This is according to Governor John J. Rankin, CMG as part of the Speech from the Throne delivered on January 18, 2022, under the theme.

The Governor while speaking on the education sector said Government was working towards building an education system that caters to all students, regardless of their academic, physical, and mental abilities.

He said adjustments will be made to the Education Act, 2004 and the Education Amendment Act, 2014 to ensure teaching and learning are aligned in the interest of the overall development of students.

“The adjustments will consider the demand for online learning where schools and classrooms must have in place technology-driven standards.”

He added the adjustment will also “increase the pool of skilled workers and strengthen the entrepreneurial skills of the current and future generations of Virgin Islanders.”

Governor John J. Rankin CMG while speaking on the education sector said Government was working towards building an education system that caters to all students, regardless of their academic, physical, and mental abilities.

Policy updates to come

Important to the Education Act is the Discipline Policy and Revised Student Code of Conduct. According to the Governor, the policy has been updated to include a positive behavioural framework and online protocols.

He said the VI Referral Intervention and Individualized Education Policy have been created to further strengthen the Education Act and explained that the established consistent guidelines and procedures for providing school-based Special Education listed in the policy will help to further strengthen the Education Act.

As education continues to be a priority for the Government, it was also announced that the National Scholarship Programme, initiated more than 40 years ago, is one of the avenues through which Government has and continues to support the education and training needs of its people.

“To accompany the National Scholarship Programme, the Government of the Virgin Islands will seek to amend the 49-year-old Scholarship Trust Fund (CAP. 118, 1972) and the 38-year-old Regulations (1983) to ensure both pieces of legislation reflect our ever-evolving society and world,” Governor Rankin said.