The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus has inaugurated a specialized Educational and Psychological Assessment Unit (EPAU) to address learning difficulties among young students across Barbados. Funded by a $200,000 Caribbean Development Bank grant, this initiative establishes a dedicated pathway for identifying and supporting educational needs within the Caribbean cultural context.
EPAU Coordinator Erin Mahon revealed that the unit primarily serves nursery through secondary school students experiencing learning gaps, with ambitions to expand services to university students. “Currently, university students seeking learning assessments are outsourced to private psychologists,” Mahon told Barbados TODAY. “We aim to become the primary assessment resource for all educational levels.”
The unit operates through a referral system with the Ministry of Educational Transformation while maintaining direct collaboration channels with schools and families. Beyond comprehensive psychoeducational assessments, EPAU offers targeted screening services and group consultations. The unit is currently conducting literacy and mathematics screenings across first-form classes to identify students requiring additional support.
A distinctive feature of EPAU’s methodology is its cultural grounding in Caribbean realities. “Our assessments are interpreted within the cultural and linguistic context of our learners,” Mahon emphasized. “Recommendations are specifically tailored to be realistic for small island developing states.”
Chief Education Officer Dr. Ramona Archer Bradshaw endorsed the unit as complementary to the ministry’s Every Child Barbados initiative. “Despite expanding our student support services from 12 to over 40 professionals in six years, demand continues to outpace capacity,” Dr. Bradshaw stated during the launch ceremony. “This unit will provide critical support where our systems are most stretched, particularly for vulnerable students.”
The EPAU will also enhance educator capabilities through specialized workshops training teachers and principals in interpreting assessment reports and implementing recommendations. Strategic partnerships with speech pathologist Jamelle Roberts and early childhood specialist Tanisha Morris will further strengthen the unit’s multidisciplinary approach.
Dr. Bradshaw highlighted the dual academic and psychological objectives: “While exam success remains important, we must equally prioritize psychological wellbeing. This unit will ensure children receive comprehensive support systems preparing them for both present challenges and future opportunities.”