OECS regards education as a top priority

Basseterre, St. Kitts, (SKNIS) — About 300 students from high schools in St. Kitts and Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC), filled the Ministry of Agriculture’s conference room at La’guarite to participate in a Public Education Programme on Regional Integration, arranged by the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Commissioner to the OECS, Astona Browne, welcomed the students and gave an overview of her role to the OECS.

“My duty is to ensure that the provisions of the revised Treaty of Basseterre, especially as they relate to the Regional Integration Unit are implanted,” she explained. “We work closely with our colleagues at the OECS Secretariat.”

She encouraged the students to pay close attention to what is said and to grab as much information as possible, as it would benefit them tremendously.

“By attending this event, students can learn about the OECS revised Treaty of Basseterre and the provisions for Regional Integration,” she noted. “In addition, they can learn about the formation of the Economic Union (EU).”

Barbara Jacobs-Small, workshop facilitator, dialogued with the students and encouraged them to broaden their thinking and look at Regional Integration within OECS member states as a stepping stone, where they themselves can benefit.

In an SKNIS Exclusive interview, one student from the Teacher Education Department at CFBC, James Galloway, gave some insight on the session and how it impacted him as a student.

“I found the session to be very useful,” he said. “Basically, I just had a general overview of what OECS was and now I have a more in-depth grasp of the functions of OECS.”

He said this session provided him with the awareness of how they are trying to shape integration within the OECS, as well as provided him with some additional opportunities in terms of work.”

The sessions continue this afternoon with civil society groups and media workers, at the Customs Conference Room.

The team will journey to the sister island of Nevis on Wednesday [13] to conduct similar sessions.