Code Caribbean: Promoting STEAM for Innovation in the Caribbean

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The objectives of this Technical Cooperation Grant (TC) are threefold: (i) to demonstrate an effective approach in secondary education to address the needs of disadvantaged youth in the CARICOM countries and strengthen their STEAM, life and entrepreneurial skills which could eventually be integrated into the education system of the participating countries. To ensure that the required capacity is created in schools, the proposed operation will train a pool of coaches from tertiary education who in turn will teach secondary school students in the STEAM topics listed above, exposing them early on to technology coupled with life-skills and entrepreneurial skills to foster the development of the whole child/youth. This objective strives to demonstrate how STEAM and life and entrepreneurial skills development can be integrated into secondary school, and create a mechanism for strengthening in-country capacity to help implement the approach; (ii) to establish a mechanism between the Ministries of Education and the private sector to ensure that chosen areas are driven by and well aligned with job opportunities in the participating countries; and (iii) to affect systemic changes at the participating Ministries of Education by producing a plan for scaling up the initiative and to have more policy dialogue on STEAM and the integration of technological, life and entrepreneurial skills in secondary schools. To address the gender issues mentioned above, particularly focus will be given to a mentorship program to ensure that there is a gender balance with girls being able to enter the technology industry and boys to complete schooling and enter the labour market.