Former student of the Verchild’s High School, Joshornnia Edwards was awarded the Caribbean Examination Council’s, Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC) regional award for the academic year 2021-2022.
During a ceremony held at the school grounds on Thursday, Edwards was presented a plaque by Principal, Miguel Thomas for her overall outstanding achievement in the region.
In a post to his Facebook page, Minister of Education, Hon. Dr. Geoffery Hanley congratulated Joshornnia stating “Standing out in the crowd of elite students is a remarkable accomplishment worth celebrating. This certificate known as the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence award distinguishes Ms. Edwards among her peers and is indicative of her potential for success! Congratulations to Ms. Edwards, her teachers, and her entire family.”
The CCSLC regional award is presented to candidates who complete the minimum requirements for CCSLC within a three-year period, with “Master” proficiency in one sitting for English and Mathematics.
]]>Basseterre: St. Kitts, March 03, 2021: First to fourth form students from across eight secondary schools within the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis will be participating in a high school competition, being held as part of the 60th Anniversary celebration of ZIZ Broadcasting Cooperation.
The ZIZ 60th Anniversary Goldwin O Speech Contest will be held live on March 4 at 8pm at the ZIZ Broadcasting Cooperation media studio. Participating students from the Basseterre High, Cayon High, Charles E. Mills Secondary, Charlestown Secondary School, Immaculate Conception Catholic School, Nevis International Secondary School, Verchilds High School and the Washington Archibald High School are expected to present on the topic- “Making the case for Broadcast Media (Radio), in a world of Emerging Technology”.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Mr. William Vincent Hodge explained that this collaboration between ZIZ and Ministry of Education will be very beneficial to the participants. Students’ research skills will be harnessed, their listening skills improved, and they will experience a boost in their self-confidence.
“There are several benefits that the students stand to gain from participating in this exercise…building their self-confidence and their ability to develop their articulation and enunciation skills. Additionally because they [will be] engaged in research, getting new information they will be able to develop their research skills…add new information to their repertoire.” He said “it’s going to encourage them to listen to radio more, that radio has a value”.
Mr. Hodge noted that ZIZ “seeks to engage young people with a view to helping students, children to be good speakers and, to be able to speak spontaneously…” through their Saturday Morning Programme.
He further stated that young people should be able to represent themselves vocally at short notice, adding that the speech competition will be an additional building block in achieving such.
PS Hodge congratulated ZIZ Broadcasting Cooperation on celebrating their Diamond Anniversary and wished them every success.
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Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 28, 2020 (SKNIS): Minister of Social Security, the Honourable Eugene Hamilton, has saluted the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board for the invaluable assistance it has provided to 214 children under its High School Scholarship Programme.
The minister made the statement on Tuesday, October 27, 2020, at a ceremony where twenty-one persons were inducted into the programme.
Minister Hamilton stated that over the past 37 years, the scholarships not only provided “direct assistance to the students and parents of deserving scholars, who may not without this type of assistance realize their fullest potential, but would also propel our Nation into unchartered educational spaces, building our human capital index, and collaterally our Social Security fund.”
He cited several prominent personalities within the society who were recipients of a scholarship award.
“To date, I am advised that the Social Security Board has invested over $2 million in education, and can boast hearty alumni of over 200 persons including Nevis’ Premier Honourable Mark Brantley, Ms Maritza Bowry, Mr. Mark Caesar, Mr Leslie Sugarbowl Morton, Mr Khale Thomas, Ms Tishanna Hazel, Mr Miguel Thomas, who is the new Principal of the Verchilds High School, and of course there are many others,” Minister Hamilton stated.
He continued, “As Minister of Social Security, I am extremely proud of the seed that was sown, watered and the tree that now bears fruits of many kinds. Students, you too can continue to make us all proud if you commit yourself to the challenges ahead. I assure you that in my role, I will ensure that the Scholarship Committee and all involved value you as a priority as I certainly do. That you will be provided with the tools and resources required for success as we build on this investment, I can tell you confidently that my government is committed to excellence and success, and you have in fact been afforded an excellent opportunity to succeed.”
The minister reflected on the COVID-19 global pandemic and encouraged the 21 students to hold on to the promise that there is a better tomorrow awaiting them.
The Susanna Lee High School induction ceremony was also attended by Minister of Education, Honourable Jonel Powell, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, William V. Hodge. The scholarship programme was established in 1983.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 28, 2020 (ZIZ News): Principal of the Verchild’s High School, Miguel Thomas has voiced his concerns over discrepancies found among the grades of some of his students for the June-August CSEC examinations during the Ministry of Education’s CXC Results Press Conference on Monday.
He revealed some of the instances where some of the grades returned from CXC do not accurately reflect what was done on the paper.
“We recorded a number of other discrepancies where student’s grades are concerned, we are grateful again for students who would have passed but if I might add just a few examples…In one instance we had one student who did not attempt a component of an exam so the child received zero for that component however the child came back with a grade one….in another instance we had one student recording a grade one with one A and two Cs in the profile.”
He also noted that there were 2 students with the lowest SBA scores receiving grade ones and students who scored high on their SBA’s receiving lower grades.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, William Hodge said that other principals are in the process of assessing their school’s results and would have submitted the first draft of queries on Monday.
“Schools are in the process of documenting their queries, they have until today Monday to give us the first draft of their queries the deadline by which they should reach to CXC is actually later it’s in October, apart from Mr. Thomas we have not received any other direct complaints from principals at yet but they are putting their queries together in terms of the number of persons whose grades they might want to query.”
Countries across the region have been raising concerns regarding the CSEC and CAPE preliminary results and a petition also started on the Change.org website shortly after the release last week calling for an urgent and thorough review of the results.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 24, 2020 (SKNIS): The Honourable Lindsay Grant, Member of Parliament for Saint Christopher Four and Minister of Tourism, Transport and Ports, has awarded six scholarships to students of his constituency
“Normally what would happen is that we give six scholarships every year, two to the Tyrell Williams Primary, two to the Bronte Welsh Primary and two to the Verchild’s High School,” said Minister Grant.
“This year we felt that because of the impact of the COVID-19, rather than giving the five hundred dollar voucher, we know that a significant number of the classes will be virtual, so we figured that this year we will give out tablets to each of the students who would receive something this evening,” he said.
He thanked the parents for showing support to their children in their quest to gain an education.
According to Minister Grant, the criteria for attaining the scholarships are that the students must be academically inclined and also in need of the devices for enhancing their learning experience. The scholarship recipients are chosen by their teachers for meeting the criteria.
Bhodainna Hazel Bronte and T’Quandre Murray of the Welsh Primary School; Khalyd Seaton and Kelvincia Sutton of the Verchild’s High School; Chiquannia Durant and Anthony Perdereaux of the Terrel Williams Primary School were the students who were awarded the scholarships.
The scholarship handing over ceremony took place on September 15, 2020 at the Ministry of Tourism Conference Room.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 31, 2020: All parents/guardians and students of the Verchilds High School, Please note that all outstanding SELF books are to be returned to the school on Wednesday 5th August 2020 from 9:00am to 12:00pm
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 27, 2020 Minister of Education Hon. Jonel Powell said he is excited about the prospects and plans for Technical and Vocational Education in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
In a meeting with the TVET Secretariat last week, Minister Powell was introduced to staff at the unit which according to TVET Secretariat Director Dr. Kertney Thompson is set to increase the effectiveness and scope of the organization.
Dr. Thompson highlighted the secretariat’s ongoing programmes including civil works which will upgrade the technical and vocational education facilities at high schools and TVET establishments on both islands.
The Director also revealed specifically that contracts for Cayon and Sandy Point High TVET facilities were being finalized, final approval to start the bidding process at Verchilds High School was underway and the secretariat was also in the final stages of a report for the project which will take place at Saddlers Secondary.
A total of 3.3 million dollars of work is to be done at the secondary schools, while an approximated 4.5 million in construction work is expected at the Advanced Vocational Educational Centre (AVEC).
Minister of Education Hon. Jonel Powell said it was heartening to see this kind of progress being made as far as state of the art TVET facilities as well as the full complement of staff at the TVET Secretariat.
He commented that he had had to insist that he be allowed to study welding while in school. According to the minister, he was not considered a technically inclined student, but more academically focused.
The role of the TVET Secretariat includes accrediting TVET institutions, driving curriculums for TVET, approving TVET centres as well as training assessors and verifiers.
According to Dr. Thompson is the overall objective of TVET Enhancement to transform the economy from the traditional academic focus to a career development system regardless of the field of endeavour.
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