News
Turks & Caicos Minister of Education Updates
#TurksandCaicos, August 17, 2021 – Turks & Caicos Minister of Education Updates
When & How school will open
Public schools will officially reopen on September 6 and when they do , the hybrid formula for teaching will be shelved for a return to in person classes.
Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education was a part of a press conference on Thursday (August 12) evening from the Office of the Premier and explained that waiting lists only exist because there is a flurry of interest to get children who were once in the private school system, into the public school system.
Students are Waiting
Some 240 students are on the waiting list to enter infant one, and primary school with the longest list at the high school level, 133 hopeful students.
Minister Taylor shared social distancing has cut down on how many can be admitted at the infant, primary and high school levels, but that her team is working on it.
On August 23, said the Director of Education, Edgar Howell parents will know the status of their application for a space in the public school system.
More money, more scholarships
Twenty four more people were awarded international scholarships this year informed the minister of education when she hosted a joint press conference with the ministry of health last Thursday.
Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education announced $4,102,844 in scholarships were approved, some she said are for full scholarships, others for partial scholarships and the balance are grants which are given to students who want to pursue studies outside of the priority areas.
While this year’s group will go through, and it is announced as some 86 applicants who were successful for college abroad; by next year, the Cabinet wants to see a more streamlined approach aligning awardees with the labour force needs of the Turks and Caicos Islands. 
This year, 181 people applied for scholarships; 86 were approved. It demonstrated an increase in interest and awardees over 2020, where 156 candidates applied and 62 scholarships were given – the data is from the category of international studies.
Students continuing their degree programs are being supported to the tune of $1.45 million; local and international studies cumulatively will cost $ 2.35 million.
Students who will pursue ‘A’ Levels at British West Indies Collegiate and the TCI Community College have attracted around $270,000 in educational funding.
International awardees are already selected and Minister Taylor informed that a meeting which was due to be held on Monday August 16, would determine the local awardees for the upcoming academic year.
Teachers must be vaxxed or test weekly
Ministry of Education is taking a firm stand with workers in the Department and will require that all staff be vaccinated for Covid-19 or regularly tested at their own expense; the frequency of testing is not stated in a notice dated August 9 which is expected to impact the coming 2021-2022 academic year.
This is the kind of stand that many countries are taking in sectors like health care, at home care givers for elderly, public sector and education.
Turks and Caicos is taking the same course it seems, even though so far the measures have resulted in eruptions of protests, petitions and demonstrations and violence.
School in for Gov’t Teachers August 23
There are 393 teachers registered in the Turks and Caicos government school system, 246 of them are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 which equates to 63 per cent.
Day one for those teachers is August 23rd; this will allow for at least two workshops hosted by the Ministry of Education to ready teachers for new systems in learning and to review the health protocols.
Most significantly, it will also allow Covid-19 antigen testing to be conducted on these staffers ahead of school reopening, and this will repeat weekly. Face covering and social distancing mandates remain in effect for Turks and Caicos and students will return to face to face learning on September 6th all announcements from the Minister of Education Rachel Taylor in a Thursday press conference.
Minister Taylor explained the earlier time for teachers to report for duty also allows for screening of children who may have special needs.
The two weeks said the minister gives teachers time to prepare their classrooms and enables individual public schools to run their own programs.
Two schools have fully vaccinated teachers; they are Louise Garland Thomas High in Provo and the HJ Robinson High in Grand Turk.
The minister encouraged all teachers to get vaccinated.
The Bahamas, August 27, 2026 – The Royal Bahamas Police Force wishes to inform members of the public that several individuals are scheduled to appear before the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 27th August 2026, at 12:00 noon.
The individuals and charges are as follows:
An 18-year-old female is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:
Three (3) counts of Murder
Three (3) counts of Attempted Murder
Three (3) counts of Possession of a Firearm with Intent to Endanger Life
Three (3) counts of Possession of an Unlicensed Firearm
Two (2) counts of Possession of Ammunition
Armed Robbery
Abetment to Armed Robbery
Stealing
Receiving
The charges stem from three separate shooting incidents and an armed robbery that occurred on Friday, 21st August 2026, and Saturday, 22nd August 2026.
The first shooting occurred in the area of Soldier Road and Baillou Hill Road, resulting in the death of a 51-year-old male.
The second shooting occurred in the area of Joe Farrington Road, resulting in the death of a 52-year-old male.
The third shooting occurred in the area of Gladstone Road, resulting in the death of a 36-year-old male.
The armed robbery occurred at a business establishment in the area of Carmichael Road and Baillou Hill Road.
A 21-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on one charge of:
- Murder
The charge stems from a shooting incident that occurred on Tuesday, 21st July 2026, in the area of Samson Street, Nassau Village, which resulted in the death of a 28-year-old male.
A 32-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:
- Murder
- Attempted Murder
These charges stem from a shooting incident that occurred on Wednesday, 24th December 2025, in the area of Graham Drive, Yellow Elder, which resulted in the death of a 25-year-old male.
RBPF, PACD
by Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
PROVIDENCIALES, TCI — In a country where government press conferences are virtually non-existent, ministers are often difficult for
journalists to access and regular broadcast television news has disappeared, TCI Innovation, Technology and Energy Minister E. Jay Saunders has challenged Caribbean media to become “impossible to ignore.”
Speaking at the Caribbean Broadcasting Union gathering, Saunders argued that the Caribbean does not have a relevance problem but a “discoverability and positioning problem.”
Discoverability is precisely the issue in Saunders’ home country. Even Government’s own attempts at video news broadcasting have struggled against the realities of consistently producing a daily, weekly or even monthly newscast.
The difficulties confronting TCI media extend well beyond algorithms: limited advertising revenue, underfunding, shortages of trained professionals and insufficient human capacity leave newsrooms struggling for both staff and stamina.
Then there is the reality of operating in one of the region’s smallest societies. Politicians, journalists, advertisers, businesses and the subjects of stories often exist within the same tight economic and social circles. A controversial report that might create a ripple elsewhere can produce a tsunami in TCI, intensifying concerns among journalists about commercial and professional victimisation.
Saunders believes AI can help.
He urged Caribbean media to use the technology to transform one original story into television, radio, web, podcast, social and translated content without multiplying newsroom workload.
He also wants regional journalism structured so AI systems can find, understand and trust Caribbean sources, moving media beyond traditional SEO into Answer Engine Optimisation.
His ultimate message was emphatic: “Use AI not to make Caribbean media more artificial — but to make Caribbean voices more visible.”
For Turks and Caicos media, however, becoming visible may require more than technology. It requires an environment in which journalism can survive.
That last sentence is where I think we land the plane. It acknowledges that EJ actually has some us
Bahamas News
Bahama Brass Band Invitation Sparks Heritage Debate Ahead of TCI Constitutional Holiday
Turks and Caicos, August 20, 2026 – The planned participation of the Bahama Brass Band in the Turks and Caicos Islands’ inaugural Constitutional Holiday celebrations on August 30 has sparked public debate over culture, heritage and the historical contributions of Turks and Caicos Islanders abroad.
Organizers defended the invitation, saying the band’s inclusion is intended to highlight the deep historical ties between the two countries
and honor Turks and Caicos men who helped establish and develop the institution in Grand Bahama.
According to the organizers, the Bahama Brass Band began in 1955 in Pine Ridge, Freeport, with Turks and Caicos Islanders, including the late Deacon Reuben Hall Sr. of Middle Caicos and Jenkins Williams and Mervin Hendfield of North Caicos, among those who helped build its foundation. The band eventually grew to more than 50 men.
The organizers also pointed to the participation of Turks and Caicos men in The Bahamas’ Independence celebrations on July 10, 1973, arguing that their contributions became part of Bahamian history while maintaining strong connections to their homeland.
Supporters say bringing the band home represents an opportunity to honor those pioneers, showcase their regional influence and expose younger generations to an important part of Turks and Caicos history.
However, concerns raised publicly described the invitation as potentially disrespectful to local culture and heritage. Organizers acknowledged those concerns, apologizing to anyone who felt overlooked or offended, while maintaining that no disrespect was intended.
The committee said the event should ultimately unite rather than divide, presenting the band’s history as evidence of the reach and resilience of Turks and Caicos heritage.
PHOTO CREDIT: Bahamas Brass Band
