On Thursday, December 10, the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) approved USD15 million in financing to support the Government of Grenada' efforts to improve the quality of education and strengthen the national education system. By 2020, the Grenada Education Enhancement Project aims to improve the quality of the learning environment for approximately 25,000 students. It will train more than 1,600 teachers, principals and officers to enhance the quality, relevance and effectiveness of teaching delivered across Grenada. The project also addresses planning and management needs in the education sector. “We know that quality education is the cornerstone of economic and social progress. Our support of this project will not only help the Government of Grenada enhance its education system but it will also provide opportunities for Grenada to make substantial progress in transforming its economy, building a skilled workforce and becoming more competitive in a global context," said Daniel Best, Director of Projects, CDB. The island has made remarkable advances in providing basic education to its citizens. In 2012, Grenada achieved Universal Secondary Education. In addition, the country has achieved the Millennium Development Goals and Caribbean-specific targets related to education. Despite this progress, there is still more work to be done to ensure all Grenadians have access to quality education. Overcrowding and a shortage of classroom spaces make learning difficult for some of the island' schoolgoers. Also, a number of factors, such as poverty, teenage pregnancies and diminished interest in school, have increased the risk of educational failure among young people in Grenada. As of June 2015, more than a decade following Hurricane Ivan in 2004, at least 11 schools still occupy temporary buildings. Addressing the dire need for improved learning environments for the country' students, the Grenada Education Enhancement Project plans include expansion and rehabilitation of six schools. 1. Bishop' College in Carriacou 2. Grenada Seventh Day Adventist Comprehensive 3. J.W. Fletcher Catholic Secondary 4. Presentation Brothers' College 5. St. Joseph' Convent, Grenville 6. St. Joseph' Convent, St. George' Through the project, training for deputy principals, principals, teachers and teacher educators will be provided across a number of disciplines, including leadership; gender sensitisation; and technology. Staff in the Ministry of Education will also receive training designed to build capacity and expertise in the sector. Grant funding provided under the project will be used to develop and implement a pilot project that aims to enhance relationships between schools and their communities and arrest a disturbing trend in which schools and communities are increasingly becoming embroiled in conflict. The Grenada Education Enhancement Project aligns with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Education Sector Strategy (2012-2021) and CDB' corporate priority of improving the quality of and access to education, training and citizen security.