Connect with us

TCI News

EU gives $3.34 million more to Turks and Caicos public schools

Published

on

#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, November 19, 2018 – Amidst a contentious negotiation season in the United Kingdom about its future with the European Union, a contract has been signed for more money to come to the public education sector of the Turks and Caicos through the EU’s development fund.

Nineteen months after signing a financial commitment of €14.6m for EDF11 monies to support education sector reform, there is additional funding which officials last Tuesday explained will offset the multi-million dollar bill of more resilient reconstruction of public schools.

Education Minister, Karen Malcolm welcomed Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska, Head of the Delegation of the European Union based in Kingston, Jamaica on her inaugural visit to the territory and thanked Her Excellency for this new show of backing for public school education.

“Today we are here to witness the ceremonial signing of a second phase of support from the European Union.  Following the passage of the hurricanes last year, the public school suffered a devastating blow with over 90 percent of all schools impacted.  The government made a commitment to rebuild our schools and other public buildings, but not to the standard that they were, but to build back better to be more resilient,” said the Minister.

Minister Karen Malcolm, in her remarks at the signing revealed that government has earmarked more than $12m over the next two years for rebuilding and for establishing a stronger system of response to disasters within public education.

Ambassador, Her Excellency Malgorzata Wasilewska explained that the Turks and Caicos’ request for increased support in the aftermath of the hurricanes of 2017 is what initiated this additional funding of €2.92m or USD $3.34m.

“The Education Sector has sustained severe damage from the hurricanes causing extensive damage to the school infrastructure and prompting the closure of all the public schools across the islands for several weeks,” said the Ambassador who also had commendation for TCIG and cited its swift response with alternative classrooms following hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The Ambassador added that two of her team from the EU’s regional office had visited for an assessment of the schools following the hurricanes.

“Being the largest donor in the TCIs educator sector, the European Union has further stepped up its support for the post hurricane recovery following your approach to us early in the year.  Today’s event is therefore a true demonstration of the commitment of the people of Europe to support the efforts of the Government of the TCI to bring the education sector back to normalcy.  This additional €2.92m from the 11th EDF Emergency Reserve has a clear objective to support recovery efforts in the education sector with a particular emphasis on resilient reconstruction and rehabilitation of damaged school infrastructure.”

In all, this means financial help from the ‘still 28 nations’ of the European Union to the tune of over $20m.

Premier Sharlene Robinson and Deputy Governor Anya Williams, who is also the EU Program manager for the TCI signed on behalf of the Turks and Caicos; both with comments of gratitude on behalf of the approximate 4,000 students who stand to benefit most directly from the overhaul.

“We have a very long and beneficial relationship with the European Union and we are extremely grateful that we continue to benefit and we stand again to benefit toward are energy sector as well,” the Premier who in February 2017 signed the EDF 11 financial agreement added that, “Today I am happier to receive the additional funding for the financing agreement that will continue to assist our schools in recovering and my government continues to take the position that our schools are take priority.  It’s important that we get our kids back in environments that are conducive to learning.”

Deputy Governor Anya Williams shared that there have been remarkable strides through the EDF 11 reforms; the three overarching goals were again outlined in her comments at the ceremonial signing on November 13, 2018.

“The program focuses on three key areas which are challenges but also objectives of ours.  The first is, of course, to increase capacity and that’s through the construction of a new primary school fully funded by the EU here in Providenciales.  The second of course is to increase teacher education and teacher learning by focusing on teacher training itself and I am very pleased with the progress we have been able to make in that area.  Not only has the requirement been that 25 percent of our teachers would be enrolled in service bachelor programs but we’ve exceeded that expectation because at this time there are no untrained teachers any longer in our government system.”

Deputy Governor Williams said the third objective is motivated by what the needs of the labour market.

“We are trying to and working hard to introduce more technical vocational programs across the islands.”

The signing of the EDF11 extra funding or addendum to the initial €14.6m was held at the Office of the Premier, Hilly Ewing Building, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands.

 

#MagneticMediaNews

#EUgivesmillionstoTCIpublicschools

#EU

 

Continue Reading

Health

Ministry of Health and Human Services Launched Electronic Patient Care Report (Ambpro)

Published

on

The Ministry of Health and Human Services proudly announces the successful launch of the Electronic Patient Care Report (ePCR), marking a historic milestone in emergency healthcare services. The official unveiling ceremony took place on March 12, 2024 at the Atrium conference room.

In attendance were distinguished dignitaries, including  Deputy Premier and Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, Honourable Jamell Robinson; Minister of Health and Human Services, Honourable Shaun D. Malcolm; Minister of Tourism, Environment, Maritime, Culture, Heritage and Religious Affairs, Honourable Josephine Connolly; Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Library Services, Honourable Rachel Taylor; the Minister of Immigration and Border Services, Honourable Arlington Musgrove; and the Permanent Secretary of Health, Mrs Desiree Lewis, who recognized the significance of the ePCR system in promoting public health and safety. Their presence underscored the government’s unwavering commitment to investing in healthcare infrastructure and technological advancements to better serve the needs of the population. Thus reaffirming their support for initiatives aimed at improving emergency healthcare services and strengthening the National Emergency Medical Service’s capabilities.

During the launch event, the Minister of Health and Human Services highlighted the transformative impact of the ePCR system on patient care and emergency response efforts. Emphasizing the importance of innovation in healthcare, the Minister expressed gratitude to the dedicated team of professionals who contributed to the development and implementation of the ground breaking technology. The Deputy Premier praised the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of the ePCR system, affirming its potential to revolutionize emergency medical services especially the pre-hospital management of citizens and visitors across the country.

The Director of Emergency Medical Services, Mr. Andy Brijmohansingh, spoke passionately about the importance of embracing technology to advance patient care. “The introduction of the Electronic Patient Care Report marks a new chapter in our commitment to providing high-quality emergency medical services,” said Mr Brijmohansingh. “This innovative system empowers our teams with the tools they need to deliver swift and effective care, while ensuring that patient information is accurately captured and securely shared.”

The Electronic Patient Care Report (ePCR) represents a significant advancement in the National Ambulance Service’s mission to deliver efficient and high-quality emergency medical care to citizens across the nation. Developed with cutting-edge technology and meticulous attention to detail, the ePCR system streamlines the documentation process, enhances communication, and ensures the seamless transfer of patient information between emergency responders and healthcare facilities.

The launch of the Electronic Patient Care Report marks a new chapter in the evolution of emergency medical services, promising enhanced efficiency, accuracy, and patient outcomes. With its implementation, the National Emergency Medical Services reaffirms its dedication to providing timely and effective care to individuals in their time of need.

Continue Reading

Education

Ministry of Education launches 2024 Season of Scholarship Applications

Published

on

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 6th March, 2024– The Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Social Services would like to announce the launch of the 2024 scholarship application season which opens on March 11th 2024. This initiative offers invaluable opportunities for Turks and Caicos Islanders to apply for scholarship opportunities within the Ministry’s priority areas.  For more information on our priority areas please visit our website at https://gov.tc/scholarshipsecretariat

Estimated awards within each award category as follows: –

  • Standard Financial Assistance ………………………………………………….(55) including:

o    Cadet Financial Assistance …………………………………………………(2)

o    The TCI Hope Award …………………………………………………………..(2)

o    Intl. Associate’s Degree / A-Level awards ……………………… (3)

o    TCICC Academic Excellence Award …………………………………..(7-preselected)

  • Athletic Financial Assistance ……………………………………………………..(3)
  • National Scholars Awards ………………………………………………………….(4 -preselected)
  • Special Needs Students Financial Assistance Award ……………(2)
  • BWIC – GCE Advanced Level …………………………………………………….(3)

Explanatory notes in the link provided above outlines the criteria for each award category.

Our new application method

Our new application method for financial assistance marks a departure from traditional email or paper submissions; all applications must now be submitted exclusively through tcig-nefa.grantplatform.com/. Utilizing the Good Grants platform, an internationalized grant-making platform, applicants can easily apply online by clicking the provided link.

Dates

  • Application deadline: 30th May, 2024 at [11:59 pm] [EST]
  • Please note the application deadline, this date is final and there will be no extensions provided for the initial submission. The system will automatically prevent application submission after the deadline.
  • There is an extension date for the below documents IF NECESSARY up to June 30th.
    • Acceptance Letter
    • Transcript
  • Successful applicants will be notified in early August 2024.

Support

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact the Scholarship Secretariat Unit by email to [scholarshipsecretariat@tciedu.tc]. DO NOT SEND APPLICATION SUBMISSION TO THIS ADDRESS.

  • You may edit your application after submitting, up until the deadline date.
  • Please make sure all your personal details are entered accurately, including contact details, so that we may contact you if your application is successful.
  • You are allowed to submit to more than one category, as long as the work submitted meets the criteria. However you can only be awarded 1 award.
  • You can use the ‘copy’ feature to create a copy of your application and change the category as required.

Continue Reading

Education

Department of Special Education Needs Services makes strides at CEC 2024 convention and Expo

Published

on

The Department of Special Education Needs Services (SENS) has marked a significant milestone in its journey towards enhancing services for exceptional learners through its participation in the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) 2024 Convention and Expo, held in San Antonio, Texas March 12th to 16th 2024. This event, renowned for its dedication to advancing the field of special education, provided a platform for our team to immerse themselves in a wealth of knowledge and resources.

The convention, with a rich history of fostering collaboration and innovation, focused on sensitizing attendees to global initiatives in special education. Our team, consisting of four professionals from the Department of Special Education Needs Services; Mrs. Paulette Simmons – Special Education Teacher at SNAP Center, Jamiliyah Jordan – Speech and Language Pathologist, Christina Joseph – Behavioural Analyst, Lashaunda Skippings – Coordinator of Assessments and one representative from the Department of Education, Mrs. Faaida James – Special Education Officer benefited immensely from four days of information-packed workshops, networking opportunities, and exposure to cutting-edge assistive technologies and programs.

 CEC 2024 Convention and Expo has been a driving force in shaping the landscape of special education. Each year, it gathers professionals, researchers, and advocates to exchange ideas, share best practices, and explore innovative solutions to support individuals with exceptional needs.

 Lashaunda Skippings, Coordinator of Assessments, and a part of the team, shared her thoughts on the convention, stating, “ The CEC 2024 Convention exceeded my anticipations. It was incredibly enlightening and stimulated thoughtful reflection. I am grateful for the openness of presenters who shared their exemplary practices in Special Education, that address the needs of students with disabilities globally.”

Dr. Anya Malcolm, Director of Special Education Needs Services, expressed her excitement about the department’s progress, stating, “The thrill that fills the department and the parents as initiatives in Special Education Needs falls into place remarkably is tangible. We are dedicated to utilizing the knowledge and experiences gained from events like CEC 2024 to further enhance our services and support for exceptional learners.”

 Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, and Social Services, expressed her commendation for the Department of Special Education Needs Services, stating, “I commend the Department of Special Education Needs Services for their unwavering dedication and proactive stance in participating in the CEC 2024 Convention and Expo. The Ministry acknowledges the pivotal role of such initiatives in elevating the standards of special education services and fostering the comprehensive development of exceptional learners nationwide.” 

 The Department of Special Education Needs Services remains committed to its mission of providing comprehensive and inclusive support to individuals with special needs. Through continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation, we strive to create a nurturing environment where every exceptional learner can thrive.

 For more information about the Department of Special Education Needs Services and its initiatives, please contact sens@gov.tc.

Continue Reading

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

TRENDING