General Manager President of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions, Ralph Wharton has issued a call for schools in the region to push the issue of entrepreneurship. Wharton in an exclusive interview said that there is need for the school's curriculum to reflect a greater interest in entrepreneurial skills.
Wharton who recently took over the reigns as General Manager was outlining areas which he believed Caribbean countries can work selectively on to secure a prosperous future. He pointed out that the education ministries in the various Caribbean islands need to find a way where this issue can be properly addressed. "I firmly think that we as a region should look at collectively finding ways in altering our curriculum. As such, together we can work on it thus ensuring that it is done properly thus resulting in it being effective and efficient," Wharton said.
The CCC General Manager noted that working closely with the private sector will result in such an initiative being successful. "If the Ministries of Education and the private sector can working together on this with their stakeholders then it can work. We must understand that in the school's curriculum we have to find a way of instilling entrepreneurial behavior," he declared.
Stressing on his views Wharton stated that such a renewed interest help in going a very far way in promoting a strong and vibrant private sector. He cautioned that introducing the skill to youth as s/he grows old will be a mistake. The GM noted that it's pertinent to know that it is never too late to train early school leavers and even pensioners, the ultimate goal being to have a stronger workforce he reassured.
Wharton who previously had served the region as General Manger when the credit union used to be headquartered in Barbados pointed out that if the various sectors 'take off' as he said; there will be a critical labour problem regionally.
He added that the task for the future will be to ensure that everyone, including able-bodied and physically challenged persons, are provided with what he called skills to participate in this new economy. Wharton went on to note that in an effort to achieve this goal the region must recognize that there is a pertinent need for a more modern education delivery system which he said determines that the system is indeed doing an effective job at preparing the region for the 21st Century.
