Taiwan facilitates “smart” education project
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
by Anicia Antoine, GIS
THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AIMS TO MERGE TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION VIA "SMART" CLASSROOMS.

The Government of Saint Lucia has been awarded a cheque donation of EC$2.5 million from the Republic of China (Taiwan). The funds will facilitate the retrofitting of existing classrooms to become smart classrooms, which reflect the integration of information and communications technologies into the education system.

Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Innovation, and Gender Relations, said: “The ministry is embarking on a new direction as it relates to the integration of technology into education and that’s what this collaboration with the Taiwanese government signifies for us. With this funding available, it has provided us with the means to do this.”

Minister for Education, Innovation, and Gender Relations, Hon. Dr. Gale Rigobert, expressed gratitude toward the Republic of China on behalf of the people of Saint Lucia.

“This cheque means that we can move from policy to action. We have started some work, but certainly the thinking is that we can roll out the smart education classrooms across the education sector in primary and secondary schools. Inevitably, we will have to begin with a pilot but the dream is that overtime we can equip all schools with smart classrooms so that our children can really begin to experience 21 century learning and teaching as well.”

Taiwanese Ambassador His Excellency Douglas Shen said the embassy will continue to focus on improving the education system in Saint Lucia.

“Today I am very excited because I think we brought two fundamental things together, first is education, secondly is ICT. This is what the island needs because we all know that children are our future. With this smart project we do believe that we can help improve the future of Saint Lucia.”

The Republic of China, since the establishment of diplomatic relations with Saint Lucia, have been assisting in the areas of education, agriculture, tourism, and health and infrastructure.