OECS education leaders met in Dominica to plan turning the PEARL project into a permanent, sustainable regional education system.
Dominica: Educational leaders, policy makers and partners are having technical discussions aimed at strengthening the region’s education systems with the plan of transitioning the PEARL project into a long-term educational framework.
The OECS Technical Sustainability Summit 2026 officially commenced on March 3rd at the International Resort and Spa in Portsmouth and is scheduled to conclude today, March 5. This Summit has brought together different educational leaders from across the region to Dominica, where conversations on improving educational systems have been taking place.
According to the information released by the Ministry of Education, the educational leaders are working to transition OECS PEARL from a time-bound project to a permanent system change. This will strengthen the education systems within the region, ensuring long-term benefits for current learners and future generations.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Robert Guiste, has been present throughout the ongoing discussions and was seen addressing the gathering on the first day of the Summit. Speaking on behalf of Minister Octavia Alfred, Permanent Secretary Guiste welcomed the stakeholders and shared that the Summit plays a major role in shaping the lives of every child.
He gave a brief orientation and highlighted a few areas of focus as they centre the discussions on regenerative development with the intention of creating education systems that are sustainable and will have a long-term impact on the Member States. According to Guiste, this ‘regenerative development’ will enable systems to evolve, change and develop in positive directions.
So far, the preceding two days have been filled with technical discussion across key areas, including Curriculum, Assessment, Early Childhood Education, Special Education Needs (SEN) and professional development. Throughout the sessions, the teams engaged in different ways to develop ‘practical recommendations’ that will help sustain and strengthen education systems across the OECS.