UNESCO Supports Caribbean Educators to Build Inclusive Classrooms

On 18 June 2026, the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean partnered with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to host the Small Islands Developing States Inclusive Initiative for Media and Information Literacy in the Caribbean (SIM Caribbean) Training for Educators Hybrid Workshop. This initiative engaged educators and civil society organizations who teach students, students with challenges, and persons with disabilities.

The hybrid workshop started with a panel discussion on "Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Awareness, Curriculum and Policy," featuring presentations from the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Antigua and Barbuda, the Cotton Thomas Comprehensive School in St. Kitts and Nevis, and the MIL Alliance for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The capacity-building initiative continued with digital training sessions on the use of Google Classroom, led by the Special Education Needs Unit within the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Antigua and Barbuda. The event brought together participants from nine countries, including over 80 online participants and nearly 70 in-person participants from Antigua and Barbuda and St. Kitts and Nevis.

During the opening ceremony, speakers emphasized the timeliness of the initiative and highlighted media and information literacy (MIL) as a crucial competency for educators and students alike. They stressed the need to equip teachers to foster inclusive, resilient learning environments and underscored that education must go beyond digital skills to help learners critically evaluate information, recognize bias, counter misinformation and disinformation, and use technology safely and responsibly.