Conclusion

Development strategies in Barbados have placed particular emphasis on the exploitation of the country’s natural resource bases: agriculture, manufacturing and tourism. There is evidence that these strategies, along with the consumption patterns of its residents, have led to some degree of environmental degradation in Barbados.

It is therefore crucial that the education system not only provide people with the skills and knowledge to undertake “environmentally friendly” productive activities, but also provide them with the expertise to understand and manage the physical environment so that they can appreciate the interaction of man and his physical environment. There is no doubt that the educational system has a vital role to play in achieving “sustainable development” in Barbados, that is, seeking to maintain a balance between socio-economic development processes and ecological processes.