Chairman of the Virgin Islands Youth Policy Committee, Ms Drusilla F. Fahie, has described the draft policy document as a ‘living document’ . Photo: VINO

The draft policy document was submitted by Ms Fahie on behalf of her eleven-member committee on March 8, 2013 to the Minister for Education and Culture, Hon. Myron V. Walwyn for review of its contents. 

It was originally scheduled to be submitted by the end of December, 2012 but there was some delay due to a need for additional consultations.

The document defines a youth as anyone resident in the Virgin Islands who is between the ages of 5-31 years old. Persons beyond this age group are seen as positive role models.

Equality in education delivery

In an exclusive interview with this news site, Ms Fahie revealed that one of the major recommendations within the policy with regard to youth and education is that there should be one identical syllabus for students across the Territory.

“We recommended that education delivery be standard across the Territory, that the curriculum or the standard of education is identical,” Ms Fahie stated.

This recommendation came following consultation with students in Anegada where it was disclosed that fifth formers did basic subjects and there was no specialisation that allowed for students to be streamed in traditional areas such as Arts, Business and Science.

Ms Fahie suggested that the reason for this may have been the size of the school or limited number of students available to participate in these subject areas. “Your efforts to bring in an accounting programme for just maybe one child who wants to do accounts may prove to be a costly venture but if it means that you need to bring the Anegada student to [Elmore Stoutt High School] to complete their secondary education, then maybe that’s what we have to do,” she added, “they should receive equal education.”

The document also makes a recommendation to have a greater presence of guidance counsellors within schools in an effort to identify learning disabilities among students.

Regarding the issue of school dropouts, the document requests that a system of ‘accountable measures’ be put in place to reduce these occurrences and also to find out why students in the Virgin Islands continue to leave schools without completing their formal education.

Crime among youths

One notable discovery during consultations, Ms Fahie noted, was that crime was not only being committed by young males in the Territory, but also increasingly by younger females as well.

Though no statistics were made available by Ms Fahie, according to the Social Development Department’s 2010 Annual Report, the Magistrate’s Court was the outside agency that referred the most cases to the Department for Social Inquiry Report requests and requests to aid in the supervision of Community Service Orders.

The document further stated that, much like the two preceding years, the Magistrate’s Court continued to be the agency referring the most cases to the Social Development Department for services. Crimes such as assault and burglary as wells as illegal drugs and weapons possession were prevalent among the number of offences committed by persons as young as 14 who were requesting legal aid through the department. Many of these youths were given sentences of probation, community service and even terms of imprisonment for their involvement in various crimes.

In the draft policy document, there may have been a missed opportunity to speak specifically to the issue of gang membership among youths in the Territory. Ms Fahie expressed that though the document addresses the issue in some regard, it may not have been treated on its own merit. With regard to youth and education, the document instead speaks about creating a learning environment among youth that is free from illegal activity and stimulates learning. She felt that this would in essence lead to the eradication of occurrences of gang activities.

The draft document also proposes an urgent investigation and amendment to laws related to sexual crimes and other crimes involving youth with a view towards ensuring youth are protected at all times.

Unemployment

Ms Fahie further related that the document requested that ‘proper succession planning’ be done for youths seeking employment within the Territory.

She spoke about the need for a greater focus on internship, both within the private and public sectors, to assist youth with gaining experience before they are able to enter the job market. Youths often complain that one of the biggest hindrances to securing a job is a request for experience.

The Chairman said that the document asked that youths be given a chance by employers to prove their worth. In addressing concerns by private sector employers who ask for job experience upfront she said, “I think that comes all the way back to the education aspect, because the schools need to ensure that kids are so trained, that they can step into your small business and prove their worth, prove their skills.” She indicated that if our school system is at a standard that is producing such standards, then employers shouldn’t have to be worried about profit margin concerns in employing inexperienced youth.

The committee received considerable support from the Department of Youth and Sport within the Education Ministry. Priority groups among youth within the document included those with special needs, unemployed youth in addition to the poor a and vulnerable The document now awaits approval by the Education Minister before it can proceed to the House of Assembly (HOA) for debate by legislators.