From The Barbados Advocate

Acting Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Senator Harcourt Husbands, says while a major task of educators is to prepare students for the world of work, the classroom is not a factory for the workplace.

Speaking at the Barbados launch of the Caribbean Examination Council’s New Generation Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) Subjects, of which the new tourism subject was the primary focus of the launch, Senator Husbands dismissed the notion that the role of the classroom was “to produce widgets to fit nicely into some job somewhere”.

“Yes, on one hand we need to be conscious of the skills for the future. The school ought to play an important role in shaping your future and that future includes employment. But the task of the school, the purpose of education must be much more, or much deeper than that – producing citizens of worth,” he contended.

Referring to the new CAPE subjects, which cover the areas of agricultural science, entrepreneurship, performing arts, physical education and sport as well as tourism, the Acting Minister indicated that they are a good starting point in preparing students to pursue careers in these areas. However, he made the point that young people in the region are facing a challenging future, as youth unemployment is at crisis levels and research is suggesting that they have to be prepared to change their jobs or careers many times in their working lives.

“It is not your choice anymore, the situation as we live now will demand that you be prepared to make these changes; I had the luxury of choice, you do not have that luxury. If you are not so prepared, life will pass you by,” he noted.

With that in mind, Senator Husbands told the students present at the launch that they have to take that reality into consideration and examine the possibilities that exist for career options in the field of tourism not only in Barbados, but across the wider Caribbean region and even further afield. He noted that a career in tourism is international in its scope, and they must be prepared to venture beyond these shores to broaden their horizon and to gain the relevant experience.

IMAGE: Combermere student Rickardo Reid performing a dramatic piece yesterday at the launch of the New Generation of CAPE subjects. Looking on is Acting Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Senator Harcourt Husbands.

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