Education Sector Plan 2021-2025 for Dominica

The Education Sector Plan 2021-2025 for Dominica outlines a national vision for advancing the island’s education system‘s quality, inclusiveness, and responsiveness. Developed by the Ministry of Education, the plan was created through broad-based consultations and launched with the support of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and other development agencies. Its purpose is to tackle long-standing challenges, including limited access to vocational opportunities, underperformance in early literacy and numeracy, and insufficient integration of special education needs (SEN).

Strategic Goals and System Reform Priorities

The plan is anchored in four overarching goals: expanding access to quality education at all levels, ensuring equity across gender, geography, and socio-economic background, modernising curricula and instruction methods, and building institutional resilience. Central to this effort is a sweeping curriculum reform aimed at reimagining teaching and learning for the 21st century. For the first time, life skills, digital literacy, resilience training, and entrepreneurship are being systematically integrated into classroom practice across the primary and secondary levels.

The curriculum transformation includes a complete review and redesign of the national curriculum frameworks. Teacher education is also a priority, with targeted training for inclusive pedagogy, SEN approaches, differentiated instruction, and more learner-centred practices. These reforms are backed by dedicated policy units and technical working groups to ensure strategic implementation and accountability.

Implementation, Partners, and Financing

The Ministry has coordinated closely with partners such as the OECS PEARL Programme, World Bank, UNICEF, and the Caribbean Development Bank. These partnerships have enabled technical assistance, learning assessments, and co-financing of major initiatives. China’s development cooperation has supported the construction of new infrastructure aligned with education goals, including the Centre of Excellence for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) at Goodwill Secondary School.

While public education funding has remained around 4–5% of GDP, increased financial commitments are necessary to support new SEN units, digital labs, and vocational tracks. The plan also calls for realigning sectoral budgeting to target disadvantaged groups and under-resourced schools better. Institutional frameworks such as the Education Advisory Board and SEN Council have been revitalised to promote multisector collaboration across education, health, youth development, and gender affairs.

Monitoring, Indicators, and Milestones

A rigorous monitoring and evaluation system has been integrated into the plan’s design. This system includes annual school audits, teacher development trackers, and district-level assessments. Indicators are disaggregated by gender, location, and student needs. Targets have been set for several performance benchmarks to be achieved by 2025 and into 2030. These include measurable increases in student achievement, teacher readiness, SEN accommodations, and access to vocational qualifications.

Some of the specific goals include:

• Completion of new national curriculum frameworks for primary and secondary education
• Training at least 50% of teachers in inclusive instructional practices by 2027
• Expansion of school-based SEN programs across all education districts
• Reduction of male repetition rates at the secondary level from 11% to 8% by 2029
• Improved early-grade reading and mathematics outcomes, verified by standard assessments
• Growth in vocational education certifications for students in upper secondary school

These targets are reviewed quarterly and incorporated into national education reviews that guide adaptive planning and performance-based budgeting.

Building Resilience and Inclusiveness

The plan is also designed to make education more resilient to shocks such as pandemics, natural disasters, and economic disruption. Schools are being rebuilt or retrofitted to be climate-resilient and equipped with digital capacity. Key communities affected by Hurricane Maria are prioritized for new infrastructure, including school rehabilitation in Kalinago Territory, Grand Bay, and Portsmouth.

Resilience also means addressing the needs of underserved populations. The SEN component receives focused attention with investments in teacher specialists, new classroom materials, and individualised learning plans. Gender responsiveness is embedded into vocational programme recruitment, seeking to reverse male underrepresentation in academic disciplines and female underrepresentation in trades.

Vocational education is now linked directly to Dominica’s national development plans. Programmes in agriculture, construction, health services, and digital technology are matched with labour market trends and supported through certification pathways and partnerships with private employers.

This education plan is not a standalone document. It functions within Dominica’s broader national planning framework, aligning with the National Resilience Development Strategy 2030 and the OECS Education Sector Strategy. This ensures that improvements in education directly support economic diversification, youth empowerment, poverty reduction, and regional integration.