Youth parliamentarians Shonté Morris and Kashon Brewster have described Barbados’s digital transformation as risky but necessary, with Morris warning that employers expect 39 per cent of skills to become outdated and calling for changes to how young people are prepared for the world of work.
The issue was raised on Thursday during the Barbados National Youth Parliament debate on digital transformation, held as part of National Youth Week under the subtheme Youth Today, Leaders Tomorrow!
Morris, acting leader of government business, said technology was already changing the way the economy operates and that education must keep pace.
She said: “Technology is changing how this economy works.”
The country could no longer afford to leave its classrooms unchanged while artificial intelligence, digital business, data and cybersecurity continued to reshape employment, she added.
“If the world of work is changing, then why should the way we prepare our young people remain unchanged?”
Morris supported a digital-first education reform which would introduce digital literacy, coding, artificial intelligence ethics and digital citizenship from the primary level, with lessons progressing as students grow.
This approach would not simply involve giving children devices, she insisted.
“We are not saying just throw the laptop in front of the child, and the problem is resolved. No, we are saying we have to change the way in which we teach.”
She cited the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, saying employers expect 39 per cent of skills to become outdated and transformed by 2030, a figure she described as “alarming”.
The youth parliamentarian also argued that Barbados should prepare young people to take advantage of opportunities outside the island through greater regional digital co-operation: “Why should the size of Barbados determine the size of our digital ambition?”
Morris noted that digital businesses did not have to remain within Barbados and highlighted the importance of regional cooperation through CARICOM.
“Recommendation A builds the capability. Recommendation B strengthens and expands the opportunity.”
But Brewster said the digital transformation debate must also take into account that Barbadians have experienced a lot of change in our lives and have adapted.
He said: “Our people have faced storms, slavery, colonialism, and we did not even flinch. So why should we flinch now of the challenge of a digital age? Progress is never safe, but it is always necessary.”
He questioned whether traditional teaching methods would be enough for students preparing to enter an increasingly digital economy.
“We cannot keep teaching our children if chalk and talk will prepare them for the world of artificial intelligence.”
Brewster said: “Jamaica has already brought 14 governments to commit to digital transformation. Belize has declared digital resilience through data embassies. So the pattern is clear: The Caribbean is moving digital.”
He also supported the proposed introduction of coding, digital ethics and digital citizenship, as well as smarter and more interactive school platforms.
“If we do not teach coding, ethics, digital citizenship, Ma’am, we will pay for that cost later on.”
He backed a proposal for junior digital consultant roles, which would allow young people to help design and manage their schools’ websites and, in some cases, apps while gaining practical experience.
“Why trust us with that and do not trust us to lead us into a digital age?”
But he acknowledged concerns about cybersecurity and the risks involved in moving more services and education online.
“I know the voices will rise: ‘Going digital is risky. What if you’re hacked? What if it fails?’”
Brewster argued that risk should not prevent Barbados from pursuing technological development.
“Progress is never safe, but it is always necessary.”
The resolution before the Youth Parliament calls for a National Digital Acceleration Roadmap and proposes reforms including digital-first education, smart school systems, junior digital consultant roles, a National Youth Tech-Pass, community innovation hubs and a national cybersecurity awareness campaign.
It also calls for stronger regional digital cooperation, including efforts to harmonise digital trade policies and advance a regional Single Digital Market. (LE)
