ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA, Wednesday, December 11, 2013 – GIS: Government has renewed its devotion to Education and Human Resource Development dedicating the largest investment allocation, $110.2 million dollars, to the sector in the coming year.

The goal of this investment is that the education system would respond to the needs of the New Economy in areas such as Information Communication Technology (ICT) and skills-based training.

Prime Minister, Dr. the Rt. Honourable Keith Mitchell, outlined some of the ways that government plans to invest the funds into the education system.

“Government will commence the shift from textbooks to tablets through a Public Private Partnership with a telecommunications provider. Through this partnership, Government will offer tablets to students of secondary schools from forms 3-5. Provision will also be made for internet connectivity,”Prime Minister Mitchell said while presenting the 2014 budget on Tuesday.

In an effort to help teachers adapt to this change towards technology driven education, a focus will be placed on teacher training in the areas of ICT and Mathematics.

An Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) will also be put in place to facilitate a more efficient management of schools and provide greater support to teachers.

The National Training Agency, expected to lead the delivery of skill-based training required for jobs in the New Economy, will also focus on ICT.

Government also understands the struggle that some parents face to get their children to schools and has allocated $1 Million dollars to help needy students with uniforms and transportation to attend school.

Additionally, several schools are scheduled to be rehabilitated such as, St. Mary’s R.C. School, Mac Donald College, Grenada Boys Secondary School, T. A. Marryshow Community College and the Mirabeau Farm School.

With regard to TAMCC, however, Prime Minister Mitchell said that government will maintain its subvention to the institution but cannot afford any increases at this time.

“The College, like Government, must learn to live within its means. Moreover, it must take initiative and generate additional resources to support some of its plans and programmes,” Prime Minister Mitchell said.

Finally, Government has promised to continue with its aggressive scholarship pursuits for our youth.