Foreword from the Minister of Education National Reconciliation, Ecclesiastical Affairs and Information
The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines continues to invest annually between 17-20% of its budgetary allocation to education. It is our aim to develop our islands’ human resources, through the sustainable provision of quality learning opportunities for all, in order to equip our people with the required values, attitudes, levels of skills and knowledge necessary for creating and maintaining a productive, innovative and harmonious society.
The annual Education Statistical Digest produced by the Ministry of Education, National Reconciliation and Ecclesiastical Affairs is a comprehensive source of data needed to measure the performance of our educational institutions in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Also, the Digest informs various stakeholders in their decision-making and provides information for further research that informs policy in this sector.
The capture of data from the pre-primary to the tertiary level is essential in guiding us toward evidenced based operations. It is also a means of ensuring that we are performing creditably at the local, regional and international levels. Furthermore, the data herein is critical to ensure that the educational sector is meeting the needs of our citizens and providing them with additional opportunities for self-actualisation.
Despite the challenges in the academic year 2016-2017, there have been steady improvements in the performance of our students. I commend all of the persons who contributed to this edition of the Digest. Special thanks to the principals and teachers of the various schools who supplied most of the data in order to facilitate the process. We value your contributions.
I welcome your comments and suggestions on how we can improve future publications.
Honourable St. Clair Prince
Minister of Education, National Reconciliation and Ecclesiastical Affairs