Hon. Octavia Alfred, Dominica’s Minister of Education, Human Resource Planning, Vocational Training, and National Excellence, is poised to take on the role of Chair of the OECS Council of Ministers: Education. This leadership transition will occur during the 10th Meeting of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Council of Ministers for Education (COM:Edu), set for September 25–26, 2025, at the State House Conference Center in Roseau. The event, as detailed in a Ministry of Education media release, will bring together education ministers and senior officials from OECS member states to discuss and advance the objectives of the OECS Education Sector Strategy (OESS) 2012–2026. The OESS, designed to address the unique challenges of Small Island Developing States, provides a framework for transformative educational reforms across the region. Key agenda items include inclusive education, improving learning outcomes, and comprehensive system reforms. Participants will also collaborate with development partners and regional agencies to strengthen collective efforts on educational initiatives. The meeting aims to modernize primary school curricula, enhance early grade assessments, expand access to quality early childhood education, and promote inclusive teaching practices. Additionally, efforts will focus on accelerating the implementation of the OECS Digital Learning Ecosystem by expanding digital infrastructure, increasing device availability, integrating high-quality digital content, and improving digital literacy among teachers and students. The event will also facilitate the exchange of best practices and innovative approaches, enabling member states to learn from each other’s successes and scale effective strategies. Strengthening partnerships with regional and international organizations will be crucial to coordinating expertise, funding, and policies to drive systemic improvements across the OECS. The official opening ceremony is scheduled for 8:30 AM.
Dominica to host OECS education ministers council meeting; Alfred assumes chair
