The following is the education platform submitted by Prospect candidate Michael Myles:
POLICY: EDUCATION SYSTEM
According to the Auditor General’s report published October 2019, The Ministry of Education spent CI$86 million in 2018 – the largest percentage of total Government operating expenditure, at 12.7 per cent. The average annual cost per student increased by 17 per cent over the five years, from $14,811 in 2014 to $17,264 in 2018. Education also accounts for significant levels of overall capital expenditure and it is projected to continue doing so as the Government upgrades school facilities.
Michael Myles
- Only 45% primary students are achieving expected levels in three subjects at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6): Mathematics, Reading, and Writing
- 54.3 per cent of Year 12 students achieved 5+ Level 2 passes including Mathematics and English
- 42.7 per cent of all Year 12 students achieved 7+ Level 2 subjects including English and Mathematics
Improving Education
We MUST:
- Improve recruitment, retention, and deployment of high-quality teaching staff.
- OUTCOME: Increase the number of highly qualified Teachers, with an emphasis on higher qualified and more specialized Teachers for the Primary Schools
- ACTION: Revise the method and criteria used to disperse scholarships.
- POLICY: Full Scholarships for Teachers and reinstate paid Teacher’s Aide positions.
- OUTCOME: Improve the results at Primary School Level as the link to improving High School results.
- ACTION: Review approaches from successful countries, such as Singapore and other countries who rate in the Top 10.
- POLICY.
- Staff Primary Schools with high-quality teachers ALL with a master’s degree in specialized areas of training.
- Provide a “wrap around therapeutic approach” to assist children to attain these outcomes by establishing a Therapeutic Centre at ALL Schools.
- Primary Schools – Social Worker, Youth therapist, Teachers, Teachers Aids, Nurse
- High Schools – Social Worker, Youth Therapist, Teachers, Teachers Aids, Nurse, Career Counsellor
- Promote interest in STEM (Science, Technology, English, Math) by offering an additional …1 more hour a day…for Home Work Tutorials in Science, Technology, English, Math
- Eliminate the level 1 diploma from the education system.
- Replace this with internationally accredited vocational and apprenticeship training.
- Link our education vision/system and priorities to the demands of the economy.
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- OUTCOME: Improve our quality of life through employment and lack of reliance on Government for financial support (Welfare = NAU),
- Private Sector MUST be an equal partner in investing in schools and professional development.
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- ACTION: Align the allocation of Budget $ with the needs of the economy.
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- POLICY: Improved and increased support $ (preferential scholarships, etc.) for fields of study in Education, Social Work, Counsellors, Therapists, Psychologists, TVET, etc.
- Implement a national strategy for technical and vocational education and training (TVET). By developing our people, we will be prepared to take up the high paying jobs that has been created by economic development.
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- OUTCOME: increased employment in skilled based TVET jobs and in human development (Teachers, Social Workers, Counsellors, etc.)
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- ACTION: Review approaches from successful countries, such as Singapore and other countries who rate in the Top 10.
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- POLICY: We need a National Development Agency, under the Ministry of Education and/or Labour to drive this Policy.
Click here to visit Myles’s campaign website (www.electmichaelmyles.com).
***Editor’s Note: We are inviting all candidates to submit their education platforms for publication in the Cayman Current. Email pbrendel@caymancurrent.org.***