CHASE Fund Forges Ahead in Mission to Improve Education Sector

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, education sector has undergone transformation, which has seen schools rally in response to difficulties faced by the industry including closure, restricted in-person contact, as well as challenges associated with remote learning.

The Culture, Health, Arts, Sports, and Education (CHASE) Fund has played a significant role in the changing education landscape, piloting a series of initiatives to support and adapt to the challenges impacting literacy since the pandemic.

CHASE was established to provide funding for the development of social, health and cultural projects.

Mrs. Latoya Aquart-Foster, Project Manager at the CHASE Fund, explains that the Fund has assisted in the constructing, equipping, and upgrading of schools.

“During the pandemic we were able to mobilize construction teams to continue the work at the schools,” she informs. This resulted in the CHASE Fund completing all the schools that had started construction before the pandemic.

Central to CHASE’s mission is an intervention strategy aimed at bolstering literacy.

“We focused on equipping the library network with laptops, computers, and other equipment to facilitate students continuing to access classwork, homework, so that they can continue to be engaged by their schools during the lockdown,” Foster elaborates.

She explains that the Fund has identified a greater need for support in the area of literacy, and aims to lend support in the upcoming financial year, 2024/2025.

The intervention strategy will include projects such as the Creative Language-Based Learning Foundation Lindamood-Bell® Learning Process 2023, and the Research, Innovation and Publication by Early Childhood Educators (RIPE). Foster says these projects are already under way and will continue to evolve in the upcoming fiscal year, cementing CHASE’s commitment to sustained progress in education.

With a proactive approach, the Fund is spearheading a comprehensive study to assess the impact of the pandemic.

According to Mrs. Foster, the initiative is currently in the procurement process, and aims to provide invaluable insights that will inform targeted interventions to address emerging needs.

CHASE was incorporated on November 25, 2002, and began its operations in January 2003.

Since its inception in 2002, the Fund has been a driving force in advancing projects critical to the early childhood level.

It supports projects that vary from constructing and upgrading institutions, to developing materials that enhance cognitive development.

Additionally, the organisation has provided scholarships for specialized training in Early Childhood Education, empowering educators to deliver quality learning experiences.