Educators in the Virgin Islands have completed an intensive week of training on the new digital OECS Harmonised Primary Curriculum, an initiative set to transform teaching and learning across the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

The curriculum, developed under the OECS PEARL Project (Programme for Educational Advancement and Relevant Learning), spans Kindergarten through Grade 6 and covers all four core subject areas. The initiative represents a unified regional effort to modernize classroom instruction, strengthen student engagement, and provide teachers with digital tools that enhance their effectiveness.

Chief Education Officer Mrs. Orlandette Crabbe said the Virgin Islands has been part of the development process from the very beginning.

“We were represented on the development, enrichment, and assessment teams,” Mrs. Crabbe explained. “So, we have seen this project take shape and are confident in what it will deliver. The curriculum is designed to provide a 21st-century experience for our students and aligns perfectly with our STEAM mandate. It increases collaboration, creativity, and communication in the classroom while giving teachers the digital support they need to succeed.”

The training, which brought together participants from Grenada and St. Lucia, focused on preparing a core group of local educators who will serve as trainers for the Territory’s pilot schools: Alexandrina Maduro Primary, Leonora Delville Primary, and Bregado Flax Educational Centre Primary Division. Over the next six months, these trainers will continue working with teachers at the pilot institutions in preparation for the official rollout in September.

Project Manager for the OECS PEARL Project Mr. Rafer Gordon said the new curriculum is one of the most significant education advancements in the region in recent years.

“This curriculum is high quality and future-focused,” Mr. Gordon stated. “It was designed with the realities of today’s digital world in mind. It emphasizes the competencies students need to thrive, such as critical thinking, creativity, technological fluency, and civic engagement, and it integrates artificial intelligence and digital tools to make learning more immersive and responsive. Teachers can generate lesson plans and assessments directly from the platform, allowing them to spend more time engaging with their students.”

Mr. Gordon added that the curriculum was developed collaboratively with more than 150 educators from eight OECS member states serving as writers, reviewers, and enrichers. “That level of regional collaboration has allowed us to create something that is not only harmonised but deeply reflective of who we are as a Caribbean people,” he said.

Mr. Johnell Mitchell, Curriculum Support Officer from Grenada, said the regional partnership taking place in the Virgin Islands reflects the true spirit of OECS integration.

“What is happening here speaks volumes,” he shared. “It shows that we are one. Our students across the OECS are influenced by similar challenges and opportunities, so by working together, we can share best practices and strengthen each other. This new curriculum has already changed the way we teach in Grenada, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach and giving teachers and students the flexibility and digital tools to personalize learning.”

Also contributing to the training was Ms. Selma Biscette, Curriculum Support Officer for St. Lucia’s national team, who described the initiative as regional integration in action.

“Throughout the Caribbean, we have a wealth of knowledge,” Ms. Biscette said. “This collaboration shows how much we can achieve when we support each other. The OECS has built tremendous capacity through this project, and by sharing that with the Virgin Islands, we are strengthening the entire region. What is striking is how similar our education systems are and how much potential we have when we work together.”

With the completion of the training, the Virgin Islands’ education team will now refine its implementation strategy, outlining timelines for teacher training, monitoring, and ongoing support for the three pilot schools. The initiative marks an important step in advancing the Territory’s education transformation agenda and deepening collaboration across the region.