ONE OF the most talked about success stories of Barbados is education and how it has been used to propel national development.
We should not rest on our laurels.
Instead, we need to use this strength to exercise necessary leadership on the world stage. We are either good or we are not, and I strongly believe that we are.
My respect and admiration for the dedicated and selfless work of most of our primary school teachers is very strong. As one who has spent his entire career in the secondary system, I have had first-hand experience of the focus and struggles of teachers at this level as they move veritable mountains to secure positive progress for their charges.
As our society seeks to counter the many negative impacts of the wider world, it becomes imperative for us to find different strategies and approaches to help our student leaders.
I believe in the mantra which speaks to developing leaders rather than followers, and this shapes my focus on an approach that aids in skill and values inculcation.
I also believe that as societal challenges unfold and the requirements for national development become more diverse, entrepreneurship becomes almost an imperative. This necessitates a need for youth leaders to be challenged to be creative, to be curious, to be inspired and to develop a passion for learning different things in different ways and in different environments.
As part of a solution, I am recommending the introduction of an annual regional student leadership and entrepreneurship conference to be hosted in Barbados.
Every year, we see pictures and read stories of young students seeking financial support to attend a similar conference in the United States, Europe, Israel, Australia and China. These are expensive and are not structured to seek answers for our particular needs.
As a parent of one such former attendee and also the coordinator of a scholarship programme to help others, I know how prohibitive the cost can be for the vast majority of youth.
This residential, intense and highly interactive conference could be hosted in July or August. Youth from all Caricom countries should be invited and can then go back and share with their peers. It should be developed and coordinated with the assistance of the University of the West Indies, the Barbados Manufacturers Association, the Chamber of Commerce and our local education and political leaders.
Dedicated workshops/seminars, group simulations, service projects, area specific lectures from political, educational, professional, sporting and business leaders as well as members of the diplomatic core, specially organised visits to places of prominence as well as social and cultural interactions should define the conference programme.
This activity would give exposure to direct leadership instruction, different cultural thrusts and challenges, learning through service, and opportunities to benefit from the experiences of prominent individuals from varied leadership positions.
It would also give youth an opportunity to work in a collaborative environment with peers from throughout the region, encourage the spirit of volunteerism among the youth and challenge their creative and analytical skills.
The conference would, hopefully, attract a major sponsor from within the region which should be supplemented with governmental /regional support, thereby reducing cost to the individual participants.
We can structure our own initiatives to chart our developmental focus for the future.
Jeff Broomes is an experienced educator, principal and community organiser who also served as a vice president of the BCA and director of the WICB. Email: unclejeff@hotmail.com