The National Transformation Initiative (NTI) in Barbados is seeking to equip every Barbadian with the knowledge, skills and values to be citizens of good character and competence in a digital world. NTI Director, Dr Allyson Leacock, shares some insights on how the NTI was established, what it hopes to achieve, and the recent partnership between the NTI and Coursera.
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Across the Caribbean region on up to around the age of 16, education is compulsory and free in most countries, and so in principle, all citizens can have a solid academic grounding up to grade 11. In Barbados, education is free up to a first degree at university, which highlights the importance that the country places not only on education, but on ensuring that its citizens from lesser means are not disadvantaged as it relates to being able to access education.
Having said this, across the region, and even worldwide, there are concerns that the traditional constructs for education and learning are outdated, and are not properly preparing people for the future of work. Hence, many countries have been trying to grapple with changes that need to be made to local education systems and pedagogical practices to better fulfil the workplace of the future.
Barbados appears to be one of the Caribbean countries first out of the gate to try to make its labour force more future-ready. The country has established a National Transformation Initiative (NTI), which is part of the Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) Programme. The NTI aims to address one of the pillars of the BERT Growth Strategy by investing in and deepening existing investments in skills training and education. It thus has as its mission, “to equip every Barbadian with the knowledge, skills and values to be citizens of good character and competence in a digital world”.
Several weeks ago, it was announced that the NTI had partnered with the globally known online learning platform, Coursera, to offer courses that would help Barbadians prepare for a digital future. As a result, a broad range of courses are already being offered, with more to be added, that can facilitate the retooling, empowering, retraining and enfranchising of every Barbadian worker in the Informal, third and private sectors for the future global workplace.
Introducing our guest
Dr Allyson Leacock, the Director of the National Transformation Initiative, and is an Independent Media and Human Development Consultant, who heads A.I. Leacock Consultancy Inc. She is also the Chairman of the Barbados Broadcasting Authority, the Chairman of the International Institute of Communications (IIC) Small Nations Regulators’ Forum, the Chairman of the Barbados YouthADVANCE Corps Training Committee, and the Chairman of the Combermere School.
Allyson has over 38 years in executive management in corporate communications, media, needs assessment, training, human resource development and leadership, and 43 years in broadcast media: including production and presentation as TV News Anchor, and as General Manager of the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation. She has a proven track record in exemplary leadership of major organisations; conceptualising and developing behaviour-change communication and human development training.
Allyson holds Masters and Ph.D. degrees in Educational Technology, from Concordia University, Canada and a Bachelor of Arts degree (Double First Class Honours) in English and Education and the Diploma in Education (DipEd with distinction), from Stirling University, United Kingdom. Her training also includes Diplomas in: Human Resource Management, Facility Management, Arts Management and Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Insights into our conversation
If there is anything that can be said about Dr Allyson Leacock is that she is passionate about her work, and about what the NTI can achieve to improve the lives of Barbadians, and to better prepare them for the workplace and society of the future. Although the NTI is about 18 months old, It has achieved a lot, with more to come. However its true impact on the Barbadian society will only be known years from now, as workplaces, and by extension, societies evolve into the digital economies envisaged.
The subjects and skills taught in the formal education system are essential, but may not necessarily fully equip individuals to meet the challenges of our evolving societies. Hence the strides the NTI in Barbados has made, along with the lessons learnt along the way, can help other Caribbean countries model programmes and initiatives that can supplement the offerings of the formal education system.
Below are key questions posed to Allyson during our conversation:
- Can you give us an overview of the National Transformation Initiative and what was the impetus for its creation
- How long has the Initiative been in existence and are there any specific goals it ought to achieve?
- What have been some of its achievements to date?
- What are the Key Performance Indicators, or markers of success for the Initiative?
- How did the partnership with Coursera come about?
- Have any specific goals, targets or expectations been set with regard to the outputs of the partnership?
- Can you give us a sense of the courses that are available through the NTI/Coursera partnership?
- What has been the public’s response to the NTI offering Coursera courses?
We would love to hear from you!
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Select links
Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:
Image credits: A I Leacock; NTI website; Vlada Karpovich (Pexels); Oberholster Venita (Pixabay)
Music credit: Ray Holman
Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez
