St. Kitts Nevis Accreditation Board Secretariat Established

School of Nursing

PM addressing Windsor students

(EMU) – St. Kitts, June 26, 2012: The Education Administration Building on Church Street is the location of the newly established Accreditation Board Secretariat for Institutions seeking to operate in the Federation.

The secretariat, which will regulate the offshore education sector by reviewing applications for prospective institutions as well as certifying and accrediting their programmes is also responsible for re-evaluating such programmes, periodically.

In a recent update to Cabinet colleagues, Minister of Education Hon. Nigel Carty explained that the offshore education sector accounts for approximately 12% of the local economy. As such the Accreditation Board will improve the regulatory framework in order to ensure orderly growth and protection of the integrity of the jurisdiction where offshore educational services are concerned,” said Minister Carty.

A new website for the Accreditation Board Secretariat has been launched at www.ab.gov.kn, providing potential investors and other interested persons information on the accreditation process, as part of improving standards and increasing transparency within the organization.

The minister reported that the Board is currently involved in revising the Accreditation Act of 199 (amended in 2001) to improve its adequacy and efficiency in dealing with the board areas of concern relative to offshore education, and higher education generally.

The Accreditation Board intends to raise local requirements to meet the criteria international and interest groups such as the Educational Commission of Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), among others.

Minister Carty said the objective is to attract more institutions by improving the local rating of this jurisdiction; to facilitate the widest possible cross section of international students and medical programmes. He also expressed hopes to review the composition of the Board as well as to build alliances with regional and international organizations.