Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Education have officially commenced a survey in association with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States’ Program for Educational Advancement and Relevant Learning (PEARL).

The program was launched recently to create a new educational experience for children of the OECS, creating greater access to quality education for children.

One of the areas of focus for Antigua and Barbuda is Special Educational Needs.

Education Officer Special Needs Education, Joyann-Ann Harrigan, is encouraging administrators, educators, healthcare professionals, and parents to participate in the process through Survey Monkey.

“There are seven surveys and each group of persons will answer a survey specific to them. Once they have completed that survey and they click submit on Survey Monkey, it goes directly off to the OECS group,” Harrigan explained.

She detailed that the survey is taking place simultaneously in all OECS territories and once the information is gathered, stakeholders will come together and hold discussions on the way forward.

“We will all meet and have a discussion based on what the data is saying. It is to improve special educational needs services within the OECS for the students, for our teachers, for our educators, for our parents, for the community in all spheres.”

The survey will remain open until the end of October 2022. Four main components are contained in the US $ 10 million OECS PEARL program.

They include the enhanced quality and equity of access to Early Childhood Education, enhanced Curriculum and Assessment, strengthened Leadership and Management and Program Management, Institutional Strengthening, Monitoring and Evaluation

The OECS PEARL is a comprehensive four-year program of improvements to education. It builds upon the significant progress that has been made in Special Education across the Caribbean and the OECS.