Basseterre: St. Kitts, Wednesday, January 10, 2024: A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Charles E. Mills Secondary School (CEMSS) in St. Kitts and the Dounan Senior High School in Taiwan was signed on Wednesday January 10, 2024, by the principal of CEMSS. The agreement formalizes the alliance of both parties working towards developing a “mutually beneficial relationship, built on cooperation and good will.”
Mrs. Eisha Jackson, Principal, Charles E. Mills Secondary expressed appreciatively “This ceremony marks a stage of development at the Charles E. Mills Secondary School. This is one step towards bringing our vision to fruition. Today we are overjoyed, we are elated to see that our school is progressing, and we are making steps towards international collaboration through online and video cultural exchanges, through online elective courses, through teacher and student exchanges. We are moving towards, collaborating towards an open-minded student body.”
The Republic of China (Taiwan) Resident Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis, His Excellency Michael Lin commending the Charles E. Mills on the signing of the Memorandum stated, “We know that Taiwan and St. Kitts and Nevis have established diplomatic relations 40 years ago. In the past we have very good relationships between government to government, but now we have stepped forward with a people-to-people relationship especially for the students to understand each other’s culture.”
His Excellency Donya L. Francis, Ambassador of St. Kitts and Nevis to the Republic of China (Taiwan) and an alumnus of CEMSS shared remarks and gave brief insights into his philosophy, “I am excited to be here today to witness the signing of the MOU between Charles E. Mills Secondary School and Dounan Senior High School. What I am trying to do is ensure that our students here in St. Kitts and Nevis learn more about Taiwan while the students in Taiwan learn more about St. Kitts and Nevis. I believe we can do more to enhance our people-to-people relationship.”
Ambassador Francis made an appeal for schools- both primary and secondary-within the Federation to participate in the potentially rewarding Education Tour experience which started since his installation as Ambassador.
Delivering remarks, Deputy Chief Education Officer Mr. Roger Woodley expressed, “On behalf of the Ministry of Education I am here to celebrate a relationship between the Charles E. Mills Secondary School and the students of the Dounan Senior High School in Taiwan. This is revolutionary! The fact that we can have our students working alongside other students, sharing virtues and cultures is something that we should always embrace. Not only that, but our teachers who are a part of the experience can also benefit from strategies and best practices. We [Ministry of Education] wish this relationship all the best and it is our hope that going forward we can have other schools participating.”
The Charles E. Mills Secondary School is the second school within the twin island state to enter into an academic agreement with a sister school in Taiwan. The first MOU was signed between the Basseterre High School (St. Kitts) and Ger Jyh Senior High School (Taiwan).
