Education Statistical Digest 2020-21 Academic Year 2020-21 | Page 21

Message from the Chief Education Officer

Once again, the Ministry of Education has produced an Education Statistical Digest which should be used by all stakeholders to guide policy creation and decision-making measures.  Since time immemorial, studies have suggested that data considerations should play a pivotal role in the decision-making process.  The use of data is likely to make the policies and decisions surrounding education more impactful for our Vincentian students.  Stakeholders too can use the information to help them to channel their resources which would inevitably lead to improved student outcomes.

 

Merely looking at the data however, is not enough.  Through data analysis, we must identify trends, correlations and coefficients in order to adjust systems, mitigate against those things which threaten to impede the progress of the education sector and build on the foundation of those practices which we do well.  We therefore need to be mindful of how the data translates into creating workable policies geared towards improving and enhancing the sector.

 

As the new Chief Education Officer, I give you the assurance that my team and I will continue to be guided by the information presented herein, in order to respond to the dynamism of our education sector.  We will do so using the data provided as well as facilitating more frequent stakeholder engagements to give further meaning to the data.  I encourage all stakeholders to do the same.

I wish to thank all the school leaders and the Education Planner’s Office for all the work done to get this information to publication.

 

Enjoy this year’s digest and I trust that you will approach it with an open, objective and critical mind.