Secretary General of the BVI National Commission for UNESCO, Dr. Allison Flax-Archer has said that as the Territory celebrates 2021 International Literacy Day, UNESCO and National Commissions worldwide will be endorsing the right to literacy, the cultivation of literacy and digital skills by everyone for a human-centered recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

The public is advised of the following special dates for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture and public schools.

Educators across the Virgin Islands were encouraged to keep inspiring each other as they move forward into the new academic school year at their annual Teachers Professional Day on August 23.

The public is invited to participate in the Department of Culture’s Virgin Islands Proverbs and Poems Poetry competition.

Educators across the Territory are engaged in a week of training from August 24 to August 26 before the opening of school on Monday, September 6.

The Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) invites interested firms to submit quotations for the provision of Geotechnical Engineering Services. These services shall include determining the bearing capacity of the soil by performing boreholes and analysing the soil sample in the area proposed for the new classrooms at the Elmore Stoutt High School.

Detailed copies of the Request for Quotation can be obtained by sending a request to: procurement@bvirecovery.vg.

Residents of Jost Van Dyke are invited to a public meeting on Sunday, August 22 at 2:00 p.m. at the Foxy's Tamarind Bar to discuss the redevelopment of the Jost Van Dyke Primary school

There will be a special presentation by officers from the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency as well as remarks by Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A Fahie and Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley.

All are encouraged to attend.

Parents of students in the public school system who utilise the Virgin Islands Digital eBook/Textbook (VIDE) are asked to note the following procedures for returning the devices to the Ministry of Education.

14 companies have submitted Expressions of Interest (EOI) indicating their qualifications and experience to participate in the tender process to construct new classrooms at the Elmore Stoutt High School.

The companies will now be shortlisted and the top seven will be asked to submit tenders for the construction of the classrooms.

The Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) is commited to support the Government of the Virgin Islands and the Ministry of Education in creating the much-needed space to accommodate students by April 2022.

The public is notified that officers from the Ministry of Education Accounts and ICT units will be visiting Virgin Gorda on Wednesday, August 25 to Friday, August 27 to collect all Chromebook and laptop loaned for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school year from all public schools on the island (Robinson O'Neal, Bregado Flax Primary and Bregado Flax Secondary)