Education

National Financial Literacy Programme To Be Rolled Out In Schools January 29

Facilitators for the Ministry of Energy and Business’ National Financial Literacy Expansion Programme have been chosen, and the pilot phase of the new initiative will be launched on January 29.

This disclosure has come from the National Coordinator of the Ministry’s financial literacy initiative, David Simpson, who said the 15 facilitators recently underwent an orientation session, and they are well equipped and eager to get into the classrooms in various primary and secondary schools.

“This pilot will target Second Form students in seven secondary schools and Class Two children in six primary schools, and once we see its outcome, then we will roll it out in more schools.

“We also have a community component, which is currently being finalised. The facilitators will also be working with those households in the community, so it is a continuous process and not one time. We are considering bringing some pop-up events to each community, regardless of the ones we are targeting in the pilot, so we can continue that interaction with the public,” Mr. Simpson stated.

The financial literacy consultant explained that the programme targets every citizen and resident, and its overall purpose is to improve their ability to manage money, and create and generate wealth for their families now and in the future.

“The aim is to improve Barbadians’ relationship with money and this spans earning it, using it, saving it, and investing it. We realised from our research and interactions, over the past three and a half years, that while a lot of the things we engage in on a daily basis use or generate money, our relationship with it is not as sound as it should be….

“We cannot ignore adults, but to seal what we want to do and see the future benefits; we need to get into the schools and start there. We want this to be a part of their lifestyle, so these are dedicated sessions on financial literacy. The hope is that we will be able to tie the schools’ programme to the community, and we will send correspondence to the parents outlining the programme, and encouraging them to be a part of it,” he said.

National Coordinator of the Ministry’s financial literacy initiative, David Simpson (left) and
Programme Coordinator for the schools’ component, Corey Worrell, listening attentively to Lynda Woolford-Richards as she discusses the financial literacy workbooks for primary and secondary schools.

Mr. Simpson pointed out that interactive workbooks outlining the topics to be addressed were developed for the primary and secondary school students, and would be utilised. During the sessions, some of the areas to be addressed are Money Mindset; Earning Income; Spending (buying on budget); Saving; Borrowing and Lending; Managing Risks; and Cultivating Contentment.

The instructional designer of the workbooks, Lynda Woolford-Richards, explained that they were age appropriate. She said the primary school children would have different learning activities, so the concepts would be introductory, while the secondary school children would have those preliminary concepts, and then build a bit more on them.

“The younger children can follow their parents in how they manage their finances, so they can learn, while the secondary school children are more engaged on doing it on their own, while collaborating with their parents.

“Their responses are more practical because they may have more access to finances and they have the ability to manage their finances, so the level of critical thinking and creativity is going to be different for different ages,” Mrs. Woolford-Richards stated.

She encouraged those parents whose children are involved in the pilot project to be a part of the process, and to get involved in the challenges in the workbooks.

Programme Coordinator for the schools’ component, Corey Worrell, shared that the principals involved in the pilot phase are all excited about the programme, which he described as flexible. Mr. Worrell added that he was looking forward to its roll out. (PR/GIS)

Facilitators for the Ministry of Energy and Business’ National Financial Literacy Expansion Programme at a recent orientation session

Education

Immigration Webinar For Students Wishing To Study In Canada

Barbadians interested in pursuing studies in Canada are invited to participate in the online Immigration Seminar of the Consulate General of Barbados, in Toronto.

The Consulate, as part of its annual activities to observe National Heroes Day, is hosting a week of activities, and the key event will be the Immigration Seminar tomorrow Thursday, April 24, at 6:00 p.m.

Over the past 12 months, there have been significant changes to the requirements and processes for obtaining an international student visa. As a result, the seminar will focus on the recent changes to the entry requirements for international students coming to Canada to pursue undergraduate or postgraduate studies.

Prospective students, as well as parents, guardians, guidance counsellors, school teachers and principals, who have a vested interest in obtaining the most up-to-date and accurate information to make the most informed choice from the available study options, are encouraged to participate in the online seminar.

Alana Alleyne, a barrister and solicitor, will cover areas such as the latest changes to international student visas, eligibility criteria for student visas, requirements for postgraduate work permits, and changes to eligibility for spousal work permits. (PR/GIS)

Education

Information Session For Teachers Keen On Working In USA

Primary school teachers interested in working in the United States of America (USA) are invited to an upcoming Information Session, tomorrow Thursday, April 24.

The session will be hosted in the Main Conference Room of the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Third Sector, Warrens Office Complex, Warrens, St. Michael, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The initiative is being facilitated by the Ministry, in partnership with the Barbados Employment and Career Counselling Service, the Barbados Union of Teachers, and Participate Learning, a USA recruitment firm.

During the event, Participate Learning will share important information on the application and recruitment processes, as well as on working in the USA. (PR/GIS)

Education

Ellerslie Students Welcomed At Barbados’ Embassy In Panama

The Embassy of Barbados in the Republic of Panama was pleased to welcome The Ellerslie School students and staff to its Chancery in Panama City, recently.

Chargé d’Affaires, Sandra Gittens, in her welcome to the group, which included Principal, Andrea Baptiste and Deputy Principal, Carl Applewhaite, shared the history of the mission, noting that the Embassy was established in 2020.

Mrs. Gittens said this was “in line with the Barbados Government’s desire to strengthen its relations and cooperation with Panama across a number of areas, including trade, investment, tourism and education”.

She expressed the hope that the visit would signal the start of a new relationship with The Ellerslie School in pursuit of future student-to-student and teacher-to-teacher exchanges, in collaboration with the Ministries of Educational Transformation and Training and Tertiary Education and its Panamanian counterpart, within the framework of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries.

Speaking on the value of learning a foreign language, First Secretary, Shireifa Joseph, spoke of her experience as a foreign language student and the positive impact that it has had on her career.

She encouraged the students to continue their foreign language journey, signalling that they were well on their way to becoming “bridge builders” in their future careers with the capacity to connect Barbados to other countries across the globe.

Counsellor at the Embassy, Michelle Carter, also noted the value of language learning, especially for those studying tourism, stating that developing a strong proficiency in a foreign language will serve as a critical tool in opening doors to their success in this sector, whether in Barbados or abroad. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Students, teachers and parents of the Ellerslie secondary school to the Embassy of Barbados in the Republic of Panama