Bridgetown, Barbados, 30 August 2022 – The bright eager faces of enthusiastic young students and recent graduates once again fill the offices of CIBC FirstCaribbean across the region as the bank recently kicked off its summer intern programme and a new longer immersion programme.

Curtailed for the past two summers due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the bank’s executives and staff were more than eager to welcome a total of 35 interns at their offices in The Bahamas, as well as Barbados, Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago for the 6-week internship programme.

The interns, drawn mainly from the University of the West Indies’ campuses at Cave Hill, Mona and St. Augustine, are stationed across a number of segments including, Digital and Client Experience, Operations and Infrastructure Services, Cloud Infrastructure and Architecture, Enterprise Security, Data Wealth and Data Science.

In addition, to the summer internship programme, the bank’s Technology and Corporate and Investment Banking segments welcomed 16 recent graduates and final year students of the University of the West Indies into its inaugural Technology Innovation Immersion Programme (TIIP), which will see 12 young graduates working in all areas of the bank’s technology department for the next 18 months while another four will rotate through Corporate and Investment Banking for 12 months.

“We are delighted to once again welcome creative and talented young people to our bank as part of our summer internship programme and our new and very exciting TIIP programme. In addition to the valuable experience which these interns will gain, we as a bank also benefit tremendously from the imaginative and energetic perspectives that they bring to our operations,” said Chief Administrative Officer, Neil Brennan.

He added that the bank, located in 15 territories across the English and Dutch Caribbean, was particularly proud of the TIIP programme which is giving UWI graduates the opportunity to gain “valuable and sustained work experience with our bank. The UWI is one of our treasured partners, and one of the first entities we signed a Memorandum of Understanding when the bank was formed back in 2002 and we are proud to continue to give these kinds of unique opportunities to their graduates.”

TIIP participant Cody Jones, a BSc Computer Science and Accounting graduate of UWI, Cave Hill, was impressed from week one with the orientation sessions which introduced participants to the various segments in the bank, describing it as “phenomenal”.

“It presented us with ample opportunities to network with fellow interns, to build lasting relationships that would flourish as we seek to contribute to the organization together. We had the privilege to benefit from a pool of knowledge from across various sectors of the business, from Risk and Wealth Management to Corporate and Investment Banking,” he said.

EDUCATION Minister Glenys Hanna Martin admitted she agrees with observers who feel that "we have a long way to go in education" after the recent release of the BJC and BGCSE statistics.

 

The minister added that the BGCSE and BJC exams reflect “something”, but the fundamental reflection she believed requires their “intense scrutiny” and attention and that is what officials are aiming to do. #The statistics have been met with public disappointment as well as observers regarding it as unsatisfactory. #While education director Marcellus Taylor said there was a 15 percent increase in the number of BGCSE candidates who received a C or higher in five or more subjects this year, an analysis shows only 12.9 percent of the 4,906 candidates fell into this category. There was also a 4.68 percent decrease in the number of candidates who sat the exam this year. #As a result of the decrease in candidates, the number of awarded grades decreased by comparison to last year. #Ms Hanna Martin gave her opinions on improvement in education yesterday at Thelma Gibson Primary School — one of the stops on her tour of selected public schools on the first day back to school. #“My view is we have a long way to go — that’s my view. We have a long way to go in education and in catching up. The BGCSE and BJC exams reflect something, but the fundamental reflection I believe requires our intense scrutiny, intense attention and that is what we’re aiming to do. Not every child is going to do a BGCSE, have ten BGSCEs – that’s the reality. In fact, not many of us here will have that, but they will have their unique talents and abilities,” the Englerston MP told reporters. #“We want to ensure that they have literacy and numeracy as a fundamental and then from there as a staging ground we want to ensure that they are able to develop their full potential. “Even special needs children, they don’t do BGCSEs. We want them to be all that they can be, so that is the objective. Not necessarily to create a cookie cutter of a student, but to be able to create the appropriate environment for our young people to thrive, to succeed and to be able to go out there in the world when the time comes to manage themselves and to do well and to live good lives.” #Speaking directly to the backlash about the exam results, particularly BJCs, she acknowledged people’s feelings of unmet expectations as “legitimate observations” but elaborated on measuring achievement. #“I agree with everyone that we have a long way to go in education. Every person in this country has a vested interest in education and if you have expectations and you feel as if these results do not meet those expectations – those are legitimate observations. For myself, my observation of the results is that we have a long way to go. That is what I say – we have a long way to go, but what I would say, however, is we must ensure when we measure attainment that we do not get stuck on the BGCSE or even the BJC exams,” she told reporters. #“They’re important and where students can attain they will, but we have a lot of children that are going to excel in other areas like technical and vocational. They will excel in the arts. We want to ensure that our children have literacy and numeracy and that they meet the minimum requirement to graduate from high school – that’s the objective. And so I say to the critics we have a long way to go, that’s what my response is to them.” #As it relates to the BJC test results, Mr Taylor said last week there was an increase in the total number of grades and candidates. #“This year 9,571 candidates from 113 centres were registered to sit the examination. Fifty-one were government schools while 62 centres were independent or private. #“The total candidature represents an increase of 0.23 percent when compared to 2021, when 9549 candidates from a total of 112 centres. The total number of grades was 35,340 when compared to 2021. Which was 34,62. This represents an increase of 2.07 percent.” #The total number of grades awarded at A-D increased significantly, while the E-U grades decreased which serves as an indication of an improved performance, it was noted.

The minister added that the BGCSE and BJC exams reflect “something”, but the fundamental reflection she believed requires their “intense scrutiny” and attention and that is what officials are aiming to do.

The statistics have been met with public disappointment as well as observers regarding it as unsatisfactory.

While education director Marcellus Taylor said there was a 15 percent increase in the number of BGCSE candidates who received a C or higher in five or more subjects this year, an analysis shows only 12.9 percent of the 4,906 candidates fell into this category.

There was also a 4.68 percent decrease in the number of candidates who sat the exam this year.

As a result of the decrease in candidates, the number of awarded grades decreased by comparison to last year.

Ms Hanna Martin gave her opinions on improvement in education yesterday at Thelma Gibson Primary School — one of the stops on her tour of selected public schools on the first day back to school.

“My view is we have a long way to go — that’s my view. We have a long way to go in education and in catching up. The BGCSE and BJC exams reflect something, but the fundamental reflection I believe requires our intense scrutiny, intense attention and that is what we’re aiming to do. Not every child is going to do a BGCSE, have ten BGSCEs – that’s the reality. In fact, not many of us here will have that, but they will have their unique talents and abilities,” the Englerston MP told reporters.

“We want to ensure that they have literacy and numeracy as a fundamental and then from there as a staging ground we want to ensure that they are able to develop their full potential. “Even special needs children, they don’t do BGCSEs. We want them to be all that they can be, so that is the objective. Not necessarily to create a cookie cutter of a student, but to be able to create the appropriate environment for our young people to thrive, to succeed and to be able to go out there in the world when the time comes to manage themselves and to do well and to live good lives.”

Speaking directly to the backlash about the exam results, particularly BJCs, she acknowledged people’s feelings of unmet expectations as “legitimate observations” but elaborated on measuring achievement.

“I agree with everyone that we have a long way to go in education. Every person in this country has a vested interest in education and if you have expectations and you feel as if these results do not meet those expectations – those are legitimate observations. For myself, my observation of the results is that we have a long way to go. That is what I say – we have a long way to go, but what I would say, however, is we must ensure when we measure attainment that we do not get stuck on the BGCSE or even the BJC exams,” she told reporters.

“They’re important and where students can attain they will, but we have a lot of children that are going to excel in other areas like technical and vocational. They will excel in the arts. We want to ensure that our children have literacy and numeracy and that they meet the minimum requirement to graduate from high school – that’s the objective. And so I say to the critics we have a long way to go, that’s what my response is to them.”

As it relates to the BJC test results, Mr Taylor said last week there was an increase in the total number of grades and candidates.

“This year 9,571 candidates from 113 centres were registered to sit the examination. Fifty-one were government schools while 62 centres were independent or private.

“The total candidature represents an increase of 0.23 percent when compared to 2021, when 9549 candidates from a total of 112 centres. The total number of grades was 35,340 when compared to 2021. Which was 34,62. This represents an increase of 2.07 percent.”

The total number of grades awarded at A-D increased significantly, while the E-U grades decreased which serves as an indication of an improved performance, it was noted.

 

Virgin Atlantic has announced a daily service to London Heathrow from Montego Bay, Jamaica, for the winter season, commencing on 12th December 2022.

The daily service departs from Montego Bay, Jamaica, every evening at either 19:10 or 21:30 local time, operating on the airline’s Boeing 787-9 aircraft boasting 31 Upper Class, 35 Premium and 192 Economy Delight, Classic and Light seats. Services are on sale with return Economy flights starting from $1,104 USD per person.

The increased services to London Heathrow airport will provide travellers from Montego Bay, Jamaica, with a direct link to the UK’s iconic capital city, alongside seamless connections onto Virgin Atlantic network via London Heathrow.

The additional flights will also allow more opportunities for customers to reconnect with family and loved ones during the festive period, as well as encouraging tourism to the region, as sunseekers look to explore the Caribbean Island.

Hannah Swift, Caribbean County Manager said: “I’m so excited by our now daily service from Montego Bay to London Heathrow, allowing more opportunity for Jamaicans to visit friends and family, conduct business or go on a dream vacation to Europe, or connect onwards to the rest of the World. We recognize the importance of Jamaica in our network and are thrilled to be able to connect more people with our increased services.

“This is the first time in our history we are offering daily flights from Montego Bay, and truly look forward to welcoming you all onboard soon.”

Flights to London, Heathrow are on sale now. For further information, visit www.virginatlantic.com.

 

The opportunity for teachers to earn a Master’s Degree in Special Education is being explored as a means to tackle the deficit in this discipline. The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Technical & Vocational Training, made the announcement in an address to the nation as students and teachers returned to the classroom for face-to-face learning Monday, August 29, 2022 following a three-year absence. “It is imperative that we match teachers with every subject that is needed. We have been working to accomplish this task, particularly in many disciplines that have become even more urgent during the period of remote learning,” said Minister Hanna-Martin. “One such area is special education, and in fact, children with special needs have perhaps suffered most in the virtual learning environment. Special education teachers are in short supply. To address this deficit the Ministry is currently in discussion with a major international university to provide an opportunity for our teachers to read for a Master’s Degree in special education, a programme not currently available at the University of The Bahamas. This will assist the ministry to meet the requirements of our special needs students so that they too may realize their full potential and in accordance with our national credo that every child counts,” she said. During the televised address for the 2022-2023 Back-To-School year, Minister Hanna-Martin thanked the administration of the Ministry for their “diligent” attention and hard work and shared some of the work the Ministry has been engaged in the past 11 months. She said, “In Education we have a very ambitious agenda and our efforts are accelerated because the stakes are high. I have coined this year as the year of the turnaround in education and a period of powerful human development of our young people. This cannot and will not be achieved by teachers and politicians and the public servants alone. We need more and more and more of our parents to participate as full stakeholders in the educational outcomes for their children.” She underscored the safety and security of campuses and noted that security staff personnel are undergoing specialized training at the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) with the first squad having graduated two weeks ago and training for the remaining officers to take place shortly. Moreover, she said several officers of the RBPF have been assigned by the Commissioner of Police to junior and senior high schools throughout the country. “These officers are specially trained having received international certification as School Resource officers and they will work in collaboration with the principal of the respective schools to assist in securing campuses and in guiding students on an array of vexing social issues by way of a curriculum which these officers will deliver. Our children must be permitted to learn in a healthy and safe environment without fear or risk of suffering serious harm.” Furthermore, Minister Hanna-Martin noted that a review of the curriculum is in effect and the most recent revision rolled out. “This will be monitored and adjusted as needed for maximum achievement of these objectives. These changes will be seen at the pre-primary level with an early focus on STREAM education exposing students to science, technology, reading, the arts and mathematics, at the primary level, with an urgent and intense focus on literacy. For students in grades 4 to 6, an introduction to coding and just this summer scores of public primary school teachers attended training workshops in the teaching of coding. “High school students will be introduced to robotics and scientific inquiry. There will be greater integration of technical and vocational training and certification and apprenticeship at the high school level and that groundwork is underway. Our students will learn about climate change and the peculiar vulnerability of our own nation and investigate strategies for our survival.” Plans are afoot to expand the swimming curriculum in six additional primary schools beginning in 2023. Minister Hanna-Martin said this is an “essential” skill for children painfully highlighted by the drowning deaths of several children during the summer. The physical education curriculum is being revamped to include after school sporting activities to enhance physical and mental well-being, and develop sporting excellence. She said discussions are taking place to develop an enhanced creative arts curriculum to include dance, music, art and the dramatic arts.

The opportunity for teachers to earn a Master’s Degreein Special Education is being explored as a means to tackle the deficit in thisdiscipline.

The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Technical & VocationalTraining, made the announcement in an address to the nation as students andteachers returned to the classroom for face-to-face learning Monday, August 29,2022 following a three-year absence.

“It is imperative that we match teachers with every subject that is needed. Wehave been working to accomplish this task, particularly in many disciplines thathave become even more urgent during the period of remote learning,” saidMinister Hanna-Martin.

“One such area is special education, and in fact, children with special needs haveperhaps suffered most in the virtual learning environment. Special educationteachers are in short supply. To address this deficit the Ministry is currently indiscussion with a major international university to provide an opportunity for ourteachers to read for a Master’s Degree in special education, a programme notcurrently available at the University of The Bahamas. This will assist the ministryto meet the requirements of our special needs students so that they too mayrealize their full potential and in accordance with our national credo that everychild counts,” she said.

During the televised address for the 2022-2023 Back-To-School year, MinisterHanna-Martin thanked the administration of the Ministry for their “diligent”attention and hard work and shared some of the work the Ministry has beenengaged in the past 11 months.

She said, “In Education we have a very ambitious agenda and our efforts areaccelerated because the stakes are high. I have coined this year as the year of theturnaround in education and a period of powerful human development of ouryoung people. This cannot and will not be achieved by teachers and politiciansand the public servants alone. We need more and more and more of our parentsto participate as full stakeholders in the educational outcomes for their children.”

She underscored the safety and security of campuses and noted that security staffpersonnel are undergoing specialized training at the Royal Bahamas Police Force(RBPF) with the first squad having graduated two weeks ago and training for theremaining officers to take place shortly.

Moreover, she said several officers of the RBPF have been assigned by theCommissioner of Police to junior and senior high schools throughout the country.

“These officers are specially trained having received international certification asSchool Resource officers and they will work in collaboration with the principal ofthe respective schools to assist in securing campuses and in guiding students onan array of vexing social issues by way of a curriculum which these officers willdeliver. Our children must be permitted to learn in a healthy and safeenvironment without fear or risk of suffering serious harm.”

Furthermore, Minister Hanna-Martin noted that a review of the curriculum is ineffect and the most recent revision rolled out.

“This will be monitored and adjusted as needed for maximum achievement ofthese objectives. These changes will be seen at the pre-primary level with an earlyfocus on STREAM education exposing students to science, technology, reading,the arts and mathematics, at the primary level, with an urgent and intense focuson literacy. For students in grades 4 to 6, an introduction to coding and just thissummer scores of public primary school teachers attended training workshops inthe teaching of coding.

“High school students will be introduced to robotics and scientific inquiry. Therewill be greater integration of technical and vocational training and certificationand apprenticeship at the high school level and that groundwork is underway. Ourstudents will learn about climate change and the peculiar vulnerability of our ownnation and investigate strategies for our survival.”

Plans are afoot to expand the swimming curriculum in six additional primaryschools beginning in 2023.

Minister Hanna-Martin said this is an “essential” skill for children painfullyhighlighted by the drowning deaths of several children during the summer.The physical education curriculum is being revamped to include after schoolsporting activities to enhance physical and mental well-being, and developsporting excellence.

She said discussions are taking place to develop an enhanced creative artscurriculum to include dance, music, art and the dramatic arts.