Five Caribbean countries adopt Antigua and Barbuda Declaration on School Safety

Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 1 May, 2019 (CDEMA) – Five countries: Curacao, Grenada, Jamaica, Sint Marteen and Suriname adhered to the Caribbean Safe School Initiative and adopted the Antigua and Barbuda Declaration on School Safety during the 2nd Caribbean Safe School Ministerial Forum. The forum was held from 29-30 April  2019 in Kingstown and hosted by the Ministry of Education, National Reconciliation, Ecclesiastical Affairs and Information.

In 2017, 12 countries adhered to the initiative and signed the Antigua and Barbuda Declaration on School Safety in the Caribbean. At the second Ministerial Forum, ten Ministers of Education, officials in the education sector as well as disaster management stakeholders, regional and international partners participated in technical discussions on school safety and updated the Regional RoadMap for School Safety.

The Minister of Education, National Reconciliation and Information of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Minister St. Clair Prince, commented in regard to the Caribbean Safe School Initiative that “The 2nd Ministerial Forum has served to renew the commitment to build the resilience of the education sector in the Caribbean region”. He also added that “I am also committed as the incoming chair for this forum to ensure that School Safety in the Caribbean remains a priority nationally, regionally and internationally”.

Read more at: Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency