By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

BIG changes are planned for the country's two major tertiary institutions in the next five years, according to the new Minister of Education.

After touring the College of the Bahamas (COB) and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), Jerome Fitzgerald said while the overall government budget would not increase - the education budget will.

"We said that we are going to double our investment in education and training, we did not say we will necessarily double our budget," he said.

"However in certain areas, over the next five years, you are going to see that the budget for education is going to increase.

"We are going to target certain areas where we feel need the investment in order to prepare or students also to ensure that they are properly educated.

"We just left BTVI so there is going to be further enhancement and investment in there with regard to our technical and applied sciences and you are going to see a tremendous shift and focus as far as priorities are concerned.

"Our priorities are going to be focused on education and training moving forward."

Mr Fitzgerald said his government is also committed to picking up where they left off in 2007 and will continue to transform COB into a university during their term.

He said: "We were well on track when we left office in 2007 for the college to become a university sometime in 2009 and we left the process and the draft legislation in place.

"Quite frankly, I was disappointed and I think our party was disappointed, that for whatever reasons the FNM did not see fit to follow through on that.

"As I said in the senate many times before we had the political will in 2002 to 2007 but time did not permit us to have it completed.

"We will of course have to reassess where we are now and see what else needs to be done in order for us to make sure we move to that but I can assure you we have the will and we have those in the college we are prepared to work with to make sure it comes to fruition.

"We see it as a top priority and a necessity to move to university status."

Mr Fitzgerald also announced that the COB's board members will be announced today.

He told acting president of COB, Dr Earla Carey Baines, and other faculties that while they may be surprised with some of the board members, they will be pleased with the calibre and experience of the personnel.