Dominica’s efforts to expand and formalize Kwéyòl language education took another step forward as the Konmité pou Etid Kwéyòl (KEK) distributed 100 copies of the publication Anou Aprann Kwéyòl to primary schools and organizations. The handover took place at the Goodwill Parish Hall, where KEK officials emphasised that Kwéyòl instruction is growing steadily across the education system.
KEK highlighted that Kwéyòl is now timetabled in primary schools, and students increasingly have access to structured materials, including a mini English–Kwéyòl dictionary in the text. The committee noted “the reach and the impact of these books will be felt all over Dominica” and stressed that the materials are intended to deepen student engagement with the language.
One of the publication’s co-founders, Magalie Celestine, outlined the progress already made. She reported that:
- A Kwéyòl curriculum guide exists.
- 19 teachers have been trained to date.
- Kwéyòl has a presence at the Castle Bruce Secondary School.
- Schools are encouraged to observe a “pause for the Kwéyòl cause.”
Celestine also disclosed that Kwéyòl integration is expanding well beyond classroom instruction. Kwéyòl is being prepared for official entry into secondary schools and Dominica State College, and there are plans for its use in national institutions such as:
- The court system
- The House of Parliament
- The banking system
She added that Kwéyòl signage and billboards will soon appear publicly across the island, marking another step in normalizing the language in Dominica’s social and civic spaces.
KEK further announced that it is completing an English–Kwéyòl dictionary that will include “word meanings, pronunciations, etymology, usage, and other linguistic information” for sale to the public. Work is also advancing on a draft National Language Policy, which will guide Kwéyòl’s use in education and key public sectors.
The Ministry of Education and KEK encouraged teachers to fully utilize the new learning resources, noting that the wider goal is to help protect and preserve Dominica’s Kwéyòl heritage at a time when languages worldwide face declining use.
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