Despite some criticisms of the education sector in Barbados, there are more positives than negatives in that system.

This assertion was made today by Minister of Education and Human Resource Development, Ronald Jones, while speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of a new nursery school to be built at Sharon, St. Thomas. ??It is a joint effort between his ministry and The Maria Holder Memorial Trust.

"Negative comments about education do no good for us as a nation," he contended, while adding that his Government was fully committed to the continued development of the education sector and, in particular, nursery education.

"Nursery education is important to the Government and to the Ministry of Education and this [the erection of the nursery school] is but an extension of the efforts of the government and the ministry to work at the foundational level of education in Barbados.?? We still have a long way to go and while we have not yet satisfied all of the demands for nursery education in Barbados, this will help," Mr. Jones said.

The Education Minister also highlighted the fact that instruction to children at an early age was necessary as a way to instill the correct behaviours, attitudes, knowledge and skills that would allow them to grow up understanding and appreciating the benefits

of education?? "…You will see it have that ripple effect right through primary, secondary and tertiary education," he explained.

Speaking to the use of green technology by contractors in building the school, the Minister opined that he was proud to see such techniques employed, as these initiatives would have numerous long term benefits.?? "As we construct other facilities for education, we will seek to integrate green technologies…moving away from the use of bio-technologies into using things like solar panels," Mr. Jones pledged.

Director of The Maria Holder Memorial Trust, Peter Symmonds, expressed his pleasure at being able to build the nursery school in conjunction with the Government of Barbados, pointing out that this was in keeping with the organization’s objectives.

He added that assistance in the development of the education sector in Barbados, particularly in the early stages of a child’s schooling, was a long-term wish of the late Maria Holder, after whom the trust was named.

The new school will be erected on 5000 square feet of space, to the tune of 1.5 million dollars.?? It is expected to house approximately 120 students. kmoore@barbados.gov.bb

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