REACH Programme Boosts Enrollment at CFBC

Basseterre, St. Kitts (SKNIS) — The Recognising Everyone’s Ability to Climb Higher (REACH) programme has been a catalyst for some persons leaving secondary school to pursue post secondary level education and has resulted in a noteworthy increase in enrollment at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC).

Minister of Education the Hon. Nigel Carty reported discussions with President of the college Dr. Kelvin Daly revealed that since the programme has been in place, enrollment has been boosted by approximately 35 percent. There has also been a significant increase in persons taking science, language and mathematics courses.

Speaking at a recent town hall meeting, Minister of Education the Hon. Nigel Carty stated that 31 years ago, there was much emphasis on getting young people to high school to sit qualification examinations that will earn them positions in the private and public sectors. He noted that focus is now being placed on getting them to advance to post secondary level education.

The Minister said that the progress the Federation has made, as an independent nation, is largely due to the country’s advancements in education. As such, there are implications for the future.

“We cannot continue our development at the rate we are going and improve upon it if we do not achieve a higher enrollment of our young people in post secondary education,” explained Minister Carty.

The Education Minister noted that the Federal Government recognises that post secondary education is important as “many young people leaving high school, make a decision either to go into the world of work or to move on to post secondary education.”

“We found that it was important to reduce the kinds of challenges that young people had as they sought to make those important decisions,” Minister Carty stated. “One of them was the fact that parents or guardians might not have been in the position to give the requisite support to give the student the comfort to move into the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC), the Advanced Vocational Education Centre (AVEC) or the Nevis Sixth Form College. What we have done with the REACH programme is to remove that hurdle by providing the requisite funds to support the child throughout his or her two years at the college of their choice.”

The new students began their academic year on August 18.