The Government of the Virgin Islands is moving to expand senior secondary education opportunities, with a focus on construction technology, marine technology, and modern agricultural practices. This was announced by Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, Honourable Sharie B. de Castro (AL), during the Virgin Islands Voice broadcast aired on April 16, 2025. Photo: GIS

The Ministry of Education is partnering with H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) to expand the availability of Level I and Level II certifications in technical fields to senior secondary students. Photo: VINO/File

“We have been having some discussions regarding how we create additional opportunities on the senior secondary level,” Minister de Castro said, adding that the Territory is now “at the tail end of the review of the senior secondary offerings.”

The Education Minister disclosed that funding has already been secured in the current national budget to design a new technical school aimed at enhancing specialised training and certification for secondary school students.

“And while at this point we're able to do limited areas, there has been consideration about how we include areas like construction technology and marine technology through that technical school; Of course, at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College level, they have a thriving marine programme.”

According to Minister de Castro, the high job placement rate of the college’s marine programme is a model of success.
“The president always talks that over 95 percent of the students who go through that course automatically get into jobs. And that speaks to the efficacy of that programme.”

Modernised Expectations

Additionally, the Ministry, she said, is also partnering with the college to expand the availability of Level I and Level II certifications in technical fields to senior secondary students.

Among the key areas poised for further development, according to the Minister, is agricultural science, which has seen growing interest from students, albeit with modernised expectations.

“Some of them realistically say to you they don’t want to go out in the hot sun, and so there's a reality that there's a lot of technology that can be used… that allow them to still develop in the areas of agriculture and fisheries, but they get to do it in a new and in a savvy way.”

Lauding the existing hydroponics setup at Elmore Stoutt High School, she noted, “They already have a very impressive setup there,” and confirmed that procurement is being finalised to upgrade the station.

“They've requested some additional support to really be able to expand it. And that's the type of thinking that we want. We want the young people to engage.”

Room for Development

Further strengthening this agenda, Minister de Castro recalled the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI). “We recently took a trip to the St. Croix campus in particular, where specifically those areas of agriculture and fisheries, we have that two plus two now with the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College.”
Describing the UVI’s St Croix campus as “very impressive”, she commended its curriculum, which includes studies of native Virgin Islands flora and fauna.

“It speaks to the reality of those young people being able to come back over and really impact, based on our context, having studied across the waters in St Croix.”

She did note, “There is, of course, room for development, but those are some of the things I've mentioned that we can say at this point as we continue to develop the senior secondary offerings.”