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OECS Announces Launch of Digital Education Capacity-Strengthening Initiative (DECI) to Transition to a Distributed and Immersive Learning Environment

OECS Announces Launch of Digital Education Capacity-Strengthening Initiative (DECI) to Transition to a Distributed and Immersive Learning Environment

OECS Media Release

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission is committed to developing a more responsive and resilient educational environment that is better able to meet the learning needs of boys and girls in the OECS region. ​ On June 10,2022, in collaboration with its partners, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United States Agency for ​ Development (USAID), the OECS will launch the Digital Education Capacity-Strengthening Initiative (DECI) at 10 a.m. at Harbor Club, Saint Lucia. ​ The hybrid in-person and virtual event will be held under the theme “Developing Digital Content to Create Immersive Learning Experiences.”

The OECS’ Digital Education Capacity-Strengthening Initiative (DECI) is a digital education program designed for the Early Grade Education Sector in the OECS. ​ It will build the capacity of 600 principals and teachers in content development, in an effort to enhance teaching as well as the learning experience of students of Grades K to 3. ​ DECI will produce 3,000 culturally relevant courses that can be freely accessed by teachers, students, and parents through an OECS platform. ​ A wide range of educational content which has already been curated and shared by the OECS Commission can be accessed by visiting the OECS Kolibri platform https://learninghub.oecs.io/en/learn/#/topics, and the OECS version of the Global Digital Library (GDL) https://oecslibrary.com/.

DECI will provide digital education training; culturally relevant, engaging digital content and activities; free access to learning materials; as well as support for leadership in digital education. ​ DECI will support the improvement of teaching and learning in the OECS so that it reflects the needs of today’s learners, underscored by best practices in education. ​ Most importantly, it will help to enhance the region’s readiness to migrate to a distributed learning environment in the event of major natural disasters or pandemics such as COVID-19 and other public health threats which often cause the suspension of in-person or face-to-face learning.

“The successful transition to a distributed learning system will require among other things, adequate and equitable access to high quality digital learning materials,” said Sisera Simon, Programme Director, Education Development Management Unit. ​ “This program is well aligned with efforts that leverage digital technology to build resilience in the education system and support the continuity of learning in the OECS especially in the event of some unforeseen disruption.”

DECI will continue to build on the frameworks that have already been designed and implemented through the recent OECS Content Development initiatives such as the OECS/USAID Early Learners Program (ELP) Write to Read book authoring initiative, the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Reads Open Educational Resources (OER) Capacity Program, and the iLearn Content Development Program. ​ Additionally, the outputs and impacts of DECI are aligned with the OECS’ Program for Educational Advancement and Relevant Learning (OECS PEARL) which seeks to advance progress towards the goals of the OECS Education Sector Strategy (OESS) through increased access and improved student learning in basic education, as well as enhance curriculum and assessment. 

The public is invited to view the launch via the OECS Commission’s Facebook page on June 10, 2022 at 10 a.m. AST. For further information visit the OECS website https://oecs.org/en/ or contact Sisera Simon, Programme Director-Education via email at [email protected] or Germain Anthony, Technical Specialist -Education at [email protected]. ​

DECI Launch Flyer
DECI Launch Flyer
Sisera Simon Head, Education Development Management Unit, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
Germain Anthony Technical Specialist- Education, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
Malika Thompson-Cenac Communications Specialist, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

 

About The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

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The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is an International Organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance among independent and non-independent countries in the Eastern Caribbean. The OECS came into being on June 18th 1981, when seven Eastern Caribbean countries signed a treaty agreeing to cooperate with each other while promoting unity and solidarity among its Members. The Treaty became known as the Treaty of Basseterre, so named in honour of the capital city of St. Kitts and Nevis where it was signed. The OECS today, currently has eleven members, spread across the Eastern Caribbean comprising Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Martinique and Guadeloupe. 

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
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