 The education sector development plan's overarching goal is to improve student performance across the board so that all students may succeed personally and professionally while also bolstering national and regional economies. The plan's ultimate goal is to foster a community that places a premium on education with the result being students who are literate, numerate and computer savvy, knowledgeable in science and technology and dedicated to upholding the principles of civil society doing so in good physical health. Planning officer within the Department of Education, Innovation and Vocational Training, Schnell-Leos, says the education strategy for 2023-2028 encompasses all levels of education from early childhood to the tertiary level. She says the two-day stakeholder consultation will help ensure the plan is impactful and confronts the challenges of the next five years. Friends of education who continue to support us have all been very involved given the critical role that we all play with respect to transforming education in St. Lucia, truly making it robust, allowing for grounded action that will certainly allow for achieving our desired outcomes with respect to addressing the challenges, the deficiencies that confront us in education. This layout says in order to develop an education sector plan that meets the needs of the country for the foreseeable future, major forecasting and research had to be undertaken, including a literature review of former sector strategies. This exercise truly allows for that ongoing qualitative as well as quantitative analysis to allow for certainly no info of all what you are working with, knowing where the education sector is situated with respect to achieving the goals of education, to then of course allow for the necessary stakeholder engagements. Former Chief Education Officer Marcus Edward is the World Bank Consultant for Education Strategy Development in St. Lucia and St. Vincent. He says although many policies have evolved over the years, it is important to ensure there is buy-in to the new plan and that it solves the many issues confronting the education sector, leaving no stone unturned. Clearly our focus is on the individual, the child, to ensure that every learner succeeds. So if you are a learner in the education system, irrespective of your circumstances, gender included, whatever it is that you are, we want to ensure that the education system is one where you are allowed to develop to reach your fullest potential. Education technology, adult and the continuing education, TVET, special education, human resource development, youth and sports are among major areas of emphasis of the new education policy direction. From the Communications Unit of the Department of Education, Innovation and Vocational Training, I am Chris Satney reporting.