The
Development Planning Unit
Government of the British Virgin Islands

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

In keeping with the goals and objectives of the National Integrated Development Strategy and the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Governments of the United Kingdom and the British Virgin Islands, the Ministry/Department of Education and Culture is charged with ensuring that a comprehensive review of the education system is completed by the first quarter of the year 2000.

The last comprehensive review of the education system of the British Virgin Islands was conducted in 1988. The need for this education review arose out of concern over a number of problems with the BVI education system e.g.Curriculum Development, Training Policies, Technical/Vocational Education, etc.

In 1990, the Government of the British Virgin Islands commissioned the Overseas Development Agency (ODA) to carry out an extensive study on education in the BVI. The main focus of this study was to translate the recommendations of the 1988 Education Review into a set of clearly defined policies, plans and educational programmes. On this basis the ODA team produced "The First Five-year Development Plan for Education" (1990). The plan was supposedly designed to meet the needs of the BVI economic and social structures. The three (3) goals were:

(1) Access and Provision
(2) Appropriate Curricula and Assessment
(3) Quality Assurance

Since the publication of this document, the British Virgin Islands has experienced rapid and significant changes in its physical, cultural, demographic, social and economic structures. For example, the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College has been in operations for the past nine years offering a wide variety of programmes and courses at tertiary level. Also, the need for more deliberate involvement in promoting Technical/Vocational education is greater and has become more urgent, while the social and behavioral factors have brought new problems and attitudes. Therefore, this review is intended to examine the existing situation with a view towards raising the educational standards in order to facilitate the active participation of British Virgin Islanders in the economic, political and social development of the Territory. It should also provide the skilled manpower needed by all sectors of the economy to enable the development of the British Virgin Islands by British Virgin Islanders. In other words, our aim is to develop a first class education system that must enhance and sustain a high quality of life, enable all citizens to reach their full potential and be globally competitive.

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This page was last updated on: Monday, 21st November 2005