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Education

AI, VR and Financial Literacy Take Center Stage in TCI Education Reform

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Deandrea Hamilton

Editor

 

Turks and Caicos, May 23, 2025 – The Turks and Caicos Islands Government is ushering in a new era of education, driven by innovation and digital transformation. During the 2025/26 budget debate, Education and Youth Minister Rachel Taylor unveiled a bold suite of initiatives focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR), and Financial Literacy—poised to reshape how students learn and prepare for the future.

Central to this transformation is a strategic partnership between the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College and global leader EON Reality. The collaboration brings a $6.7 million investment in immersive learning, including a $6.55 million software grant and over $216,000 from the TCI Government. Beginning in September 2025, students will train in hyper-realistic virtual environments across key sectors like maritime, hospitality, and construction—practicing emergency drills, operating machinery, and simulating real-world workplace scenarios.

“VR and AR are revolutionizing how we teach and how our students absorb information,” said Minister Taylor. Citing Stanford University research that shows students retain 75% more information through VR, she emphasized the need for education to mirror the fast-paced demands of the 21st-century workforce.

Equally forward-thinking is the Ministry’s new financial literacy programme. In a collaboration with WizdomCRM Caribbean Limited, 1,000 secondary school students will gain free access to two cutting-edge platforms: the Sustainable Stock Market Game and the Eagle Eye AI Tutor. The initiative, launching in the first term of the upcoming academic year, will run for six months at no cost to students or government, empowering young people with skills in investing, money management, and AI-assisted learning.

Turks and Caicos becomes the fifth Caribbean nation to benefit from the programme, following Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad. “We are building a digitally literate generation, equipped not just with devices but with the knowledge and confidence to thrive in a tech-driven economy,” Minister Taylor stated.

Complementing these innovations, the Ministry has also mapped every public school under the GIGA project—a UNICEF-ITU initiative to boost equitable internet access. With improved connectivity and 565 new laptops scheduled for distribution, TCI students will soon experience a modernised, more connected classroom.

From immersive training to AI tutoring, the government is signaling that the future of learning in the Turks and Caicos Islands is not just near—it’s already begun.

Education

Champions for Christ International School of Excellence

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Tiffany D. Grant-Saunders, MSW, BA Acting Principal/Guidance Counselor

Turks and Caicos, September 5, 2025 – It is our esteemed pleasure to introduce you to Mrs. Tiffany D. Grant-Saunders, MSW, BA, as the new Acting Principal/Guidance Counselor for Champions For Christ International School of Excellence, effective September 1, 2025.

Mrs. Grant-Saunders is the youngest daughter of Millicent R. Grant and Kenneth Grant.  Raised in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, she is a 2016 graduate of Champions For Christ International School of Excellence.  She holds a Master of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Clinical Counseling from Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, FL, having graduated Magna Cum Laude.

She brings her experience as a Mental Health Technician and Education Liaison in Dade City, FL. In addition, she completed her internship as a Therapist Intern with North Tampa Behavioral Health and Zephyrhills Behavioral Health.

We are excited to have Mrs. Grant-Saunders return to the Turks and Caicos Islands and invest her time and talents in the continued building of our student body here at Champions For Christ International School of Excellence.

Please join us in welcoming her home!

 

Claudette M. Basden

Founder & Executive Director 

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Bahamas News

Holmes Rock Junior High School on Track to Open in September

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Bahamas Information Services

 

GRAND BAHAMA, The Bahamas — On Saturday, August 23, 2025, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama and Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, Kingsley Smith along with Deputy Director of Education for the Grand Bahama, Bimini, and The Cays District, Michelle Bowleg toured Holmes Rock Junior High School to assess ongoing progress and ensure the project remains on track to welcome students for the new academic term in September.

Following the tour, Smith expressed optimism regarding the ongoing progress, stating, “Having toured the site and seeing the work that is being done on the weekend, shows the commitment and dedication to getting it completed.”

He also noted that after discussions with the contractors, he was assured that with sufficient manpower and around-the-clock work, the project remains on track for completion by September 1, 2025.

“One of our underlying goals is really access, so we are happy that the school will be up and ready for our students,” said Bowleg.

She highlighted that several zoom meetings were held with parents to keep them informed about key updates including booklists, uniforms, and staffing. According to Bowleg, feedback from parents has been overwhelmingly positive.

“It is a beautiful facility, one that parents will be very proud of, and the entire West Grand Bahama community,” she added.

(BIS Photos/Danielle Rollon)

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Education

Belize Students Explore Cruise Careers Aboard Carnival Paradise

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Belize City, Belize (Aug 19, 2025) – Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world’s largest cruise company, recently welcomed 40 students from five educational institutions in Belize aboard the Carnival Paradise cruise ship. The visit was part of an initiative organized in collaboration with the Belize Tourism Board, aimed at inspiring future careers in the maritime industry.

The students represented Gwen Lizarraga High School, Sadie Vernon Technical High School, Nazarene High School, Anglican Cathedral College, and the Hope Center after-school program. The visit provided a firsthand look at cruise industry operations from Carnival’s perspective, highlighted onboard career opportunities, and supported ongoing youth empowerment efforts in Belize City.

During the guided tour of the ship’s public guest areas, the students were able to observe daily cruise operations up close, describing the experience as inspiring and educational, with many noting they learned about opportunities available in the cruise industry.

Captain Ivan Vatovic, Chief Engineer Domenico Bibita; Hotel Director Vivek Menon; Food & Beverage Director Stephen Kim Reynolds; Human Resources Director Daniel Marques De Oliveira; and Environmental Officer Daniela Ramos Licon spoke with the students about their respective roles aboard the ship. Learning & Development Manager John Philip Ortega provided an overview of Carnival Cruise Line’s recruitment process and the various shipboard career opportunities available.

Kwame Scott, Cruise Relations Specialist at the Belize Tourism Board, highlighted the positive impact of the initiative, “Partnering with Carnival Corporation has supported us to expose Belizean youth to viable career paths within the tourism sector. When students can see firsthand how the cruise industry operates, it opens their minds to possibilities they may never have considered.”

Julian Mortis, Director of The Hope Center, praised the program’s powerful educational value in an interview with 7 News Belize. She explained that the tour provided students with more than just a glimpse into a cruise ship. By learning about the roles and requirements, the children realized that a career on a ship, and the opportunity to travel the world, was a real and achievable possibility for them.

Photo Caption: Some of the participating Belizean students and teachers pose for a group photo aboard Carnival Paradise during an educational ship visit.

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