Basseterre, March 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ministry of Education in St Kitts and Nevis will receive a grant of US$90 000,00, from the Japanese Fund-in-Trust to equip them to develop an Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) framework for the country’s education sector.
UNESCO identified the Cape Verde Islands and St Kitts and Nevis to receive technical assistance in the context of ESD for 2030. Both countries that are Small Island Developing States (SIDS) were recognised as probable success in efforts to integrate education for sustainable development.
In 2022, the Senior Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Dr. Tricia Esdaille, submitted the St Kitts and Nevis’ ESD plan that included the 2023-2024 feasibility of delivery timeframe and anticipated outcomes in the country. UNESCO together with Japan-fund-in-trust considered to provide technical assistance to Lesser Developed Countries (LDCs) and SIDS to deploy the ESD project.
The ESD project will consist of policy development and related training policymakers; pilot school-level projects; educator training; support for youth-driven project-based learning; and local community-level activity including various stakeholders.
On 23 February 2023, St Kitts and Nevis Ambassador to UNESCO in Paris, H.E. David P. Doyle, met with the Japan Ambassador for UNESCO, His Excellency Atsuyuki Oike, and his Deputy Permanent Delegate and Minister, Ms. Hirayama Naoko, to extend their appreciation to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth, Social Development, Gender Affairs, Aging and Disabilities, Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Henley.
“The Japan-fund-in-trust is very welcome and will significantly scale up St Kitts and Nevis’ institutional capacity in developing an ESD plan applicable across all sectors of the Federation’s education and training framework.” Ambassador Doyle said.
Ambassador Oike added that, “The Government of Japan is proud to be associated with supporting this ESD initiative in St Kitts and Nevis, which marks a tangible example of my government’s ESD technical assistance programme targeting LDCs and SIDS.”
The current total contributed funds for the ESD project that will bring the two UNESCO fund-granted initiatives into the country, has reached a total of US$136 000,00, with the aim to strengthen the national educational policy framework. UNESCOs education projects are active in parallel with each other across the country, under the guidance of the country’s Ministry of Education and the St Kitts and Nevis National Commission for UNESCO for the 2022-2023 period.
“We are thankful for the ongoing support and technical assistance of UNESCO in bolstering our national efforts to advance ESD for 2023. With the additional aid of Japan-fund-in-trust, we are further heartened and empowered to carry out a programme of work that will result in the development of national ESD policy framework and action plan.” Emphasised Dr. Tricia Esdaille.
Dr. Tricia Esdaille had also stated that the ESD targets need to remain clear and the outcomes for the country that communicate education as the Federation’s forefront for sustainability.
With the St Kitts and Nevis education sector showing promise with the aid from the ESD, St Kitts and Nevis is primed for growth. The focus on development is an invitation to the sustainable business-minded investors to take advantage of St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme, with its recently updated regulations that set a new tone for the whole investment migration industry.
Not only is the St Kitts and Nevis CBI Programme the oldest, but it is also the most trusted in securing investor’s second citizenship in the one of the most idyllic islands in the Caribbean.
On 1 April 2018, the Sustainable Growth Fund Option (SGF) was introduced to advance St Kitts and Nevis’ economic development. The SGF is a transparent process, whereby investors have full visibility into where the funds are being used in the economic development of the Federation.
The SGF has an exclusive Limited Time Offer (LTO) for qualifying applicants to have the opportunity to obtain their citizenship for themselves and qualifying dependants, under the accelerated application process.
The LTO is from 1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023, the Government and Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) have offered qualifying applicants to contribute a reduced amount of US$125 000,00 for LTO and non-accelerated applicants.
The processing time of the applicant for the 60 days starts as soon as the CIU formally acknowledges the qualifying investor’s application; the applicant will be mandated to undergo background and due diligence checks, to ensure that they meet all the requirements to obtain citizenship, which includes documentation that will be reviewed and approved by the CIU through an authorised agent; once the qualifying applicant receives an approval letter from the Government, the applicant may then submit their contribution fees, and as soon as this is completed they will receive their Citizenship certificate; and may then apply for a St Kitts and Nevis passport.
The contribution under the SGF LTO period are as follows:
- US$125 000,00 per main applicant.
- US$150 000,00 per main applicant and spouse included.
- US$170 000,00 per main applicant and up to three dependants, whether or not a spouse is included and irrespective of age of dependants.
- US$25 000,00 for each dependant 18 years and over.
- US$10 000,00 for each dependant under 18 years of age.
- LTO and non-accelerated applicants are required to submit a due diligence fee of US7 500,00, and US$4 000,00 for each depedant 16 years and over.
- There is a separate process after the issuing of the citizenship certificate, for the applicant to apply for their St Kitts and Nevis passport.
As of 1 July 2023, the processing time will revert to the legislated 90-day processing, after official acknowledgement from the CIU, and the minimum contribution will be US$150 000,00, which is an increase of US$25 000,00, per main applicant. The Government fees will also increase, depending on the number of dependants. If the applicant wishes to apply under the accelerated route, the applicant will be required to pay a premium due diligence fee.
