Ten outstanding Primary Exit Profile (PEP) students from of St. Catherine have been awarded bursaries valued at $20,000 each by the Friends of Region 6.

The presentation was made at the organisation’s annual awards ceremony held on Saturday (December 20), at the Old Harbour High School in the parish.

Under the theme ‘Begin With the End in Mind: Maintain Your Focus’, the function was held to celebrate the achievements of students, teachers and other personnel at educational institutions.

Principal of the Greater Portmore High School, Ricardo Ross, received the Principal of the Year Award, while the Teacher of the Year Award went to educator at Enid Bennett High School, Camile Brown.

Damion Carradice from Old Harbour High School received the Support Staff of the Year Award; the Administrative Staff of the Year went to Senior Secretary at Innswood High School, Janiel Gordon; and School Work Experience Teacher at Enid Bennett High, Nickesha Lindo, received the Helping Hands Staff of the Year Award.

Community Relations Education Officer at the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Kereen Reid-Clarke, got the Region 6 Employee of the Year Award.

Speaking on behalf of the PEP awardees, student at the Independence City Primary School, Daniel Harrison, lauded the Friends of Region 6 for their “great support and constant help.”

She said that the students are truly grateful for the commitment, patience, and dedication demonstrated by “all of our teachers and staff, who ensure that we develop not only in academic ability, but also in character, confidence, and responsibility.”

Principal of the Year, Ricardo Ross, said that the awards serve as encouragement for the recipients to “keep pushing boundaries, remain on track, remain focused, and to continue striving for impacts beyond ourselves”.

“To the organisers and the sponsors, thank you for creating this platform that celebrates dedication… excellence,” he said.

Mr. Ross thanked the mentors “who have guided us, families who supported us, colleagues who celebrated and collaborated with us and communities that believed in us. This recognition is as much theirs as ours. Awards such as these remind us that success is not a destination”.

“We, therefore, pledge to use this recognition as motivation to inspire others,” he added.

Keynote speaker at the event and two-time Press Association of the Jamaica (PAJ) Journalist of the Year, Giovanni Dennis, commanded the students for their achievement and the parents and guardians who support them.

“Without your support… it is so much more difficult for them to do well. So, it is very important to understand that your support is essential,” he said.

Chairman of the Friends of Region 6, Anne Geddes-Spence, in her remarks, noted that the awards are geared towards showcasing excellence and showing appreciation for the hard work of students, school leaders and workers within the schools.

“When you receive this award, it means that whatever you do, you must aim for excellence. You can never stop; you must continue to grow, so it is not a final destination, it is an onward trajectory movement for excellence,” she said.

Mrs. Geddes-Spence commended the sponsors for their contribution, noting that “they are building productivity within our youth; they are encouraging greatness; they are encouraging our teachers and our staff members to continue to work hard to build their country and to build the education system at large.”

Friends of Region 6 supports educational institutions in St. Catherine and hosts an annual awards ceremony to celebrate and recognise the achievements of students, teachers and other personnel at educational institutions.

The Marlie Mount Primary and Infant School in St. Catherine has reached out to two primary schools in St. Elizabeth with relief supplies, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa on October 28.

Principal of Marlie Mount, Calvin Harris, told JIS News that the items included educational supplies such as school bags and clothing, as they wanted to provide more than the care packages to the institutions, Pedro Plains Primary and Barbary Hall Primary School.

“We have done 147 gifts for the Pedro Plains Primary School, and another 87 for the Barbary Hall Primary, and then we gave a lot of shoes. We had two barrels of shoes, separate and apart from other bags that we had with clothes and shoes,” he said.

Mr. Harris said they also distributed the “normal stuff with the care packages, where we had the toiletries, we had food items, the rice, the sugar, the tinned products and water that were distributed to students, teachers, and community members”.

The Principal noted that the items were sponsored by teachers, parents and students at his school.

“I remembered one parent commenting that Christmas is here early for her child, and another one said she didn’t have to buy any gifts for her children this year,” Mr. Harris said.

Principal of Barbary Hall Primary, Mariann Chambers-Smith, told JIS News that teachers and parents in her school community are “very grateful” for the donation made to them, and “we must say special thanks to Mr. Harris for reaching out to us”.

“He could have chosen other institutions, so we are very grateful that he considered Barbary Hall Primary and Infant School as one of the schools to assist. It is simply saying that Marlie Mount Primary is selfless, that they go beyond to share love and to give help, and that distance is not a barrier to show that you care in times of disaster and in times of need,” Mrs. Chambers-Smith said.

For his part, Principal of Pedro Plains Primary, Wilton Smith, said it was a wonderful experience, because a lot of the parents and community members had a “rough time after the devastation of

Hurricane Melissa, and we are indeed extremely grateful for this gesture by Principal Harris and his team”.

“The atmosphere was overwhelming; it was warm and nice. Parents, teachers, community members, and students were grateful for the packages and the gifts that were received,” Mr. Smith said.

Community groups, churches, past students’ associations and diaspora partners have played a critical role in strengthening the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information’s recovery efforts across Region Four following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Regional Director, Dr. Michele Pinnock, told JIS News that schools in the parishes of St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland have benefited from widespread support as they work to restore teaching and learning, noting that “everybody is partnering with our schools”.

She said that the assistance from both local and overseas partners is helping to address immediate needs while reinforcing morale within school communities.

“We have the past students’ associations and, of course, the Jamaicans in the diaspora that have actually reached out and they are wanting to help,” she pointed out.

Dr. Pinnock noted that this spirit of cooperation includes schools from other parts of the island, with students and staff travelling to the western parishes to offer assistance.

She noted that the support includes acts of encouragement aimed at helping students cope emotionally after the disruption, with children in the other parishes sending letters and drawings.

Dr. Pinnock said the Ministry is also strengthening engagement with parents to ensure that students remain supported at home as schools stabilise.

“We’re going to be having a number of parent sessions and we’re going to be having those virtually as well as face-to-face,” she told JIS News.

She noted that schools are also being encouraged to re-establish designated spaces to support parents directly.

These spaces are intended to help families access guidance, ask questions and connect with additional support services where needed.

“These are spaces where we actually help our parents to network with other resources,” Dr. Pinnock told JIS News.

She noted that the Ministry is also promoting the use of national learning platforms to support students academically as recovery continues across Region Four.

“We have the Book Fusion website; we have the JamLearning; we have the learning passport,” she told JIS News.

She noted that high-school students also have access to virtual instruction.

“One Academy, National Virtual School – they have live sessions that are open to high school students once they have their ministry email addresses,” she pointed out.

The Regional Director said that the combined support from communities, parents and national resources continues to strengthen the region’s ability to stabilise learning following Hurricane Melissa.

Four retired educators at the St. Catherine-based Jonathan Grant High School, who have contributed a combined 130 years of service, have been honoured by the institution.

The retirees, who have each served 30 years or more, are former Vice Principal, James Davis, 34 years; Textbook Administrator, Ivorene Neil, 33 years; Internal Examination Coordinator, Olive Simms, 33 years; and Textbook Administrator, Cheryl Brown-Harper, 30 years.

Acting Principal, Cheryll Shippey, expressed gratitude to the honourees for their service, noting that “your tireless efforts have not gone unnoticed”.

“Your passion, your commitment and love for education have inspired countless students, and your legacy will live on in the hearts of all who have the privilege of knowing you. Thirty years at Jonathan Grant High School is a lifetime for some persons, and for having these persons serving 30 years and more at one place, it is really a commitment,” she stated.

She was addressing the school’s 45th anniversary event held on Wednesday (Dec. 17) at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston.

School Board Chairman, Denworth Finnikin, also expressed gratitude to the retirees for their service.

He noted that through their contribution over the decades, the educators have enabled hundreds of graduates to “take their rightful place in society.”

Mr. Finnikin said that institutions are not defined by buildings, but by the people “and it is your professionalism, your integrity and commitment that have made this school, Jonathan Grant High School, a respected and trusted school in our country.”

Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) treasurer and past student, Roshell Peart, said it is fitting that, as the institution celebrates 45 years of existence, it is also honouring the legacy “of four extraordinary persons who have dedicated more than 30 years [each] in shaping young minds at Jonathan Grant.”

Past student, Tisha Miller, who left the school with 14 subjects, and is now a third-year student at Mico University College, said she had good experiences with all the educators during her time at the institution.

“However, Mrs. Brown-Harper really stood out to me, because she really assisted my family with a lot of issues that we had throughout the time at Jonathan Grant High School,” she said.

Lauding the honourees for “dedicating not just years but decades to shaping lives, minds and futures,” educator and author, Daphne Ellis, who delivered the keynote address, told the honourees that their legacy is in the lives that they have touched.

“The colleagues you mentored, the programmes you initiated, the committees you served on, the projects you spearheaded, the students you refused to give up on, that is your legacy. Your decision to remain in Jamaica, invest in your knowledge and skills, and your passion in our young people, that too is your legacy,” she added.

Ms. Ellis lauded the institution for attaining 100 per cent passes in six subjects in this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).

Responding on behalf of the honourees, Mrs. Brown-Harper said that over the years spent at Jonathan Grant High School they became more than just colleagues.

“We are friends, mentors, and we are family. To those we leave to carry the torch, our parting advice is, never stop learning. Support each other and always carry forward the legacy of hard work and dedication,” she said.

Students at institutions across the island are benefiting from specialised instruction in mathematics this week as the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information stages its annual Christmas mathematics camp.

The initiative is targeted at the 56 schools under the National School Learning Improvement Plan (NSLIP), which is aimed at improving student achievement in mathematics and English.

The sessions, which started on December 15 and will run until December 19, provide students with an opportunity to sharpen their skills and build confidence in the subject as they prepare for the May/June 2026 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and City and Guilds mathematics examinations.

Mathematics coaches and specialists from the Ministry have been deployed to assist schools in delivering the sessions.

Part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to improve student outcome in external examinations, the camps have added significance this year in light of the impact of Hurricane Melissa, which caused damage to several institutions in the west, delaying the resumption of classes.

The camp will continue during the Christmas break and schools are expected to plan sessions according to their local needs.

The Corinaldi Avenue Primary School in St. James is pressing forward with a learning recovery plan following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

In an interview with JIS News, Principal Deon Stern Anglin said in the aftermath of the hurricane, which caused extensive damage on the grade-one and grade-two blocks, the institution’s staff have moved quickly to regroup and strategise.

Classes resumed on November 24, and the turnout has been growing since then.

“We have brought back the children … [The first day] we have got over 75 per cent of our cohort. On Monday [December 8] we had 900-odd students,” Mrs. Stern Anglin said.

With two grade levels displaced due to the damaged block, the school has implemented an adjusted rotation system to support learning.

“Grade one is very important, just as grade six. If the children don’t get the foundation, the ending is not going to be pretty,” Mrs. Stern Anglin pointed out.

As a result, grade-one students now attend school alongside grades four, five and six while grades two and three alternate.

The principal noted that to further support exam preparation, the grade-six cohort has been given extended hours.

“We dismiss at one o’clock for everybody, but our grade six goes one hour more. We don’t want the children on the road late because some places haven’t gotten back electricity,” she pointed out.

Mrs. Stern Anglin said that the school’s culture of frequent assessment has placed it in a stronger position to address learning gaps.

“We test our children daily. Before Melissa, after Melissa, we do weekly tests… that will [address] the learning losses that we will have,” she said, noting that the assessment cycle will continue into the final days of the term.

“We are doing some testing now, so we will get those results by probably next week. [By then] we will know where the students are,” she stated.

Mrs. Stern Anglin expressed gratitude to the parents, the school board and staff for their continued resilience.

“Amidst everything, we have some real good parents. We have a good board, and the teachers are exceptional. We just want to give thanks,” the Principal said.

Scores of student leaders from Corporate Area high schools have benefited from training in conflict resolution and gender-based violence (GBV).

The session, held recently at the Haile Selassie High School, aimed to sensitise the young people about the core concepts of GBV, including how to recognise, distinguish, and respond appropriately to its different forms and to empower them to be agents of change in their schools and communities,

It was staged by the British High Commission in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information and the Ministry of National Security and Peace.

National Coordinator, School Safety and Security Branch in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Richard Troupe, said that the training and sensitisation session was in keeping with the Ministry’s commitment to addressing the issue of violence in schools, particularly GBV, noting that there is a lot of silence in communities surrounding the issue.

“Gender- based violence is very real to our schools [and] to our communities. We want to make sure that we are participating in a process, we are leading a process, we’re guiding a process to build the awareness of our students, our educators, our communities,” he said.

Mr. Troupe noted that parents were invited to participate in the session “because sometimes, what is demonstrated in our schools, is the lived experiences of our children”.

“We know that the violence in our homes and the violence in our communities will impact the violence in schools. And so, we believe that our efforts within schools must also focus on the violence we are seeing in our homes and the violence we are seeing in our communities,” he emphasised.

“Until we do some things differently within our homes and our community, then what is manifested in our schools is seen as normal, natural behaviour,” he contended further.

Mr. Troupe said that the Government was pleased to have been invited to partner with the British High Commission in the training of the student leaders.

Principal, Haile Selassie High School, Anniona Jones, who spoke with JIS News, said that the institution welcomed the opportunity to host the session and participate in “any conversation that advances the lifestyle of young people”.

“Gender-based violence is quite topical, and, in a school like ours, this is the reality for many of our students. They’re going to be in relationships and they have to understand their roles as males and females, and how to interact with each other and deal with conflict,” she pointed out.

Mrs. Jones said that the training will equip the student leaders with the skills required to intervene in any conflict among their peers and to help resolve the issues before they lead to violence.

“Under the theme ‘Champions of Safety: Building Student Leaders Who Stand Against GBV’, the training session was part of activities under the UK-Jamaica Violence Prevention Partnership Programme (VPPP).

The six-year initiative, being undertaken through a £15-million grant, aims to support Jamaica in addressing the root causes of violence.

The training was also in keeping with the Citizen Security Plan (CSP) and the Inter-Ministerial School Support Strategy (IMSS) and reinforces the Government of Jamaica’s commitment to fostering safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments across the education system.

It further aligned with the national observance of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

The global campaign, which runs from the observance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25 to Human Rights Day on December 10, unites efforts to end violence against women and girls through awareness, advocacy, and action against various forms of abuse, including the growing threat of digital violence.

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information is inviting schools across the island to enter the upcoming Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) in Action Challenge, to be staged on Thursday, January 29, 2026 as part of National STEAM Education Week.

The competition, being held under the theme ‘Creating Solutions, Driving Change’, will encourage students to apply problem-solving methodologies, such as the Design Thinking Process and the Engineering Design Process, to address real-world issues.

A bulletin issued by the Ministry said that National STEAM Education Week will be observed from January 25 to 31, 2026, and is designed to deepen public participation while promoting a learning model that equips students not only with knowledge but also with creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Schools participating in the challenge will be required to showcase projects to include categories such as renewable energy solutions, climate solutions, robotics and automation, health innovations, agriculture and food security, and environmental advocacy through the Arts.

Schools participating in the challenge must have completed STEM training by December 2025. Each school may submit up to three entries, with projects presented on trifold display boards outlining the problem identified, background research, solution ideas, prototype sketches or models, and next steps.

Documentary evidence of student participation, including artefacts, prototypes and photographs, will also be required.

Outstanding projects will be recognised at the national level, with special acknowledgement given to initiatives that demonstrate creativity, innovation, collaboration and community impact.

Ahead of the competition, schools are encouraged to host local STEAM exhibitions as part of their preparatory activities. These in-house showcases will inspire the school community, provide valuable feedback, and help refine projects for the national stage.

Registration for the STEAM in Action Challenge closes on Friday, December 12, 2025. However, special consideration will be extended to schools impacted by Hurricane Melissa, which will benefit from an extended deadline of January 8, 2026, as well as subsidies and psychosocial support.

These schools are also invited to participate in the special category: ‘Build Back Better: Resilient Schools Challenge’, which focuses on recovery and resilience.

For further information on how to submit their entries, schools may contact their Regional STEM Leads or the Core Curriculum Unit, at [email protected] or by telephone – 876-967-7867, extension 2101, or 876-398-5348.

A smart greenhouse, equipped with the latest in agricultural technology, opened on Friday (Dec. 5) at the José Martí Technical High School in St. Catherine.

Established under the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) expansion plan, the facility will operate as a satellite greenhouse for schools in and around Spanish Town, offering access to advanced agricultural technology to enhance teaching and learning at both the primary and secondary levels.

Technical Support Officer in the Ministry, Dr. Nahema Daniels-Heath, who delivered the keynote address at the launch, said that the opening of the lab “marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter” in agricultural training.

The smart greenhouse showcases Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) integration in agriculture by providing students with hands-on, technology-driven experiences, preparing them for careers in agriculture, renewable energy and engineering.

Key features include automated precision-farming systems with real-time sensor monitoring; internet of things (IoT)-enabled data processing and remote management; and a 12-kilowatt solar energy system, supporting sustainable operations.

Dr. Daniels-Heath said the facility serves as a “living classroom powered by innovation,” noting that it is a model of modern agricultural science education.

She noted that through precision agriculture, automation and IoT technologies, students will have access to “real time data and hands-on experiences that mirror modern farming practices”.

“Renewable energy systems will support learning in STEM, while agriculture, engineering, plant science and technology come together in a seamless learning environment,” she pointed out.

Dr. Daniels Heath said that the greenhouse lab will equip students to contribute to strengthening Jamaica’s agricultural resilience and food security.

“The Eat Jamaican movement encourages us to support our farmers, value our local produce and understand the importance of growing what we eat. This greenhouse helps students to appreciate their role in that national mission,” she pointed out.

The smart lab is a key element of the Ministry’s strategic vision to modernise TVET education in Jamaica through the establishment of cutting-edge exemplary labs.

Dr. Daniels Heath said that José Martí Technical High was selected as the flagship project based on its strong agricultural science foundation and long-standing partnership with the Ministry.

She noted that the institution, which has produced generations of innovators and nation builders, continues to shape young people who are academically grounded, technically trained and ready to contribute to national development.

The Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) is providing support for students enrolled in tertiary institutions and customers across the parishes of St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James and Trelawny, which were most severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa.

Addressing Wednesday’s (December 3) Post Cabinet Press Briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday (December 3), SLB Executive Director, Nickeisha Walsh, announced that grants valued at $60,000 each will be provided to beneficiaries attending institutions in the parishes.

Some 1,948 students are expected to benefit from the initiative.

In addition, the 4,458 repayment customers who reside in the aforementioned parishes, will have their loan payments deferred for three months – November 2025 to January 2026.

Miss Walsh noted that support will be assessed on a case-by-case basis for beneficiaries who reside outside of these parishes but were adversely impacted by the hurricane.

“We’re ascertaining funds from our account to ensure that we can support them. If you do not fall into the five parishes, you can contact the SLB and we will offer you one of those initiatives,” she explained.

Ms. Walsh added that the SLB has been deploying relief support through corporate social responsibility activities.

“We have gone into some institutions, some schools, offering care packages and also giving donations to tertiary schools for their rebuilding efforts,” she said.