Who We Are

The Media Resource Department (MRD) formerly the Audio Visual Aids Department was set up just after World War II when the Visual Aids Section was formed at the Department of Education. However, the department was fully established by an Act of Parliament in 1969.

The concept of revolutionizing teaching methods in Barbados was introduced by the first Director of Education in Barbados, Mr Howard Hayden in 1945 when he introduced the use of visual aids in the teaching process. These initiatives were undertaken by the department and included the Visual Education Workshop, the Visual Education Library, the Mobile Cinema Unit and the Visual Education Film Unit which came into operation in 1950 and worked in collaboration with the Mobile Cinema which showed all films produced by the Unit. 'Give your child a chance' was the first film produced by the Unit in 1951. The Audio Visual Aids Department was renamed The Media Resource Department in 2008.

Sixty-five years later and in keeping with the global digital trends, MRD remains one of the only such facilities in the Caribbean and the world that provides a varied and wide resource support to teachers and students. The department has vigorously undertaken to maintain its legacy while adapting to change and maintaining relevance and innovation.