The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), in partnership with the Ministry of Educational Transformation in Barbados, is set to host the 2025 Regional Symposium and Policy Dialogue on Transforming Education from September 30 to October 2, 2025, at the Wyndham Grand Resort in Barbados. Guided by the theme “Stronger Together: Empowering Parents as Partners in Caribbean Education,” the event will focus on strengthening the role of parents and guardians as leaders and partners in shaping inclusive, effective education systems across the region.
Building on the success of the inaugural symposium in 2024, this second staging seeks to expand the conversation by placing parents and guardians at the centre of education transformation. The programme will include targeted capacity-building initiatives, direct dialogue with policymakers, and the development of a sustainable regional framework to support parental involvement. Approximately 150 participants—including parents, educators, administrators, and Ministers of Education—are expected to attend plenaries, workshops, and policy discussions aimed at strengthening collaboration and delivering measurable impact.
CDB’s Director of Projects (Ag), Mr. L. O’Reilly Lewis, highlighted the importance of this focus, noting that parents and guardians are indispensable partners in education. He explained that by equipping them with tools, knowledge, and a stronger voice, the 2025 Symposium will contribute to creating a more effective and inclusive education system that meets the needs of every learner.
A central component of the event will be high-level policy dialogue between Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and Ministers of Education, designed to align PTA initiatives with national education priorities. The Symposium will also mark a historic milestone with the formal constitution of the Caribbean Council of National Parent Teacher Associations and the adoption of its organisational Charter.
Dr. Martin Baptiste, CDB’s Division Chief for the Social Sector, described the Bank’s vision for the event as one of building bridges between parents and teachers, PTAs and policymakers, and across national education systems. He added that the establishment of a regional PTA represents a historic step toward sustained collaboration among key stakeholders and a brighter future for Caribbean students.
In keeping with its mandate to promote education, youth upliftment, and social development, CDB will make select sessions of the Symposium available to the public via live broadcast on its website and social media platforms. These broadcasts will provide parents, guardians, educators, and students across the Caribbean with practical tools and information to support student success.
Key sessions scheduled for broadcast include:
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Parenting in a Digital Age: How Parents Can Provide Support for both Academic Success and Emotional Well-Being
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Breaking Barriers: Advocating for Learners with Diverse Needs
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Parents and CXC: Partnering for Student Success
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Creating Connection: Fostering Inclusive, Collaborative Parent-School Partnerships
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Student and Youth Perspectives: What Helps Us Learn, What Holds Us Back
Through this convening of diverse stakeholders and the amplification of the voices of parents and guardians, CDB is reinforcing its commitment to aligning Caribbean education systems with the realities of modern learners, ensuring greater inclusivity, and delivering stronger opportunities for every child to achieve their full potential.
Broadcasts of Symposium sessions will take place at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. from September 30 to October 3, 2025, and can be viewed on the CDB website, as well as via the Bank’s LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube channels.
