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A new student census has found a sharp decline in how much children on island enjoy school as they move from primary into secondary education. The OECS Student Census gathered responses from 555 students across all three primary school and the secondary school on island. The report found that 95.6 percent of Kindergarten to Grade 2 students say they like school. However, that figure falls to 83.2 percent among students in Grades 3 to 6. Among students entering the Montserrat Secondary School, only 40.7 percent of Forms 1 to 3 students say they enjoy going to school. The figure remains low among Forms 4 and 5 students, at 39.4 percent. The report describes the change between primary and secondary school as a “transition cliff,” with school enjoyment falling by 42.5 percentage points. The decline is accompanied by a drop in students’ perception of teacher support and academic confidence. Only 65.7 percent of Forms 1 to 3 students, and 66 percent of Forms 4 to 5 students say their teachers help them when they struggle. The report also raises concerns about students’ sense of belonging. Just 42.6 percent of Forms 4 and 5 students say they feel they belong and are respected at school. While 59.5 percent of senior secondary boys say they feel respected and that they belong, the figure for girls is just 28.8 percent. The report says this is the largest gender difference identified in the census and recommends an immediate inquiry into the experience of senior secondary girls. The full report can be found on www.gov.ms.

A comprehensive survey of students across schools on Montserrat is providing new insight into how young people experience education on the island. The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) conducted the OECS Student Census, from November 2025 – January 2026, to collect direct evidence from students about their experiences of school and learning. The aim is ensure that education policy decisions across the sub-region are informed by real data and by the lived experience of young people rather than by adult assumption alone. Montserrat’s survey captured the views of 555 students across all four schools, covering areas such as wellbeing, school climate, classroom experiences, technology, family support and extracurricular activities. The report identified several strengths within the island’s education system, including strong family support for education. Between 96 and 98 percent of students across the different age groups said their families tell them that education is important. The census also found high levels of trust in primary school teachers, with more than 90 percent of students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 saying their teacher helps them when they are confused. Students also expressed a strong interest in extracurricular activities, including sports, music and art. However, the report highlights areas where students believe improvements can be made. These include teacher-student communication, access to learning materials, subject choices and streaming, physical conditions at schools, technology in the classroom and opportunities for extracurricular activities. Meantime, Minister for Education, Dr the Honourable Ingrid Buffonge says the findings of the OECS survey can play an integral part in improving the local education system. “Because when you look at the grades of some of the students, I know these students personally, and I know that they’re capable, bright students. So, my question is not what they did wrong. My question is how have we failed to support them? So, it is my hope that all of those things that I mentioned in terms of improving learning outcomes, is these things are going to contribute to a, you know, a better academic experience, you know, or tech work experience for the students, and will lead to the better outcomes that we want to see when we look at grades alone,” Dr. Buffonge explains. The full report can be found on the Government of Montserrat website.