Economist says Regional education systems must be refocused

An economist is calling for an overhaul of the education system in the region in order to bolster development.

Head of the Caribbean Centre for Competitiveness, Indera Sagewan-Ali said while regional governments have been good at setting up learning institutions, they have failed to ensure the schools are functional and fulfilling their mandate.

She said institutions are resourced “then we don’t set up the clear and key performance indicators that we want in order to be able to measure whether they are in fact successful,” she charged.

Sagewan-Ali said there also needs to be a regional conversation on the role of education in boosting entrepreneurship.

She noted that across the region individuals are simply being trained to “find a job” as opposed to forming their own business.

The economist said without the right training for the people of a nation, expectations that they will create their own business are futile, and thatthe culture of entrepreneurship must be taught at an early age.

“My suggestion is that from as early as our primary schools system… we need to engender creative thinking and problem solving within our education system,” she posited.