Inclusive and Equitable Education in Postcolonial Caribbean

In a society riddled with the long-term economic effects of colonialism, access to inclusive and equitable education directly impacts that society’s ability to innovate and actively participate in the rapid unfolding of our globalized futures. The present-day Caribbean education model perpetuates systemic segregation which continues to place barriers on societal growth. As a region, the Caribbean has been in a period of rapid transformation for a while, where entire industries are changing, identity is in constant flux, and the role people play in the productivity of world affairs is increasingly questionable. Considering the many vulnerabilities that the region faces, Caribbean nations need to actively participate in creating a new kind of future for themselves. Opportunity lies in the untapped potential of the creative economy, and thus the possibilities of redesigning education to better equip the youth to engage creative thinking in their lives is necessary. Centered in Barbados, this study aims to bridge the gap between the need for creativity in the economy and the lack of teaching adequate creative thinking methods in the school curriculum, by introducing a flexible way for teachers to explore implementing creative thinking methods in classrooms across a variety of subjects. The design of accessible and practical tools allows the shifting of critical consciousness of both teachers and students alike, to co-create more inclusive and robust local communities.