Key Points from the Minister of Education’s End-of-Year Speech:
1. Overview of the School Year
– The 2023-2024 school year was successful despite challenges, particularly for the worst-performing students.
2. Graduation Statistics
– On July 10, 327 students graduated from Dominica State College.
– Between May to July, 629 students graduated from secondary schools, accounting for 89% of all fifth-form students.
– This high percentage suggests most students are meeting graduation criteria, although analysis is ongoing to confirm trends.
3. Student Certification:
– Students who do not meet graduation criteria still receive a certificate stating they have completed the secondary program.
– Over 820 students are entering secondary school.
4. Ministry’s Objective
– The Ministry aims for 100% of students entering secondary school to complete their program and reach fifth form.
5. Scholarships and Financial Assistance
– Data collection is ongoing for students receiving scholarships and financial assistance through the government’s GATE program (Government Assistance for Tertiary Education).
6. Teacher Engagement:
– Over 90 teachers are attending summer workshops organized by the Dominica Association of Teachers in collaboration with the Canada Teachers Federation.
– Workshops cover classroom management, online assessment, digital literacy, and AI, music, and theatre arts.
7. Technology and Education:
– Workshops organized by IT for Dominica focus on technology and technological thinking to engage students.
– Dominica is leading in the OECS for online learning, assessment, and digital curriculum, and aims to maintain this position.
8. Operational Planning
– 25 Ministry of Education officials are receiving training in operational planning to support the new education sector plan.
9. CXC Results
– The school year will officially end with the release of Caribbean CXC results, which will be officially released in Dominica this year, with a ceremony planned for August.