UNDP Resident Representative Denise E Antonio

Opening Ceremony, Youths for Excellence regional Math Chattingz series

Monday 14 May 2021

Salutations

• ·Dr. The Honourable Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• ·Jean Lowrie Chin, Chairperson of the Digicel Foundation
• Jénine Shepherd, Founder, Board Co-Chair and President of Youths For Excellence
•  Roshanna Trim, Ambassador for Youths For Excellence and Chair of the Caribbean Regional Youth Council
• Pastor Jermy Arnold, Advisor on Religion to Youths For Excellence
• Youth Attendees and partners on Zoom, social media and radio

Good evening!

I am delighted to join the trailblazing Youths for Excellence team led by the dynamic Jenine Shephard and Ministries of Education in five Caribbean countries, to kick off a conversation with young people that is frankly, long overdue. YFE hits the nail on the head when they say there is a need to go beyond the mechanics of math to demonstrate its applicability across different industries and settings. Regional exams authority CXC says in 2020, only 52% who sat Mathematics in the CSEC exams across the region passed, up from 46% in 2019. Improving, but still clear evidence that innovative, out of the box thinking is required to bring real life context to the discipline.  As country lead for a global development agency with offices in 170 countries, it’s easy to forget that mathematics is the invisible stitch that binds. But a careful assessment of our work reveals that we principally apply an area of mathematics that has deep roots in philosophy: I am talking of course about logic. Price, Rath and Lescensky in 1992 says logic is the study of formal reasoning based upon statements or propositions. They say, in summary, logic is a way to study a problem and implement strategies to find a solution involving inductive and deductive reasoning. It posits a theory of how to solve that problem based on the facts and puts the theory to the test. Sounds familiar?  

Allow me to share with you one example of how logic permeates our work. We routinely study the nature, roots and manifestations of problems in our priority areas. To do this, data is collected both quantitatively and qualitatively that allows us to see the problems from many angles that are not immediately obvious, so that we have a better understanding of the challenge.

One area UNDP sought to understand, using existing information, was citizen safety and security which falls under our democratic governance portfolio. These are just a few of the facts we unearthed in Jamaica as we sought to formulate an appropriate logical response in keeping with our mandate.

The evidence shows that young males ages 16 – 24 are disproportionately impacted by violent crimes, twice that of the general public while women and girls are the main victims of sexual violence.  However, they rarely lead any interventions.

What would happen if youth were empowered not just to participate but lead interventions in safety and security?

We are seeking to test the theory that a contribution can be made to citizen safety and security in Jamaica by strengthening the mechanisms which ensure youth participation in decision and policymaking; and equipping youth to create and implement solutions to address citizen safety and security. We outlined our project intervention using a Logical Framework Analysis, to work out how we would contribute to the solution of this problem.

I can now announce that the result of this logical analysis is UNDP’s Amplifying Youth Voice and Action project.

As part of the implementation process, we called for and received 70 applications from youth groups to participate in a competitive process. Using UNDP’s weighted scoring methodology – a mathematical approach – the top 10 applicants were identified.

We are pleased to announce that these successful youth groups  have been awarded 10 000 USD each, the equivalent of 15.2 Million Jamaican dollars in total to implement their citizen safety and security projects in communities which are on government’s priority list of crime and violence hotspots. Grantees who complete a mandatory incubator programme or who successfully implement their grants will be awarded internships at UNDP.

Another example through UNDP’s GEF Small Grants Programme portfolio, a combined US$389 500 in grants is being implemented by youth in youth led environmental projects. We believe that if they are appropriately mentored and given room to be creative, results are limitless.  

I hope you are able to see how the field of development is powered by mathematical logic. Whether you choose mathematics, development work, science, or a trade – you will consciously or unconsciously apply principles of mathematics.

Why not apply this as a theory of change to improve mathematics outcomes?

I challenge education authorities to identify, mentor and empower math-savvy young people to help other young people in math, and further, to encourage their creativity and innovation using the platforms and methods loved by young people – as superbly demonstrated by the YFE team.

I also Challenge young people to innovate creative means of demystifying math, so it becomes a loved and sought subject – then reward and amplify successes for replication.

I congratulate YFE for conceptualizing this series and for the Ministries of Education in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Grenada and Barbados for their foresight and wisdom in partnering to implement.

Young people, look to the possibilities, in order to grasp the fundamentals of mathematics. Face it without fear because future solutions are in your hands awaiting discovery.

Our role is to mentor and empower you to cultivate these ideas as the bedrock on which our region will build a cohort of innovators across diverse fields who will advance the sustainable development of this region.  Thank you for listening and I wish you an extraordinary and illuminating week of Math Chattingz.