Carib Scope

分类： education

  • 39th annual Twenty Pearls programme kicks off with pinning ceremony for 46 young women

    39th annual Twenty Pearls programme kicks off with pinning ceremony for 46 young women

    On the island of Grand Bahama, a decades-long initiative focused on uplifting young women has entered its latest iteration. The Pi Upsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. officially launched its 39th annual Twenty Pearls signature programme on October 8, opening with a celebratory pinning ceremony hosted at the scenic Rand Nature Center for over 40 selected high school participants.

    Under this year’s event theme “The Power of Excellence”, Senator D’Asante Small took the stage as the keynote speaker to address the 46 high school girls gathered for the ceremony. Each student received a custom program pin to mark their acceptance into the year-long development initiative, joining a legacy of hundreds of young women who have taken part in the program over nearly four decades.

    In her remarks, Small urged the young participants to frame excellence not as a one-time achievement or a final end goal, but as an ongoing daily practice shaped by intentional habits. She emphasized that consistent personal growth is rooted in four core pillars: self-discipline, intentional leadership, personal responsibility, and supportive sisterhood. “Excellence is just not a destination. It’s about your habits, your discipline, your commitment, your courage to show up every day and just be your better selves,” Small told the crowd of students, mentors, and community members.

    Beyond personal practice, Small highlighted the critical role that mentorship plays in expanding young women’s horizons. Visibility of women in leadership positions, she explained, helps young people recognize the full scope of opportunities available to them, rather than limiting their ambitions based on limited representation. She also called on established women leaders across the country to remain accessible to emerging generations, offering guidance as young women navigate both personal milestones and early professional pathways.

    Small added that young women today require more tangible, real-world support than what they can access through social media platforms. Positive role modeling, structured guidance, and direct exposure to career pathways, professional development opportunities, and college scholarships are all essential to helping young women turn their ambitions into action, she noted.

    Reflecting on the program’s nearly 40-year history, Small praised the relentless commitment of the sorority members who have sustained the initiative since its launch. She noted that the program’s longevity itself stands as a testament to the sacrifice and dedication of generations of volunteers, and that it has created a powerful intergenerational pipeline: passing a vision of empowerment from older sorority members to young students, who then go on to contribute positively to their home communities.

    Alisa Arthur, chair of the Twenty Pearls Committee, outlined the full scope of programming that participants will engage in over the coming months. Throughout the program, students will take part in structured church outreach and community service projects, alongside targeted skill-building sessions focused on college application readiness, career exploration, leadership development, and self-awareness.

    The year-long initiative will wrap up on April 4, 2027, with a formal awards ceremony that will celebrate participants’ growth across academic achievement, community engagement, and leadership. At that event, the sorority will also award need-based and merit scholarships to qualifying participants. Arthur shared that the 2023-2024 program cycle awarded more than $15,000 in total scholarship funding to three participants. Two of those recipients earned full scholarships to attend Philander Smith College, while the third received a partial scholarship to LeMoyne-Owen College.

    As the program enters its 39th year, Arthur reaffirmed the local chapter’s unwavering commitment to the founding legacy established back in 1987. For nearly four decades, the program has centered on providing mentorship and hands-on opportunities to help young Bahamian women build the practical skills and confidence they need to thrive in higher education and their future careers, a mission that remains unchanged today.

  • Education : Continuing education for approximately fifty school inspectors

    Education : Continuing education for approximately fifty school inspectors

    In a proactive push to upgrade Haiti’s public education system, Haiti’s Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP) hosted a one-day professional development seminar on October 9, 2026, in Pétion-Ville for roughly 50 school inspectors from the country’s West Department. Centered on the core theme of “Pedagogical and Administrative Supervision,” the training brought together frontline education leaders to refine practices that underpin consistent school performance across the region.

    Opening the workshop, Étienne Louisseul France, the West Departmental Director of Education, framed the continuing education initiative as far more than a routine professional update: it is a non-negotiable investment in sustained educational quality. As the critical intermediary between the ministry’s central administration and individual school communities, school inspectors hold outsized influence over how national education policies translate to real classroom outcomes, he explained. Their work shapes everything from teaching quality to school operations, making regular upskilling essential to meeting evolving sector demands.

    Delivered by three experienced senior inspectors—Guiteau Francois, Asselhomme Saintil, and Bien-Aimé Point-Dujour—the training curriculum covered key priority areas core to the inspector’s mandate. Modules explored modern pedagogical supervision frameworks, the evolving scope of the inspector’s role, structured strategies to support school pedagogical directors, and evidence-based pedagogical observation techniques.

    France stressed that inspectors carry three core, interconnected responsibilities: overseeing educational progress across schools, evaluating classroom teaching practices to drive improvement, and providing ongoing guidance to school principals. To fulfill these duties effectively, he urged participating inspectors to uphold consistent standards of rigor, objectivity, careful judgment, and unwavering accountability in all their work across the department’s schools.

    Harry Moncoeur, one of France’s deputy directors, reinforced these remarks, breaking down the three core pillars of the inspector’s role within Haiti’s broader education ecosystem. First, inspectors are tasked with ensuring all schools adhere to national education standards and approved curriculum frameworks. Second, they conduct systematic evaluations of teaching practices and overall school performance to pinpoint existing strengths and gaps that require targeted intervention. Third, they deliver actionable guidance and ongoing support to both teachers and school leaders, facilitating the spread of proven best practices and fostering a culture of continuous improvement across the education sector.

    Moncoeur emphasized that modern inspector work demands a constantly evolving skill set to keep pace with changing educational needs. Today’s inspectors must master contemporary pedagogical approaches, refined observation and evaluation methodologies, strategic human resource management, data-driven school performance analysis, and the integration of digital tools into their daily oversight work—all competencies that this training was designed to strengthen.

    Claudin St-Jour, Director of Training and Professional Development at MENFP, added context to the initiative, positioning the seminar as a core component of the ministry’s broader campaign to build the capacity of education leaders across the country. “The quality of a nation’s education depends, to a large extent, on the quality of teaching delivered in every classroom,” St-Jour noted. “That quality cannot be improved sustainably without effective, regular, constructive, and student-centered pedagogical supervision.” He further explained that the work of well-trained inspectors creates the supportive conditions teachers need to grow professionally, while ensuring that the Ministry of Education’s core pedagogical guidance is implemented consistently across all schools.

  • The UWI Five Islands graduates first Master of Public Health class

    The UWI Five Islands graduates first Master of Public Health class

    On October 10, 2026, a landmark moment unfolded in Caribbean higher education and public health development, as eight experienced health professionals crossed the graduation stage at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus in Antigua and Barbuda to become the inaugural graduating class of the campus’s Master of Public Health (MPH) programme. The ceremony marked the campus’s second annual graduate graduation event, honoring students across disciplines including the School of Health & Behavioural Sciences, the home of the new MPH degree.

    Of the eight trailblazing graduates, seven are practicing registered nurse-midwives and one is a medical doctor, all of whom completed the rigorous two-year academic programme that launched alongside the 2024/2025 academic year. When the programme first opened for enrollment, 15 students joined the initial cohort, with the eight graduates successfully fulfilling all degree requirements including a capstone research project. Seven of the graduates received full financial support through government scholarships from Antigua and Barbuda, with additional backing from the nation’s Ministry of Health, Wellness, the Environment and Civil Service Affairs. The graduating cohort includes Tanasha Roberts, Chelle Thomas-Humphrey, Miasha John-Carr, Roselia Carriere-Joseph, Elaine Davis, Joyann Richardson-Fiedtkou, Nollareen Andrew-Richards, and Dr. Jonathan McComie.

    In his address to the graduating class, guests, and university community, Professor C. Justin Robinson, Pro Vice-chancellor and campus principal at UWI Five Islands, emphasized the critical role the programme plays for the Caribbean subregion. “We congratulate the inaugural cohort of MPH Graduates,” Robinson said. “As we confront the Triple C Crisis in our region, equipping our health professionals with the knowledge and practice to help build and strengthen the infrastructure in our twin island state and across the subregion is critical.” He went on to explain that the MPH programme is a core component of a broader regional strategy to boost workforce and institutional capacity in high-priority sectors across the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), with public health topping the list of needs.

    Sir Molwyn Joseph, Antigua and Barbuda’s former health minister who attended the celebratory ceremony, noted that the creation of the MPH programme at UWI Five Islands grew directly from intentional policy planning during his tenure to expand local healthcare training capacity. “The Ministry’s support for the programme, and the discussions that led to its addition to the offerings at The UWI Five Islands Campus during my tenure, were part of capacity building in the health sector,” Joseph explained.

    For the graduates themselves, the two-year journey was marked by unique personal and professional challenges that tested their resilience. All eight students began their postgraduate studies in September 2024 while holding active full-time roles in patient care across Antigua and Barbuda’s communities, balancing clinical shifts and long working hours with academic coursework and research requirements. Many of the graduates also balance caregiving responsibilities for their own children, fitting study sessions into late nights, early mornings, and weekends when they were not on duty at clinics or hospitals. The cohort shared that periods of illness, professional exhaustion, and self-doubt created obstacles along the way, but collective peer support carried the group through tight deadlines, demanding semesters, and the rigorous capstone research process.

    The graduation of this first MPH cohort aligns with the School of Health and Behavioural Sciences’ ongoing expansion of postgraduate training opportunities tailored to the unique needs of the Caribbean. In addition to the new Master of Public Health, the school already offers a Master of Science in Non-Communicable Disease Management, a programme designed to address the high burden of non-communicable illnesses across the region that places major strain on local healthcare systems.

    Established in 2019 as the fifth official campus of The University of the West Indies, UWI Five Islands has quickly become a major hub for accessible, world-class higher education across the Eastern Caribbean. As part of the UWI system, which holds consistent top rankings in global university assessments from Times Higher Education (THE), the campus upholds the system’s long legacy of academic excellence while prioritizing programmes that directly address regional development priorities. The campus currently offers more than 45 undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes across four specialized schools: the School of Humanities and Education, School of Business and Management, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences, and School of Science, Computing and Artificial Intelligence. It also hosts the Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy (COBE), a leading research hub focused on marine science and sustainable ocean economic development, a critical sector for small island developing states across the Caribbean.

  • UWI Global Campus Celebrates Class of 2026 at Five Islands Graduation Ceremony

    UWI Global Campus Celebrates Class of 2026 at Five Islands Graduation Ceremony

    On Saturday, 10 October 2026, The University of the West Indies (UWI) Global Campus marked a landmark moment of achievement as hundreds of its distance learners crossed the graduation stage at the UWI Five Islands Campus, capping off years of deliberate effort and personal sacrifice. Thousands of guests, including proud family members, supportive friends, university faculty and community well-wishers, filled the venue to cheer on the new graduates and honor their relentless perseverance through their academic journeys.

    Graduates from three distinct academic faculties were recognized during the ceremony: the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Humanities and Education, and the Faculty of Sport. The cohort earned degrees spanning undergraduate and postgraduate levels, with a notable share of undergraduate students collecting First Class Honours, and many postgraduate graduates walking away with Distinction or Merit classifications for their outstanding academic performance.

    As the UWI system’s flagship online learning institution, the Global Campus was designed to expand access to higher education across the Caribbean, currently serving enrollees across 16 regional nations. Its flexible model was built specifically to accommodate working adults, allowing learners to advance their education without stepping away from their full-time jobs, family care responsibilities, or local community ties. This year’s graduating class embodied that mission: the vast majority of graduates balanced full-time employment, caregiving duties, and active community service alongside their course requirements, making their academic success all the more extraordinary.

    One standout graduate is Malika Ward-Gomes, who served as the 2025/2026 Past Chapter Chair of the UWI Global Campus Guild of Students Antigua Chapter. Ward-Gomes earned a Master of Science in Management Studies with a concentration in Human Resource Management, graduating with Merit. Her achievement shines a light on the unique dedication of student leaders, who commit hundreds of hours to supporting their peers while pushing forward with their own academic goals.

    The Antigua Chapter of the UWI Global Campus Guild of Students issued a formal statement of congratulations to the entire 2026 graduating cohort. “Today we celebrate not just degrees, but the determination, resilience and commitment behind each one,” the organization noted. “Our graduates have shown that with sustained effort, success is within reach. We are so proud of you.”

    Looking ahead, the Antigua Chapter has planned a follow-up event to recognize top-performing students: its annual Honour Roll Ceremony and Guild Induction, scheduled for Sunday, 15 November 2026. The event will honor students who earned outstanding academic marks across the first and second semesters of the 2025/2026 academic year, and welcome the new cohort of student guild leaders for the coming term. To the entire UWI Global Campus Class of 2026, congratulations on this transformative achievement.

  • Ministry Applauds Dennis Thomas for Supporting Top 100 Students

    Ministry Applauds Dennis Thomas for Supporting Top 100 Students

    Antigua’s Ministry of Education has publicly recognized and thanked local philanthropist Dennis Thomas for his generous initiative to celebrate the nation’s highest-achieving Grade Six students. Thomas, who funded and hosted the exclusive gala dinner at his Dennis Beach Bar and Restaurant on Sunday, October 11, organized the event to honor the 2026 Top 100 Grade Six National Assessment performers.

    The celebration came months after the official release of 2026 national assessment results in July, when Thomas first reached out to education authorities to share his vision. Motivated by a desire to uplift young academic talent, he proposed organizing a formal recognition event to reward the students for their extraordinary hard work and academic dedication throughout the school year. The gathering far exceeded expectations, drawing a wide range of attendees including educators, family members, and government representatives. Every participant in attendance left with positive impressions, repeatedly noting how meaningful it was to have a dedicated space to publicly celebrate the young scholars’ milestones.

    Education ministry officials have highlighted Thomas’s contribution as a shining example of how private sector and community investment can strengthen national education outcomes. In an official statement, the ministry applauded Thomas’ consistent long-standing commitment to advancing educational opportunities across the country, emphasizing that his philanthropy sets a powerful precedent for other community and business leaders.

    The ministry also extended an open invitation to Antiguan corporate entities to continue partnering with public education institutions, framing cross-sector collaboration as a core pillar of nurturing young talent. Such community-led recognition initiatives, officials noted, do more than just reward top academic achievement: they reinforce the value of hard work for young learners, and help unlock the vast potential that Antigua’s youth hold for the future of the nation.

  • Farmer Field School launched to equip young Dominican farmers with practical skills

    Farmer Field School launched to equip young Dominican farmers with practical skills

    A new capacity-building initiative focused on empowering youth in agribusiness has kicked off in Dominica, bringing together multiple local and international partners to expand access to practical agricultural training. The 20-week Farmer Field School program, a collaborative venture between Dominica’s Division of Agriculture and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), opened its official session on October 9, 2026, at the Dominica–China Agricultural Science Complex.

    The first cohort of the program draws 15 young participants from the National Association of Youth in Agriculture (NAYA) based in Dominica’s North Agricultural Region, who will engage in five months of immersive, on-site learning. Unlike traditional classroom-focused agricultural education, the Farmer Field School model centers on hands-on skill-building, designed to directly translate learning into on-farm results.

    Over the course of the program, participants will build core technical proficiency across a range of modern sustainable production practices. Training modules cover key areas including both controlled-environment greenhouse cultivation and open-field vegetable growing, hydroponic production systems, integrated crop management, and industry-standard good agricultural practices that align with global food safety and sustainability norms.

    Beyond technical farming skills, the curriculum also prioritizes agricultural entrepreneurship training. This component is designed to help young farmers connect their technical knowledge to market opportunities, guiding them to develop viable, profit-generating business ventures from their agricultural work.

    Instruction is delivered by a diverse team of experienced experts, including extension officers from Dominica’s Division of Agriculture, technical specialists from IOM, seasoned commercial farmer Jeffrey Bruney of Kubuli Farms, and advisors from the Chinese Agricultural Technical Mission. This multi-stakeholder teaching approach combines local practical experience, international development expertise, and established agricultural technical support to deliver a well-rounded learning experience.

    The core long-term goal of the initiative extends far beyond skill development: organizers aim to reshape young people’s perception of agriculture, framing it not as a declining legacy industry, but as a dynamic pathway to formal employment, independent business ownership, and long-term sustainable livelihoods. By exposing the next generation of farmers to innovative, sustainable production methods and business strategies, the program works to strengthen Dominica’s agricultural sector from the ground up, fostering a new cohort of competitive, forward-thinking agricultural entrepreneurs.

    As participants begin their training, the program is anchored in four core guiding principles: learning, personal and professional growth, industry innovation, and entrepreneurial enterprise, all aimed at growing young people’s long-term engagement and success in Dominica’s agricultural economy.

  • Julien Alfred donates 50 books to inspire young Saint Lucian readers

    Julien Alfred donates 50 books to inspire young Saint Lucian readers

    In an event celebrating both local athletic achievement and childhood literacy, Saint Lucia’s iconic Olympic sprint champion Julien Alfred has donated 50 copies of a children’s book telling her inspirational life story to local education charity Diverse Classroom Books. The handover ceremony took place this Friday at Ciceron Primary School, Alfred’s own elementary alma mater that first nurtured her growth.

    Titled *Peanut and the Julien Visit*, the book was written by Saint Lucian author A.L. Dawn French and commissioned by 1st National Bank, one of the island nation’s leading financial institutions. The illustrated title chronicles Alfred’s humble origins, relentless dedication to training, and groundbreaking journey to becoming Saint Lucia’s first Olympic sprint champion, turning her historic career into an accessible, uplifting tale for young readers.

    Diverse Classroom Books, the recipient of the donation, is a Saint Lucian non-profit focused on expanding school library holdings across the island. The organization works to put new, culturally relevant and engaging children’s books into local classrooms, with the core mission of fostering a lifelong love of reading among Saint Lucia’s youth.

    Shnell Donacien, the charity’s founder and a Choiseul native who built an 18-year career in international education across the United Kingdom, India, and most recently China, emphasized that this donation carries unique meaning for the organization’s work. “Over the past 12 months, we have reached more than 20 communities across the island, starting in our home region of Choiseul and expanding to Vieux Fort, Soufrière, Canaries, Blanchard, and Babonneau,” Donacien explained. “The 50 copies of Julien’s book will be distributed to students during our upcoming school visits across all regions of Saint Lucia.”

    Donacien expressed deep gratitude for the collaboration with 1st National Bank and Alfred, noting that the champion’s commitment to literacy sends a powerful message to young people across the island. “We are incredibly proud that Julien Alfred recognizes the critical importance of childhood literacy, and understands the value of having a local role model’s story on school library shelves,” she said. “This generous donation will put an uplifting, relatable Saint Lucian success story directly into the hands of young readers, encouraging them to chase their own dreams, grow through reading, and explore new possibilities.”

    The charity is currently open to new partnerships and requests for support: Saint Lucian schools seeking book donations, and local businesses or organizations interested in partnering to expand access to reading materials across the island, are invited to reach out. Those interested in learning more about Diverse Classroom Books or supporting its work can contact the organization via email at diverseclassroombooks@outlook.com, or follow its work on social media @diverseclassroombooks.

  • Sacred Heart Catholic Pre-Primary School handed over

    Sacred Heart Catholic Pre-Primary School handed over

    After nearly 22 years of operating from temporary accommodation following a devastating hurricane, a brand-new purpose-built early childhood education facility has officially opened its doors in Tivoli, St Andrew, Grenada. On Friday, 2 October 2026, Grenada’s Ministry of Education joined partners from the OECS Programme for Education and Relevant Learning (OECS PEARL) to host a formal opening and handover ceremony for the Sacred Heart Catholic Pre-School, a milestone project that delivers a safe, modern learning space for young learners that were displaced decades ago.

    The origins of this project stretch back to 2004, when Hurricane Ivan destroyed the original campus of La Poterie Pre-School, forcing the program to relocate to makeshift space at the Sacred Heart Catholic School. What began as a temporary arrangement stretched across more than two decades, until the national government prioritized the project as part of its national Construction and Expansion Programme for education infrastructure. The total investment for the project totals more than EC$1.9 million: the Government of Grenada covered the majority of costs, with OECS PEARL contributing EC$312,000 to the construction budget plus an additional EC$104,000 for classroom furnishings, playground equipment and core teaching materials. The Ministry of Infrastructure oversaw construction management, led by engineers Avinash Kumar and Shadab Azam.

    From groundbreaking in June 2025 to final completion of all additional site works in July 2026, the project defied expectations by wrapping up well ahead of its original schedule. Both engineer Shadab Azam and Grenada’s Minister for Education, Senator the Honourable David Andrew, publicly praised local contractor Neville Matthew, owner of Matthew’s Construction Services, for the exceptional quality of work and on-time early delivery.

    The new pre-school facility is designed to serve generations of learners, with a 50-year minimum design life built to OECS regional building code standards. Its reinforced concrete structure is engineered to withstand extreme wind events common to the Caribbean, addressing the vulnerability that destroyed the original campus. Inside, the building features four separate classrooms, each equipped with its own child-sized restroom and hand-washing stations, plus a dedicated sick bay, a full teachers’ lounge with kitchen facilities, and accessible rest areas for staff. Externally, the project includes a purpose-built playground, new perimeter fencing, a retaining wall, and site upgrades to the surrounding grounds, as well as integrated rainwater harvesting tanks at the rear of the building to support sustainable water use.

    For Ann Marie Joseph-Bhola, the Teacher-in-Charge of La Poterie Pre-School who has served the program for more than 20 years, the new facility is a transformative change. She highlighted that thoughtful design choices — from the child-scaled bathroom facilities to the added safety features including perimeter fencing, safety barriers and a dedicated separated playground — address longstanding challenges the school faced in its temporary space. Many of the educational resources supplied by OECS PEARL are resources the program never had access to before, and the new teachers’ lounge marks the first time staff have had a dedicated private space to prepare lessons and rest. “Now that we have a new state-of-the-art building, we can do new things. We won’t be as crammed as we were before. The children will have enough space to interact and to learn,” Joseph-Bhola shared.

    Minister Andrew opened his remarks at the ceremony by extending gratitude to all stakeholders who brought the project to fruition, particularly the Ministry of Education’s Project Unit led by Project Officer Ruth Charles. “It’s always rewarding and fulfilling when you can see something start from the beginning and see it come to a successful end,” he said. “So, this $1.9 million dollar project — the money is nothing compared to the value that we place in these early learners. This fits well with the Ministry of Education’s thrust at early childhood development and education — the Ministry of Education’s thrust towards foundational learning and foundational literacy.” He also outlined upcoming education infrastructure projects in the area, including extending an access ramp connecting the main school to the new pre-school, upgrading the existing main Sacred Heart Catholic School building, and constructing and retrofitting a dedicated math and science laboratory for older students.

    Gail Phillip, Acting Principal of the Sacred Heart Catholic School, called the opening a landmark moment for early childhood education in the community. “Today, we celebrate not simply the handing over of a building but the recognition that early childhood education, provided in a nurturing and supportive environment, is the foundation upon which a child’s future is built,” Phillip said, sharing her heartfelt appreciation for the collaborative effort that delivered the project.

    Contractor Neville Matthew echoed that sense of pride in the finished facility, crediting open collaboration between his construction team, school leadership and teaching staff for enabling the early completion. He expressed hope that the community would care for the new facility to serve learners for decades to come.

    Parent Kamilah Date, whose child attends the pre-school, shared her excitement after touring the new building. “It was a pleasure seeing the building finished so quickly and the bathroom was amazing,” she said. “The person that did this knows what they’re about and they put this into existence and it’s looking real, real beautiful.”

    The opening ceremony drew a crowd of community stakeholders, including senior education ministry officials, school leadership, current parents of pre-school students, and local residents, who gathered to mark the end of a 22-year wait for a permanent, safe learning space for the island’s youngest learners.

  • Texila American University using AI, simulator mannequins to teach medicine

    Texila American University using AI, simulator mannequins to teach medicine

    In a landmark move to modernize medical education, Guyana-based Texila American University (TAU) has announced the integration of cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology and a new simulator mannequin laboratory into its doctor training program, TAU Dean Dr. Dheeraj Bansal confirmed Friday during the institution’s annual white coat ceremony for incoming medical students.

    The white coat ceremony marks the official beginning of a new cohort’s journey toward becoming licensed physicians, welcoming students drawn from a diverse geographic pool that includes Guyana, across Africa, the Caribbean region, India, and North America. Beyond the traditional in-person classroom instruction that forms the core of medical training, Dr. Bansal outlined that the new program will give students unprecedented access to an innovative AI-powered cyber patient portal designed to build clinical reasoning skills before students work with real patients.

    Unlike static training modules, this AI platform lets students practice patient intake by asking questions about medical history, symptoms, and care concerns. The AI-powered virtual patient responds naturally to student queries, walking learners through clinical examinations, diagnostic investigations, and result interpretation. Most critically, the system provides real-time personalized feedback: it flags unnecessary tests that students may have incorrectly ordered, highlights critical examinations that learners missed, and guides students toward evidence-based clinical decision-making.

    Complementing the AI training tool, TAU has also made a significant investment in a full suite of high-fidelity simulator mannequins. These lifelike training mannequins replicate key human bodily functions, including cardiac activity, pulmonary responses, and ocular functions, allowing students to practice hands-on clinical procedures in a low-risk, controlled environment. The combination of AI-powered virtual training and physical simulation is designed to bridge the gap between textbook learning and real-world clinical practice, giving early-stage medical students more opportunities to build confidence and competence before they rotate through real hospital departments.

    Beyond technical and technological upgrades to the curriculum, Dr. Bansal emphasized that TAU’s medical program prioritizes community engagement and compassionate patient care. Incoming students will not only complete classroom and laboratory work during their studies in Guyana, they will also participate in outreach health camps organized in remote, underserved communities across the country, giving learners hands-on experience serving populations with limited access to care.

    Addressing the new cohort directly, Dr. Bansal urged students to cultivate core professional values that go beyond technical medical knowledge. He called on future physicians to practice patience, active listening, respect, and professional conduct both on and off campus. Above all, he emphasized the importance of humanitarian values, ethics, and empathy in clinical practice, reminding students that the core mission of medicine is to reduce patient suffering. “Treat all your patients with care, with empathy and do your best to take the suffering away,” he told the incoming class.

  • Republic Bank donates interactive classroom equipment

    Republic Bank donates interactive classroom equipment

    Grenada’s secondary education sector has reached a notable milestone, as Republic Bank has launched a major digital classroom upgrade initiative at St John’s Christian Secondary School through its flagship corporate philanthropy platform, *The Power to Make a Difference*. The bank has officially handed over the first two of 11 fully outfitted interactive smart boards to the rural campus, kicking off a project that will transform teaching and learning across the institution.

    The full donation package includes not just interactive whiteboards, but also high-resolution projectors, connected computers, and a suite of additional modern educational tools. All resources are designed to elevate digital learning experiences for both educators and students, bridging the gap between traditional classroom instruction and 21st-century digital learning standards.

    Mavis McBurnie, Republic Bank’s General Manager of Operations, led the official handover ceremony. In her remarks, she framed the contribution as far more than a simple technology gift. “These upgraded classrooms are windows to the world,” McBurnie explained. “They give students the tools they need to explore new ideas, create original work, collaborate with peers, and compete on both a local and global stage.”

    She also took time to recognize two key stakeholders that made the project possible: the school’s teaching body, for their proactive willingness to adopt new digital teaching tools, and the St John’s Christian Secondary School Alumni Association, whose long-term vision and on-the-ground dedication were critical to moving the initiative from plan to implementation.

    The investment falls under the *Power to Learn* pillar, one of four core focus areas of Republic Bank’s *The Power to Make a Difference* CSR programme. For St John’s Christian Secondary School, the upgrade marks a historic first: once complete, all 10 general classrooms and the campus Food and Nutrition lab will be fitted with interactive smart board technology, making the school one of the first secondary institutions in Grenada to achieve full digital classroom retrofit — a pioneering step for a small, rural but resilient community.

    Dr. Nerine Augustine, principal of St John’s Christian Secondary School, expressed deep gratitude on behalf of the entire school community. “We are deeply grateful to Republic Bank for this transformative investment in our school,” Dr. Augustine said. “These smart classrooms will open new doors for our students, allowing them to engage with technology in meaningful ways and access learning resources that reach far beyond the walls of the traditional classroom. This is an investment not only in our school, but in the future of our students and the entire St John’s community.”

    She added that the new technology will also empower educators, giving them innovative resources to refine lesson delivery and build more dynamic, interactive learning experiences that resonate with modern students. Looking ahead, the school has already outlined plans to continue its digital upgrade, with the next phase focusing on equipping the Visual Arts, Technical Drawing and Electronics rooms, alongside the campus Computer and Audio-Visual labs.

    Republic Bank’s *The Power to Make a Difference* initiative was designed to drive positive community change across four key priority areas: Power to Learn (education), Power to Help (social development), Power to Care (health and wellness), and Power to Succeed (youth empowerment). The programme focuses on creating lasting, meaningful impact by investing in core community infrastructure and opportunity-building across Grenada.