Above: Barbados (CJ Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Barbados’ government says it is planning to develop a “blueprint” to reform its Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teaching across its education system.

Labour, Social Security and Human Resource Development Minister Dr Esther Byer Suckoo pointed this week to what she saw as the “need to create a culture of research, innovation and entrepreneurship” in Barbados.

“STEM education opens new opportunities for innovation and can also generate new high-end jobs,” she said at the opening ceremony of the Barbados Human Resource Development Action Planning Workshops in Bridgetown. “This strategy therefore, seeks to facilitate the development of highly-skilled researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators.”

The blueprint will cover STEM education from the primary to the tertiary level, she said, along with continuing education.

The Minister said government would “facilitate entrepreneurship education at all levels, provide for business incubation and encourage research.”

She cautioned, however, that this would require a behavioural and cultural change in the country, lamenting that “too many Barbadians do not now see themselves as entrepreneurs, innovators or researchers.”

“Training interventions will be needed to sensitize on innovation, promote entrepreneurship and effect the necessary ‘mindset’ change which ultimately, will allow us to achieve the overall goal of increased competitiveness,” Byer-Suckoo said.