Education Minister Kenson Casimir says Saint Lucia’s schools must go beyond academic achievement and do more to prepare students for the realities of the workplace and adult life.
Casimir acknowledged that while students are receiving strong academic foundations, greater emphasis must be placed on practical life skills, workplace readiness, ethics, teamwork and personal development.
His comments came amid concerns that some young people are leaving school without sufficient knowledge of basic workplace issues, including employee rights, the Labour Code, sick leave procedures and handling conflict on the job.
Casimir described the issue as one of his biggest concerns within the education sector, arguing that education must ultimately prepare young people to function successfully in society.
“It is my biggest concern with the education sector,” Casimir said, pointing to the need for programmes that help young people develop into “more meaningful citizens.”
The minister stressed that academic qualifications alone do not guarantee success, saying attitude and character can have a major impact on a young person’s ability to secure and maintain employment.
“I keep saying to my twins that at the end of the day you can have all the grades in the world, but a nasty attitude will not land you a job. You will not be successful in life,” he said.
Casimir said schools are already incorporating life skills into education, but acknowledged that more needs to be done to produce well-rounded graduates who are better equipped for employment.
The Ministry of Education is now looking to expand programmes beyond traditional academics, with greater focus on practical skills, team building, ethics and personal development.
“I think we will be implementing a lot of programmes that are off the books that are more life-skills centred team building, ethics in education, in life and that sort of thing to ensure that we have a more well-rounded workforce in the future,” Casimir said.
