The Minister of Education and Technical & Vocational Training the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin said the National Youth Commission will be the driver of youth programs and services across The Bahamas in accordance with the National Youth Policy, which was approved by the Government late 2025.
“The Commission will be a modern and responsive agency that will coordinate and monitor youth development programs alongside other governmental and non-governmental agencies,” the Education Minister said during the Reading of Bills and Initiatives in the House of Assembly on Monday, March 23, 2026.
“The Commission will be responsible for conducting research, investigating the most challenging issues affecting youth and implementing programs and initiatives to address those challenges.”
The Minister explained that this Commission will also have a Resource Mobilization Department to attract investment and grant funding to support youth development in The Bahamas.
She said the Commission will also introduce a framework for regulating youth organizations, groups and clubs by requiring them to be registered with the Commission.
“This will allow the Commission to determine whether programs are safe and wholesome for young people.”
The Education Minister said additionally, the National Youth Commission Bill will establish the profession of Youth Worker by setting the requirements for an individual to be registered as a Youth Worker in The Bahamas.
“This will enable the Commission to ensure that trained and qualified persons are working with young people and enable the Commission to hold Youth Workers accountable when they do not act in the best interest of young people.”
She said the Government seeks to deepen the consciousness of the nation’s young people and build human capital as the most powerful national resource.
“We have with great intentionality sought to ensure that each child and young person is functionally literate and capable of critical thought.
“We made it possible for every primary school and all age school student in every public school nationwide to access free of charge a hot breakfast before they begin their day.”
The Minister added, “We did not come to spin wheels or give pretense of eloquence, or engage in chronic political scorn. We have come to look with honest eyes at ourselves and our people and we know that we have a very long way to go but progress is being made.”
She said the staff in the Education Ministry has been pulling the country’s young people out of legacy issues whether created by COVID or historic deficits.
“We have been working on all cylinders to ensure our children are literate, articulate, able to think critically, to stand confident and strong. We placed a premium on student attendance.
“We walked into communities, knocked on doors and brought children back into the classroom. We created a national hotline, deployed attendance monitors, engaged parents through the new Parent Engagement Unit and parent portal. We have now attained an attendance rate of 94 per cent across all schools.”
The Minister said this Bill will further arm the Ministry to find the six per cent and bring them into the light. Report Card Collection increased to 85 per cent which suggests increased parental engagement.
