ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) — A former government minister has been appointed to investigate the increase in the number of school dropouts.

Education Minister Peter Saint Jean says the Ministry has engaged the services of former Minister for Social Services, Community Development and Gender Affairs Gloria Shillingford .

The minister made that announcement while delivering an address at the Dominica Association of Teachers (DAT) 13th Biennial Conference, on Wednesday.

“I wish to advise and inform that against the serious challenges that confront us within the classroom and the wider community, and of course within the Ministry of Education and government being quite aware of the multiplicity of social issues which may result from an increased number of students who drop out from the school system,” he said.

Saint John said, in the coming months the government will address several issues which impact personally on the performance of teachers and officers within the Ministry of Education.

Shillingford, meanwhile, told

Dominica News Online that the government, particularly the Ministry of Education, is very concerned about a “relatively high” dropout rate, “particularly in our secondary schools”.

“We are investigating into the matter at both secondary and primary schools, and I will be doing that and giving my findings to the government and also my recommendations,” she noted. “My recommendations, my reports, everything has to be done within a year.”