Minister Gumbs invites secondary schools to nominate members for new Youth Cabinet

GREAT BAY--Minister Education, Culture, Youth and Sports (MECYS) Melissa Gumbs has launched the MECYS Youth Cabinet, one of the priority initiatives outlined early in her tenure. Letters have now been sent to all funded school boards and the Division of Public Education inviting nominations for the newly established MECYS Youth Cabinet, a structured platform for secondary school students to advise the Minister on key policy issues. The Ministry has also engaged Learning Unlimited preparatory School (LUPS) and the Caribbean International academy (CIA) to be part of the nomination process for the Youth Cabinet.  

The Minister has formally requested that each funded secondary school, (including LU and CIA as private institutions), nominate one student representative and one alternate to serve on the Youth Cabinet for the 2025–2026 school year. The Youth Cabinet is designed as an advisory body that will give selected students hands-on experience in governance, leadership development, and policy dialogue.

In alignment with the Ministry’s commitment to meaningful youth participation, the Youth Cabinet members will take part in bi-monthly meetings beginning Thursday, February 5, 2026. During these sessions, they will engage directly with the Minister and key policy stakeholders on issues that affect young people, including equitable access to education, student well-being, school safety, mental health, and future planning. Meeting logistics and detailed work plans will be communicated to schools and members in subsequent correspondence.

Nominees must not be in their exam year, must be in good academic and social standing, and must demonstrate leadership qualities and an interest in civic participation. Each school is asked to ensure that both the primary representative and the alternate remain engaged in all activities, with the alternate prepared to assume full representative duties if needed. Schools are encouraged to submit the names and contact information of their selected students by Friday, January 23, 2026, using the enclosed MECYS Youth Cabinet Nomination Form.

As she has said on previous occasions, Minister Gumbs stressed that youth engagement must be more than symbolic. She explained that, based on her long history of advocating for youth inclusion and empowerment, she has never been one to diminish or dismiss the opinions, ideas, or ambitions of young people, or the vital role they play in shaping society.

In fact, during her address at the United Nations, she said: “Too often, youth voices are celebrated on the international stage, but disregarded the moment they ask difficult questions. True respect for youth means standing with them not only when their voices inspire us, but also when their truths challenge us.”

The Minister explained that the Youth Cabinet will serve as a platform for young people to directly contribute to shaping policies and programs throughout her tenure. “This is not a symbolic gesture. It is a deliberate step to ensure that youth participation is structural, meaningful, and respected,” she said.

By creating a formal Youth Cabinet, the Ministry aims to:

• Give students practical experience in democratic processes, consultation, and decision making.

• Strengthen policies by incorporating lived experiences and perspectives from classrooms, neighborhoods, and youth organizations.

• Develop a new generation of civic-minded leaders who understand how government works and how to advocate constructively

• Build stronger links between schools, the Department of Youth, and policy makers, ensuring that feedback on education and youth issues is continuous rather than one-off.

• Encourage young people to see themselves as partners in nation building, not only as beneficiaries of policies

The Youth Cabinet model also gives government an early warning system on emerging youth concerns and trends, supports more responsive policy design, and can help improve the legitimacy and uptake of programs, since young people will have been part of their development from the start.

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