 The Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training will on Friday, September 24, 2021, launch a two-year initiative referred to as the St. Lucia Connected Activity. The project is funded through a U.S. $1 million grant from the United States Agency for International Development USAID. The project is a timely response to the need for building the resilience and capacity of St. Lucia's education system to address the challenges of online learning posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare the youth to take advantage of the opportunities created by a new digital economy that is driven by technological advancements. In collaboration with World Education Inc., a U.S. non-governmental organization, Sa'afah Lewis Community College, Tuskegee University and other partners, the Ministry will embark on a program of educator professional development, where teachers will enhance their digital skills through training in developing online content to strengthen teaching and learning in a virtual setting. Teachers will also be re-oriented in their methods of teaching instruction through the adoption and infusion of positive youth development approaches that place emphasis on teaching critical life skills. The project, which will be launched virtually, will feature remarks from her Excellency Linda Tagliela Teller, U.S. Ambassador to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean and the OECS, and the Honorable Sean Edward, Minister for Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training.