Education
TCI Gov’t Allocates $4 Million to Daycare, Afterschool & Feeding Programs
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, January 20, 2023 – School lunches will soon come at no cost to some students thanks to just one program in the suite of social support approved by Cabinet to stand alongside the new Minimum
Wage increase.
The three programs; a National School Nutrition Program; National Day Care Program and an After School Program; will cost the government $4 million and apply to varying groups of TCI residents.
The National School Nutrition Program
Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education explained that this program would be accessible in all public schools and piloted in two private institutions but not all students will get the free lunches. Edgar Howell, Director of Education explained the temporary selection process determining who would qualify for meals. Parameters included:
- All students irrespective of their nationality and social background including children who live in foster care, state homes or children who live in families that receive benefits from the department of social development;
- Children whose parents live below the poverty line;
- Children who teachers, guidance counsellors and other school administrators have observed do not bring a packed lunch or do not have money to purchase lunch at school and;
- Children who have consistently demonstrated that they do not have access to a balanced meal or nutritious lunch or snack.
National Daycare Program
This Program will only be available to Belonger families in the Turks and Caicos with children – 3 years old – who have an annual income below $25,000 or below the minimum wage.
Unemployed parents who can show evidence of being registered with the Labour Department will also qualify. Foster care cases and wards of the state and the children of teachers will also benefit.
Taylor maintained that legislative amendments would be undertaken to ensure that the Centres were up to par and care was standardised across the country. In addition to that, a course to qualify daycare operators and caregivers will soon be offered by the TCI Community College, also in an effort to standardise care.
The After School Program
Open to all teachers and students of public schools across the islands, this program will depend on present and retired teachers to operate it, with an extra $500 on paychecks as their incentive. Interested students will have to register for the program which will be 2 hours long beginning directly after the end of school and lasting until 5 pm each day
“It will not only cater to academic support but will be varied in its delivery” Howell explained “we will deliver music and drama; sports and cultural classes; debate and public speaking training”
The program will run from Mondays to Thursdays weekly and all facilitators will have to take part in a mandatory child safeguarding program before they can begin teaching.
All programs are scheduled to begin with the advent of the next school year; which is September 2023.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – Musicians from the New World Symphony will be in the Turks and Caicos in concert next month and residents are invited to attend in support of the future of Ashley’s Learning Center. 
A fairly young orchestral academy based in Miami, the New World Symphony was launched in the 1980s by 1987, Michael Tilson Thomas and Ted Arison,Carnival Cruises founder. From the 1500 applicants who vie for a spot each year, the symphony accepts around 35 music graduates annually for training fellowships.
A select few of those graduates will be in country on April 8th headlining at the Ashley’s Learning Center concert ‘We’re all in this together’. The concert which also feature local artistes will be held at Brayton Hall on Venetian Road from 6 pm to 8:30 pm
Tickets are available ON ISLEHELP $75 PER GENERAL SEAT $125 PER PREMIUM SEAT $195 PER GALLERY SEAT – with /FREFRESHMENTS.
For TICKET RESERVATIONs you can call: 649-341-2304 or email EVENTS@ASHLEYSLEARNINGCENTER.ORG
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
March 17, 2023 – Celery is a great food for people trying to lose weight or just put healthy meals on the table. It’s
mostly made up of water and with only ten calories per stalk, you can add it into juices, salads, stir frys and more, without worrying about large amounts of sugar.
There are other health benefits as well. Healthline says it is rich in antioxidants, reduces inflammation, supports digestion and it can help with heartburn from spicy foods!
TCI farmers have hopped onto the celery train and the nutritious vegetable will be available to purchase, in a debut for celery, at the Farmers Market this Saturday March 18th from 8:30 am to 1pm.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 16, 2023 – Deputy Governor Anya Williams is committing to improvements in the public service including better wages. The Head of the Civil Service made the announcement in a recent National Teacher’s Day message. 
“We recognize, commend, and applaud you for your service and promise our commitment to continue to work to improve the infrastructure, pay, and benefits, not only for teachers but also the wider public service.”
The announcement comes after the DG’s office released a tender for a consultant to reassess the pay grading scale for the entirety of the public service. Recognizing Education Week, Williams thanked the country’s teachers for their service throughout the years.
“In recognition of Teacher’s Day, I would like to express our profound thanks to teachers across the Turks and Caicos Islands, specifically highlighting the over four hundred teachers in our public service that give selflessly of themselves every day to educate, mold and inspire the future generations of these islands.”
Williams celebrated Education Week along with Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education and hundreds of teachers and students who participated in debates, field trips and the science fair sponsored by FortisTCI.
It was the first time in two years that the events were held on such a large scale because of COVID-19.
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