Renewing his call for Saint Lucians who can afford it to “have more children”, Education Minister Kenson Casimir linked the decline in birth rates to underpopulated classrooms, outlining plans to consolidate classes and expand specialised programmes.
During a Cabinet briefing on Monday, April 13, Education Minister Kenson Casimir addressed concerns about declining enrollment in Saint Lucia’s classrooms and clarified his earlier comments on family planning and national demographics.
Casimir said the country’s birth rates are changing and noted that modern family planning gives people more control over when and whether they have children.
“I will say the same thing to all Saint Lucians. If you can afford to have children, I will say it again, if you can afford to have more children, contribute to the economy of this country, then by all means, as the Minister of Education, I encourage you to do so,” he said.
He also said the government is supporting maternal health, mentioning free ultrasound services and better healthcare for expectant mothers. He noted that people now have more options for making responsible choices if they are not ready to raise children.
Addressing the drop in classroom numbers, the minister said the government wants to use educational resources wisely. Instead of leaving classrooms empty, schools will be encouraged to combine classes and use extra space for other purposes.
“So, for instance, if you have a classroom that is right now filling in 10 children and another classroom 10, what we are going to do is we are going to move them into one class and then use the other class for something like special education,” he said.
Casimir shared plans to add more specialised programmes in schools. This includes more help for students who need special education and new technical and vocational training for those interested in practical skills.
He also said the ministry is looking at new ways to handle student discipline. Rather than sending suspended students home, special classrooms could provide them with structured support.
“You have a classroom set up, you have a particular counsellor, a behavioural modification counsellor that we’ll be speaking about in the next budget debate, to sit down with that child for that two-week period and ensure that you can realign that child and make them more productive,” he explained.
Casimir said this approach is part of a wider government effort to keep every student involved and supported in the education system, even as enrolment drops.
The minister also talked about plans to improve student health and nutrition. He mentioned expanding the “one banana per child” programme and said there are talks about starting a “one egg per child” initiative to help students get more protein.
He praised Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre’s administration for making health and wellness a priority. He said the government’s education plan includes not just academics, but also physical health and overall growth.
Casimir said that although falling birth rates pose challenges, they also offer an opportunity to improve the education system to better support students and advance the country’s development.
