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  • Here’s what you need to know about the reopening of schools on Monday

Here’s what you need to know about the reopening of schools on Monday

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Cabinet Notes: The Director of Education, accompanied by six Education Officers from the four zones into which the state is divided, including Barbuda, and the Officer responsible for facilities, addressed the Cabinet on the readiness of the education plants to receive their 23,000 students at the 46 public and private primary and secondary schools that serve the youth of Antigua and Barbuda.

The school term commences next Monday, September 7, 2020.

The Cabinet agreed to provide the 50 tents required at the entrance to each of the public schools, under which the trained personnel, monitoring temperature, will be located. A total of ninety-four additional personnel, required to ensure that students do not gather in groups on their compounds, in ways that might reduce the effectiveness of social-distancing, will be deployed at the schools.

At least 85 new teachers will be added to the schools in order to ensure that, in the event a teacher is absent and there cannot be—as has been the customary practice—a doubling of classes, in this Covid-19 era, there will be no need to send students home.

There is a need to add 26 cleaners, 20 grounds-men and 50 security officers, all to be drawn from those in the public service who are currently not very busy, because of the impact of Covid-19 on many government services. No new employment is contemplated.

The Ministry of Health has agreed to provide an initial supply of PPEs (personal protective equipment) for the opening on Monday; the Ministry of Education, through the Board of Education, will meet the cost of purchasing subsequent supplies. 20,000 face shields will also be provided for the opening of schools to be worn by teachers, administrators, and others involved in keeping order at the schools.

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The Ministry of Health has also established two special telephone numbers (464 6303 and 464 9011) so that in the event of an emergency at any school, a special ambulance will be dispatched with trained personnel to assist the school’s nurse and for transport of the sick teacher or student to the Infectious Disease Center at the old Holberton Hospital, should that be necessary. Virtually every possible scenario has been anticipated, and appropriate plans put in place.

The Ministry of Education officials thanked the Cabinet for the tremendous support which it has received, and for the evident commitment of the government to ensure that all parents, sending their children back to school on Monday, are assured that the youth will be safe and secure, and able to learn new lessons.

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One response to “Here’s what you need to know about the reopening of schools on Monday”

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL SELECTION)

 

OECS MSME Guarantee Facility Project

Loan No.: IDA-62670, IDA-62660, IDA-62640, IBRD-88830, IDA-62650

Assignment Title: Senior Operating Officer (SOO)

Reference No. KN-ECPCGC-207852-CS-INDV

 

The Governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have received financing in the amount of US$10 million equivalent from the World Bank towards the cost of establishing a partial credit guarantee scheme, and they intend to apply part of the proceeds to payments for goods, and consulting services to be procured under this project. 

The consultant will serve as the “Senior Operating Officer (SOO)” for the ECPCGC and should possess extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to Micro, small and medium-sized businesses, knowledge of the internal control processes necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk mitigation procedures. The ideal candidate should possess an Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Accounting, Banking or related field, with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in lending, inclusive of MSME lending. The initial employment period will be for two years on a contractual basis. Renewal of the contract will be subject to a performance evaluation at the end of the contractual period. The assignment is expected to begin on September 30th, 2021.  The consultant will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the ECPCGC.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be viewed by following the attached link below. 

 

https://bit.ly/3iVannm

 

The Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECPCGC) now invites eligible “Consultants” to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have:

  • An Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Finance, Banking or related field; and
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience in MSME lending. Applicants should also have:
  • The ability to design and implement risk management procedures 
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to small and medium-sized businesses
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME banking operations
  • Knowledge of the internal controls necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk management procedures
  • Experience developing and presenting information in public, including responding to questions in real-time
  • Experience lending to MSMEs located in the ECCU
  • Knowledge of marketing and communicating with the MSME sector
  • Ability to draft procedures to be used in a lending operation
  • Familiarity with the mechanics of a loan guarantee program
  • Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills, and
  • Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office suite.

The attention of interested Individual Consultants is drawn to Section III, Paragraphs 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers July 2016, [revised November 2017] (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Approved Selection Method for Individual Consultants set out in the clause 7.34 of the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers. 

 

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0800 to 1700 hours:

Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation

Brid Rock, Basseterre,

St. Kitts.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form by e-mail by August 11th, 2021, to [email protected]

 

For further information, please contact:

Carmen Gomez-Trigg                                                            Bernard Thomas

Chief Executive Officer                                                          Chief Financial Officer

Tel: 868-620-8144                                                                  Tel: 869-765-2385

Email: [email protected]                                          [email protected]