CARIBBEAN TODAY


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W-w~crbbatoa. co


 ~ A Caribbean Today special feature


It's tug-o-war over the back-to-school budget


ack-to-school shopping
 can be an exhausting
 and expensive experi-
ence and many parents start
off on the wrong foot before
they even get to the store. But
there are simple ways to make
this annual shopping trip effi-
cient and affordable.
 According to the National
Retail Federation, the average
American family spends $385
on school supplies for elemen-
tary school students the bulk
of which is being spent on
clothing, electronics, shoes
and school supplies. With
more families feeling the
pinch of the economy, that
simply isn't a feasible amount
to spend this year. Follow a
few simple tips and you can
save money and time.
 Get a list from your
child's school
 According to a recent sur-
vey from Healthtex Children's
Clothes and Trone, Inc., 39
percent of parents fail to
make a list of the back-to-
school items they need. Once
you've got a list, stick to it.


 New project sh

 students to mo
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,
CMC The Barbados-based
Caribbean Examination
Council (CXC) has signed an
agreement with the Institute
of Critical Thinking at the
University of the West Indies
(UWI) that could result in a
"paradigm shift from role
learning and regurgitation to
real thinking".
 CXC Chief Executive
Officer Dr. Didacus Jules,
speaking at last
month's signing
ceremony, said that
the syllabuses of 11
CXC subjects
would be reformed
drastically so as to
produce people
capable of making
meaningful contri-
butions to society.
 "Over the last
10 years, regional
ministries and also
the private sector Students will
have been calling for think more.
a different type of
output by examination boards.
Employers are saying they want
people with a capacity to apply
their knowledge," he said.
 The pilot project, to be
conducted over the next two
years, would focus on the fol-
lowing subject areas:
Caribbean Secondary
Examination Certificate
(CSEC) level, mathematics,
physics, biology, integrated
science, economics, Caribbean


 Getting the most for a dollar is a major
 challenge.
 Thirty-five percent of parents
 admit to purchasing school
 clothing and supplies using the
 "I see it, I like it, so I buy it"
 motto, according to the sur-
 vey. Why buy what your child
 won't need?
 Make a budget According to
 the same survey, 45 percent of
 parents do not make a back-
 to-school shopping budget.
 Use your list to figure out
 what you absolutely need and
 compare with your household
 budget to determine how
 much you can spend. Make it
 a fun family activity to search
 out the lowest prices on things
 you need and give a small
 prize to the person who saves
 the most money.

lifting Caribbean

ire 'real thinking'
 history, geography, social stud-
 ies, principles of business, and
 English A (language) and B
 (literature) and literature in
 English at the Caribbean
 Advanced Proficiency
 (CAPE) level.
 EARLY START
 Pro Vice-Chancellor of
 Planning and Development at
 UWI Dr. Bhoe Tewarie said
 that various faculties and lec-
 turers at the universi-
 ty would be involved
 in the new project.
 "Critical
 thinking needs to
 start early, ideally in
 primary school, after
 pre-school exposure
 has instilled self-con-
 fidence as well as cre-
 ativity in the child,"
 he said noting that
 the new process had
 already started with
be asked to the School of
 Education at the UWI
 in Mona, Jamaica.
 He said that the collabo-
 ration between the institute
 and CXC would make a quali-
 tative difference to education
 at the secondary level.
 "It will have the positive
 effect of improving evaluation
 mechanisms, strengthening
 curriculum, enhancing syllabus
 and transforming pedagogy."
 0


Affordable, fun clothing One
of the biLI back-to-school
expenses are new clothes.
Shopping summer sales can be
a great way to score bargains
on the outfits you need. Kids
will outgrow a $40 shirt just as
quickly as a $10 shirt, so think


affordability and durability.
Stick to stylish, durable, age-
appropriate clothing that's
always affordable like
Healthtex clothes. Each item
is only $8.
Added savings Buy school
supplies like notebooks,
paper, pens, binders, scissors


and glue in bulk at warehouse
stores for extra savings or
stock up when the dollar store
has them available. Whether
you're shopping online or in
the store, use coupons or
online coupon codes. You can
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 21)


The October issue of Caribbean Today will
feature a comprehensive examination of how the
healthcare industry serves the Caribbean community.
With a proven track record now
in our21styear of service to
readers in the United States and
the Caribbean Basin, Caribbean
Today reaches an audience of over
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have median household income of $63,
and enjoy a higher disposable income.
19% have a college degree, 32% nave some
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esteemed. 59.6% own their own homes. 76t% are
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out of the72 publicationsthat it does business with, and number one, as a Black publication.
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 CwibRVaiayn
 1-800-605-7516, 305-238-2868, Fax 305-252-7843
 mail: sales@caribbeantoday.com
 DEADUNE IS SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2009


 Most of us try to attract other people by the friends
 A N WK we keep and the way we carry ourselves. If you
 A N VEIA L K are going to a party or a formal function, don't you
 dress well? We all want to promote a favorable
 impression of ourselves to other people we meet
 and talk to.
 If we agree on that, then think of this. Why should it
 be any different for your business? If you want to
 project a favorable image of your company, in
 order to win customers, you should keep your com-
 pany with good friends and... dress your company
 well in...



 Peter A. Webley,ca i e n a
 Publisher Consistently credible
 For information, please call
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T O


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August 2009


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