Remarks by Honourable Sharie B. de Castro

Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports

Educators Professional Day

August 28th 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

Premier, Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley; Minister for Health, Honourable Vincent Wheatley; Acting Chief Education Officer, Mrs. Orlandette Crabbe; our esteem guests that are here with us, members from the teaching service commission, our amazing private sector partners, Unite BVI, principals, teachers, counsellors, support staff, education officers in the ministry, once again good morning to you all. 

Today marks not just the beginning of a new school year, but the continuation of an incredible journey of Moving Virgin Islands Education: Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead.  In a world of rapid change and unforeseen challenges, I stand before you with a deep sense of appreciation for your dedication.  It was not long ago that I stepped into the role of Minister, a role that came with immense responsibility during a tumultuous time.  Yet, together, we faced adversity head-on and achieved remarkable milestones.  Your unwavering commitment to our children's education and your resilience despite the odds has truly, truly inspired me.

Reimagining education in the Virgin Islands has been at the core of our endeavors. Education should not take a one-size-fits-all approach; it should be a personalized journey that caters to the unique needs, strengths, and passions of each student. We must recognize that children are not uniform products on an assembly line, but individual stars that shine with distinct brilliance.  It is our duty as educators to ensure that the light within each child is nurtured and encouraged to shine brightly.

To achieve this, we must discard the outdated notion of education as a rigid structure where every child must fit a specific mold.  We must cast aside the notion of schools as factories and students as products.  Such a view restricts innovation, stifles flexibility, and diminishes the uniqueness of each learner.

As teachers of course I know we know the game Simon Says.  In this instance we will play a game called, Education says.  If we think about it ultimately education decides and determines what our students will do.  Please indulge me for just two minutes.

So we’ll play the game…

Education says to stand.

Education says clap your hands.

Stop clapping.

Education says stop clapping.

Education says turn around one time.

Education says put your finger on your nose.

Make noise.

Education says to quack like a cow.

Ok, let’s move Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead.

Education says stand like a flamingo.

That’s IMAGINATION!

Education says to take your hand off your nose.

Education says to shake the hand of the person next to you.

That’s COLLABORATION.

Education says to ponder this question, if you could be an animal, what would you be and why?

Now, Education says to make the sound of that animal.

Education says to stop making that noise, and please take your seat, and give yourselves a round of applause.

Ladies and gentlemen, education in the past would have said, that when you made the sound of your animal, that was CONFUSION!  Education now says WOW!! That’s PROGRESS!! That’s INNOVATION!!

Instead of doing what we have done in the past, let us embrace our schools as gardens, where the individuality of each student is recognized, cultivated, and allowed to flourish. Once we commit to doing this, just as a garden thrives with diverse plants, our schools will blossom as we nurture creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving, recognizing that each young mind has something extraordinary to offer.

We must continue to reimagine education and embrace a new paradigm; one that celebrates diversity as we just did and accommodates various learning styles. We must endeavour to teach children the way they learn and adapt our methods to the varied landscapes of the young minds we cultivate.

This is a transformative journey that requires our collective efforts as educators.  You are not just teachers; you are trailblazers, agents of change, and champions of progress.  The impact you make in your classrooms every single day resonates far beyond the confines of those walls.  It shapes futures, molds destinies, and influences the trajectory of our territory.

When you first chose this noble profession, it was the promise of making a profound impact on the lives of children that beckoned you.  You saw the potential within each young mind, the opportunity to shape not just careers, but character and creativity.  Your unwavering commitment to this vision, despite the hurdles that sometimes cast shadows, is a testament of your dedication.

Change in education is not only necessary but imperative.  Last school year you brilliantly and boldly lived out the quote, “You can’t get change if you give exact but if you give more, you get change.”  Every day, you showed up not just to impart information, but to give a piece of yourselves to your students.  Like a potter shaping clay into a masterpiece, you molded the raw potential of your students into refined excellence.  You did not merely impart knowledge; you ignited passion.  You did not merely grade papers; you shaped character.  You did not merely deliver lessons; you instilled values.  In every single lecture, in every single assignment, and in every single interaction, you invested not just your time, but your hearts and your souls.  I saw it. I felt it.  In fact, we all did.

You gave more time, as you stayed after school to provide extra help, to guide and support students who needed it.  You gave more talent, as you designed innovative lessons that engaged and inspired students.  You tailored your approaches to different learning styles, and sought to create a nurturing environment where every single student felt valued.  You gave more resources, tapping into your own creativity and of course often reaching into your own pockets to ensure that your students had the tools that they needed to succeed.

Your classrooms, became laboratories of possibilities.  Our collective commitment to a holistic education approach with this new initiative to move Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead, fueled fires of learning.  Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics they’re not just mere subjects.  You would note that they are the building blocks of progress, the tools that will shape tomorrow's thinkers, creators, and problem solvers. This S.T.E.A.M. approach that you have so bravely embraced has ignited the flames of creativity in our students.  The shift from rote memorization to skills-based learning has equipped our students with the tools that they need to excel in a dynamic, ever-evolving world.  Through S.T.E.A.M. we have empowered our students, every single one of you to think critically, collaborate effectively, and innovate boldly.  These skills we know are the cornerstones of success.

So this school year as we continue to Move Virgin Islands education Full S.T.E.A.M. ahead, through the inclusion of new subjects at the secondary level, our students will eagerly explore the intricate landscapes of coding, programming, robotics, and engineering.  The inclusion of these digital skills in our curriculum is akin to arming our students with tools that enable them to sculpt their dreams, to engineer their aspirations, and to paint their future in the vibrant hues of technology.  I want to encourage you and remind you that each stroke, each algorithm, each circuit will bring forth a symphony of possibilities, much like an orchestra producing a melody of innovations.

Educators, in today's world, where the heartbeat of progress is measured in technological strides, I believe that digital literacy is paramount.  If you think about it, just as a sailor navigates the seas guided by the stars, if we continue moving Full S.T.E.A.M. ahead, so too will our students navigate the complex currents of this digital landscape.  I believe firmly that the addition of digital literacy classes isn't just an enhancement; it is necessary, it will empower our students not only to keep up with the pace of change but to surge ahead as pioneers of change.  These skills are the foundation upon which careers in this territory will be built, upon which ideas will be materialized, and upon which breakthroughs will be achieved.

As Minister of Education, I can already picture those classrooms pulsating with excitement as the spark of innovation ignites, as the joy of learning becomes infectious, and as the hum of creativity and the thrill of discovery permeates the air.  Let us remain committed to creating classrooms where the digital realm becomes our students’ canvas and the palette is limited simply only to the scope of what they can imagine.

As we commit to fostering a STEAM-infused education system, we are not just preparing students for the future; we are equipping them to be the architects of the future.  We are sculpting problem solvers, and critical thinkers, trailblazers who will chart new territories and rewrite the narratives of progress in these Virgin Islands as they become the pioneers of industries, propelling our economy forward.

That is why as a government, we recognize the profound impact of education on the economy.  Education is not just an investment in individuals; it is an investment in the very fabric of our society.  That is why the Premier and Minister of Finance and the entire government of the Virgin Islands is ensuring that we, put our money where our mouth is, that we ensure that we fuel economic growth, drive innovation, and create a skilled workforce by ensuring that we provide education the funding and resources that it needs.

We believe, and I believe firmly having sat where you sit, not too long ago, that it is through the doors of your classrooms that tomorrow's leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs, and artists will emerge, ready to tackle every single challenge and opportunity that lies ahead in these Virgin Islands.

Educators, while we can sit in the ministry and we can seek to plan and strategize, we believe that you are the one on the ground who will be the architects of this transformation.  You hold in your hands the power to shape every single mind, to instill values, and to mold every character that enters into your door.  Your dedication and your passion, I don’t want you to ever think that we do not see it. We see your commitment and we believe that it is that dedication and commitment that is the mortar that binds the dream of our youth and the realities of their achievement.

So I have to acknowledge the hard work of the Ministry’s team, not just education, but also Youth Affairs and Sports.  Because we all know that learning extends beyond the school year and certainly beyond school hours.  So I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the success of the DYAS Summer Camps and to celebrate the resurgence of afterschool programs in all public primary and secondary schools on Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke.  I was a product of these programmes when they existed before and I am certain that the return of this long-awaited programme after a decade of not being in place will definitely create a level of purpose and a sense of security during the hours after school, when we know that our students are often unattended and unchallenged. 

So we are excited that every single school in the Territory from October 2^nd to December 7^th from Monday to Thursday weekly, when the clock strikes at 3:45, it will signal the extension of the school day, where our children will engage in S.T.E.A.M. activities, academic tutoring and grassroots sports.

In closing, I take this opportunity to celebrate the arrival of a new cohort of remarkable individuals who have embraced the call to be torchbearers of knowledge, and shapers of destinies.

I want to take this opportunity once again as the Premier and CEO has done, to reflect on the Let's Teach VI initiative that sought to bring fresh voices and vibrant energy into our educational landscape. The goal was to tap into the wellspring of potential that exists among high school graduates and those holding associates’ degrees and bachelor’s degrees in content areas. These individuals, with their unique perspectives and passions are now embarking on a full time journey to become Teacher Trainees and Recruits in our education system.

I am elated to announce that this initiative has been an unequivocally successful.  This school year we welcome 30 Teacher Trainees and Recruits to the profession.

Additionally, we also welcome about 30 new trained teachers into our education system.  We welcome you as you have come to integrate and be a part of the change.  These individuals, will continue to make a difference, and they will become agents of change just like every single one of you sitting here and I encourage you to mentor them to encourage them, so that they can become life partners in education as so many of you have decided to be. 

I cannot leave without acknowledging the 9 new Principals and Assistant Principals that have accepted the call to lead our amazing institutions and I want to take this opportunity to speak about the amazing reality of what it means to be a teacher trainee. I am certain that in this new cohort of principals there are individuals who would have started off as a teacher trainee a long time ago.

If you are a new principal and you started off as a teacher trainee, just stand as an example to the teacher trainees that are starting now and show them what is possible. Principal Marshall, Principal Fraites, Principal Rhymer, thank you so much.  There is room for growth and development in education.  To the 10 teacher trainees who will start this year, look at those principals, this year they start as the leaders of their institutions after giving years of service and dedication to education.  Let’s continue to elevate in the profession and let’s acknowledge the hard work of the ones, who would have started from the very bottom and are now at the top. 

I acknowledge the acting CEO, because she too started out as a teacher trainee in the system, and there are many others.  Mr. Todman as well, our amazing emcee, he started out as a teacher trainee, he is now the principal of the Enis Adams primary school.  This teacher trainee program, we have passionately reinstituted it, and we believe for decades to come it will furnish our education system with the much needed professionals that we need to keep moving Full S.T.E.A.M. ahead.

So let me close by saying absolutely education is by far the best profession in the world. I believe as educators we can boldly say, that it is the profession that builds every single profession.  It is the torch that ignites passion, it is a catalyst for curiosity, and a vessel for transformation.

Let me remind every single one of you sitting here today educators, the impact of your work will speak for you for decades to come.  To the new ones you are now a part of the noblest profession and to the ones who have been here, they now join hundreds of you seasoned educators to be the architects of dreams, the instigators of change, and the custodians of our collective future.

Together, let us continue to reimagine education, to empower our students not just to succeed, but to excel; not just to learn, but to love learning. Let us cultivate an environment where every child's potential is recognised, nurtured, and celebrated.

Educators let me express my deepest and most sincere gratitude to every single one of you, both public and private schools, teachers, principals, counsellors, educators who sit here today.  I see your unwavering commitment, I appreciate your unwavering commitment, I believe, wholeheartedly, that you are the heart and soul of our education system.  I am confident that, with your passion and dedication, we will continue to light the way forward for generations of Virgin Islanders to come.

God bless you and I wish you an amazing 2023-2024 school year.