The Sir Arthur Lewis Community College recently welcomed a group of seven students and two lecturers from Lycée Polyvalent Acajou II, a public secondary school in Martinique, as part of an exchange programme. The initiative aimed to enhance the students' proficiency in English, a key component of their final examinations.

From January 26 to 31, 2025, these students engaged in English-speaking, listening, reading, and writing activities while attending various classes at the College. Their academic schedule included courses such as Caribbean Studies, Critical Reading and Writing, Literature, Biology, Spanish, and History.

It was very nice. the students were very welcoming as well as the teachers...

The drama classes were very interesting because we had a lot of activities and were all together;

The class was mixed with the students from Saint Lucia and us... we had a nice discussion with the students and we also picked up some [phone] numbers. — Luis Emmanuel, one of the students.

Beyond the classroom, the students got the opportunity to explore the island. They visited several spots including the Castries Central Library, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, and the Castries Market. Additionally, they enjoyed a guided tour of Pigeon Island, explored Rodney Bay, and paid tribute to Nobel Laureates Sir Arthur Lewis and Sir Derek Walcott at their respective grave sites.

This visit was initiated by Lycée lecturer Luciana Alonzeau, and made possible through the collaboration between the Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, particularly the Humanities and Social Sciences Departments, and the Academic Partnerships and Internationalisation Unit at SALCC. The exchange programme provided a unique opportunity for linguistic and cultural exchange, fostering deeper international academic connections.

We had a good time... It was a good opportunity for us to talk with students because I [was able to] practice my English, — Arnaud Dellyane, another Lycée student.