaging, ensuring that every student, regardless of their background and grace, can grasp these essential skills. AI is revolutionising education, and you are the forefront of this transformation. Today is not just about celebrating winners, it’s about celebrating the future.”
Marketing Manager of Ansa McAl, Rachel Pilgrim, said that company chooses to invest in initiatives like Wizdom CRM because it believes in creating a better world, by inspiring better choices.
“Through this platform, our company has been able to directly impact…students in the region, ensuring these students learn about the importance of budgeting, saving, investing and trading stocks in the AI driven learning platform,” she stated.
According to Ms. Pilgrim, financial literacy is not just about understanding numbers and markets, but it is a powerful tool for transforming communities and creating opportunities for growth in a region where opportunity can sometimes feel distant.
“As we continue to invest in initiatives like this one, we’re not only investing in education, we’re making an investment in a brighter, better future for our entire Caribbean region,” she added.
Loki Clarke of Queen’s College was the Cycle One winner for the Wizdom CRM Sustainable Stock Market Game in Barbados. The other awardees were Joseph Yeung Chou (Harrison College); Ajani Webster-Worrell (Queen’s College); Ayden Cumberbatch (Combermere School); and Andrew Greenidge (Harrison College).
The Wizdom CRM Sustainable Stock Market Game Platform was rolled out during the first term (September to December) of the 2024/2025 academic year. It enabled students to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and gamification to equip them with skills like saving, budgeting, and investing, and is designed to immerse students in the dynamics of the financial world, through an AI powered simulated stock market environment. (PR/GIS)
Caption: Chief Education Officer, Ministry of Educational Transformation, Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw (third from left) making a presentation to Cycle One winner for the Wizdom CRM Sustainable Stock Market Game in Barbados, Loki Clarke of Queen’s College, while (from left to right) Managing Director of the Barbados Stock Exchange, Marlon Yarde; Education Officer, Randy Eastmond (partially hidden); and Marketing Manager of Ansa McAl, Rachel Pilgrim, look on.