With a budget of $157,837.94, the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports went on nine overseas trips in 2024, according to EYAS Minister Sharie de Castro.
Ms. de Castro gave these details in addition to explaining the purpose of some of the trips in response to questions from opposition member Stacy Mather during last Thursday’s House of Assembly meeting.
Mr. Mather (R-at large) asked Ms. de Castro to provide a “summary regarding the total number of overseas trips undertaken by the ministry” over the last two years. He also asked for a “breakdown of the travel cost for each trip, as well as a total time ministry staff spent outside of the territory on official travel during that period, including associated expenses.”
After providing a general explanation for the ministry’s travel and saying that “every trip undertaken is designed to bring back tangible benefits, strengthening our policies, programmes and institutional capacity,” Ms. de Castro was pushed again to disclose the specific number of trips taken.
She responded that, in 2024, the ministry — which she noted included senior officials, education officers, heads of departments, principals, teachers, students and youth representatives — engaged in nine overseas trips.
She did not say how many overseas trips the ministry undertook in 2023 or the overseas budget for that year.
