Tortola Students Turning to Virgin Gorda
A half-century after students from Virgin Gorda and other islands travelled to Tortola for schooling, the flow has reversed. Increasing numbers of families from Tortola are sending children to Virgin Gorda schools — both private and public — driven by small class sizes, parental choice and expanding island options.
Fifty years after many Virgin Gorda (VG) students crossed the channel to attend high school on Tortola, the pattern has flipped: students from Tortola are now travelling daily to Virgin Gorda for education. In the 1960s and 1970s, secondary education on the sister islands was limited.
Young people from Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost van Dyke made long, often uncomfortable commutes to Tortola, sometimes staying with host families and facing overcrowded conditions. Those challenges helped prompt the first Education Act in 1955 and gradual expansion of island schooling.
Today, however, the movement of pupils is reversed in many cases. Garraway of Elmore Stoutt High School says fewer than five students from Virgin Gorda attended ESHS in 2025. Conversely, Speedy’s Ferry Service and other operators report more than 40 students boarding daily to reach schools on Virgin Gorda.
Some pupils stay with relatives or host families on VG, mirroring the arrangements that once sent VG youngsters to Tortola. Private schools on Virgin Gorda have become a significant draw. Ciboney Centre of Excellence — offering daycare through secondary levels — and the Bregado Flax Educational Centre are popular with parents seeking smaller classroom sizes and alternative options.
Crabbe noted that Ciboney is “the choice for many parents who are seeking an affordable private school education” and that the school compares favourably with Cedar International School on Tortola. She also said about 20 students travel from Tortola to attend Bregado Flax, attracted by lower teacher-to-student ratios.
O’Neal-Alexander, who spent more than five decades in education, recalled travelling to Tortola as a student and the mixed experience of boarding with families. She attributes the reversal to several factors, especially smaller class sizes on Virgin Gorda and increased parental choice, and expects the trend to continue.
O’Neal-Alexander also observed that many of the students now making the commute come from higher-income families. For BVI residents, the shift has practical implications: growing demand for ferry services, taxis and food outlets on Virgin Gorda, as well as potential pressure on school resources and local housing for student carers.
The reversal highlights how expanded educational options across the territory are reshaping daily life and local economies, even as policymakers consider access, affordability and capacity across islands.
Primary source: VINO