Media Release English

MEDIA RELEASE

9 一月 2018

Dominica gets help in returning schools to full operation

Bridgetown/Barbados, 23 April 2008 - Dominica’s educational sector is getting assistance in its effort to return to full normalcy following damage caused by Hurricane Dean last year.

UNICEF Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean has provided the Ministry of Education with a shipment of school materials, including exercise books, arts supplies and stationery, which ministry officials say will be used in 15 primary schools across the country.

Chief Education Officer Stephenson Hyacinth said while the sector has rebounded well from the ravages of the hurricane and all schools are functioning, there is still a need to ensure an adequate supply of materials especially at the primary level and to vulnerable families.

“We are moving quite swiftly to ensure that our schools are operating as they were before Dean and one of the areas we are focusing on is the provision of materials to ensure that we can continue our efforts in education,” he said, noting that a scarcity of material could impact on output.

Hyacinth said an adequate supply of educational materials is also critical towards ensuring the success of the National Curriculum Reform, which was one of the new initiatives being implemented prior to the hurricane.

UNICEF Deputy Representative Niloufar Pourzand said the Barbados-based office readily responded to the request to supply the materials so as to ensure the continued delivery of quality education especially to the most disadvantaged children in the country.

“Last year UNICEF devoted from its emergency funding to Dominica to ensure the provision of commercial generators to safeguard the integrity of the cold chain for their immunization programme but we also see the need to ensure that schools are equipped to deliver quality education,” she added.

The UNICEF official said the organization will also be continuing with its Early Childhood Care and Education programme under which it is seeking to increase access to quality early childhood services for children under five years old in Dominica.

UNICEF collaborated with the UK National Committee for Jersey and the Ministry of Education to upgrade 54 Early Childhood Development Centres with sanitary facilities to meet National Standards for sanitation. The interventions include provision of toilets, access to running water and associated supplies.

United Nations Children’s Fund Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Telephone 1 246 467 6000 1st Floor United Nations House Facsimile 1 246 436 2812 Marine Gardens, Christ Church, Barbados E-Mail [email protected] P. O. Box 1232, Bridgetown, Barbados www.unicef.org/barbados MEDIA RELEASE

Educational materials, basic play equipment and outdoor recreational facilities are also being provided as the country works towards transforming the centres into more child-friendly spaces.

For more information please contact:

Niloufar Pourzand, Deputy Representative, UNICEF Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Tel. 246 467 6152

Shelly-Ann Harper, Early Childhood Specialist, UNICEF Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Tel 467 6171

Patrick Knight, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Tel. 246 4676162

About UNICEF UNICEF is on the ground in 155 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Learn more at www.unicef.org/barbados