Evolving national and global trends render the revision of Saint Lucia’s Education Act a matter of necessity. The Ministry of Education seeks to develop a more inclusive and robust Act that builds on the strengths of learners and enables the continued creation of safe and supportive learning communities.

An Education Act sets the laws for the governance of Education while Regulations provide guidance on how to implement and practice what is contained in the Act.

Currently, Saint Lucia has no Regulations to support the implementation of the Act. The Regulations that have been proposed provide administrators, educators, students, parents, and other stakeholders with guidelines on such matters as the Administration of Schools, National Curriculum, Management of Schools, Establishment of Student Councils and Associations, National Code of Conduct, Discipline, and Education Appeals Tribunal.

The proposed Bill expands the mandatory age for education to include three and four year olds. It also proposes an early childhood education programme as part of the National Curriculum.

The proposed Bill envisions a system of education that supports the holistic development of all learners. It includes extensive additions to ensure support for students with special education needs including provisions for the establishment of a Council dedicated to advocating for this support.

Extensive consultations have occurred during the development of the proposed Bill and Regulations. This includes 11 national consultations: 8 District town halls (Educations Districts I to VIII); 1 consultation with public and private sector agencies; 2 consultations with educators as a collective. Feedback has been sought from individuals and groups within Saint Lucia, including the St. Lucia Teachers’ Union. This has resulted in hundreds of questions, comments, and suggestions that have informed the drafting of the proposed Bill and Regulations.

There is a need to empower educators to create safe, inclusive learning communities based on common standards for behaviour. The proposed National Code of Conduct will provide support for educators as they continue to develop these communities.

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