New Developments in Technical and Vocational Education in the Caribean

Abstract

Keynote address delivered by the Minister of Education and Culture in Barbados at the opening of a conference on 12 March 1986, at the Commonwealth Institute, London.

In social democratic states industrial development envisages a collaborative role between technical vocational training, technological innovation and enterprise in the production of goods and services. It is against this background that I shall speak of some of the efforts and achievements of governments in the Caribbean region to promote technical and vocational education as a means of underlining their development policies. I shall also examine some of the pertinent issues on which there must be continuing discussion and dialogue if we are to achieve our objectives.I shall be drawing on regional experiences to illustrate my arguments. However, since I have been intimately associated with the Barbados situation I shall crave your indulgence if I appear to cite a few cases of my own country's achievements.