The Ministry of Education Transformation has big plans to get students’ voices onto the world stage, with the introduction of Student TV.
During the 2026 elections for the National Student Council at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre yesterday, Minister Chad Blackman said they wanted to get this started from September.
“Outside of the traditional media going to cover an event or a school sending a press release to the media, the students have not been able to share with the country and the world what they’ve been able to achieve and things that they’re doing.
“And for that reason, from September, I’ve told the ministry that we will now start what we call Student TV, which allows for students across the country to be able to have a platform, not just in terms of camera, but also radio and podcast, telling their stories, student news, music, arts, fashion, sports,” he said.
Blackman said this was part of the ministry’s plan to have the top education system in the world.
“Retooling and reforming what education looks like means giving students a stronger platform and a stronger voice. Therefore, we believe that Barbados must lead the way, working with our counterparts in the region to be able to build out an ecosystem that gives these young people the platform and the voice to be able to do the necessary things to shape public discourse.
“I want you to imagine Student TV isn’t just about reporting what is happening in schools, but it’s also a platform to . . . make sure that you tell your story on global matters, and for the international community to also understand your perspective on where the world is going, or should not be going – the issues that you must confront in technology, in climate, in health, infrastructure, economic development [and more],” he added.
He said the National Student Council will now have a home, complete with equipment and resources.
“We must give [it] the institutional and technical support to be able to do the necessary things for them to thrive. That is why the Ministry of Education Transformation has determined that from this coming academic year, September, we will have a space in the ministry . . . in Bridgetown, an office where the National Student Council can have their meetings, and equipped with the necessary hardware and technology to be able to do their work.”
Blackman told the students their work in the council would mirror the world of work, as it was a balancing act of juggling council work with their school work.
The elective process for this year’s council members began with 18 students representing 12 schools. Yesterday, nine candidates were up for election, with 17-year-old Lodge School student Shakir Daisley becoming the new president.
(CA)
