Blue Economy to be incorporated in schools

Schools in Barbados could soon have a curriculum that includes teaching about the Blue Economy.

Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, Kirk Humphrey, shared his expectation yesterday morning during the handing over of seven O’pen Skiff sailboats at the Barbados Yacht Club, Bay Street, St. Michael.

Mr. Humphrey disclosed that the Ministry had been working with the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training in its ‘Swim For Life’ initiative, and there were discussions about including teaching about the blue economy in schools in the near future.

“We’re also talking to the Ministry of Education about a bigger understanding of the blue economy so that the curriculum, not only in terms of its actual sports, sailing and swimming and the physical activities, but that the actual curriculum reflects a blue economy understanding.

“So what is happening with our coral?  What is happening with our biodiversity? Why do we need to have marine protected or marine managed areas to a certain extent?  Why do we need to look out for the parrot fish, the turtles and those kinds of things?  And so, that kind of education is now being contemplated in terms of how do we incorporate that into the overall curriculum, and I hope to see it in all its fullness over time.”

Mr. Humphrey also noted that the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy has been having discussions with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, in an effort to receive assistance with its “We Sea, We Life” programme.  He said through the National Sports Council, assistance has been received for the ‘Swim For Life’ initiative, and the Council has provided information about persons who are able to participate in the Sail For Life programme.

He added that he would be deepening his discussions on sailing with the Minister of Sports, so that more young people could be trained to a certain level, and that it would move beyond “being an introductory sailing programme to being a real programme that puts Barbados back competitively on the map”.

Mr. Humphrey also said that he plans to have talks with the Sports Ministry about beach sports such as volleyball and water polo.