The Digicel Foundation is set to undertake a multimillion-dollar renovation and expansion project at the Port Maria Special Education Unit in St. Mary this financial year, as part of a wider push to enhance special education services across the island.

This was disclosed by Portfolio Manager for Education and Special Needs at the Foundation, Jamilia Crooks-Brown.

She was speaking during a handover ceremony for five renovated classrooms at The Mico University College Child Assessment and Research in Education (CARE) Centre in St. Andrew on Thursday (September 3).

Mrs. Crooks-Brown said the Foundation will undertake improvements to the Port Maria Special Education Unit, which is currently housed in a container unit.

“That project will create proper classrooms, bathrooms and a dedicated teacher area,” she informed.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, on Monday (September 7), officially launched Hydel Cumberland High School in St. Catherine, coinciding with the start of the 2026/27 academic year.

The institution was established through the strategic merger of Hydel High School and Cumberland High School in the parish.

Speaking during the launch ceremony at the Cumberland campus in Portmore, St. Catherine, Dr. Morris Dixon emphasised that the merger will preserve and build on the rich legacy of both founding institutions.

“It’s important to note that this merger does not in any way mean the erasure of either institution. Both schools have strong histories, and we have to maintain that as we move forward. So our goal is to bring the best of two proud traditions together… building a new institution capable of achieving even more,” the Minister said.

She expressed confidence that the merger offers the best opportunity for students, as it will enable more effective use of the resources available at the Cumberland facility.

Senator Morris Dixon noted that the Cumberland campus, with a capacity of 1,200 students, was underutilised, enrolling just over 300 students.

Conversely, the Minister pointed out that the Hydel campus, which serves 600 students, was facing infrastructure challenges despite the Government having assumed responsibility for its secondary-level operations.

“Rather than maintaining duplicated administrative and support structures or undertaking significant new infrastructure expenditure elsewhere, we have an opportunity to bring resources together and direct more of them towards teaching, learning, and student development,” Dr. Morris Dixon reasoned.

Highlighting investments at the newly merged institution, the Minister noted that $70 million has already been invested in upgrading the electrical system.

Additionally, plans are in place to modernise the home economics laboratory to world-class standards, reinforcing the school’s position as a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centre of excellence.

Further improvements will focus on upgrading the sports facilities and expanding the car park to support an increased complement of teaching staff.

Principal of Hydel Cumberland High School, Carlon Pitt, assured stakeholders that academics remain at the forefront of the institution’s agenda, announcing a series of immediate curriculum enhancements.

“I am pleased to report that a comprehensive timetable has already been formulated, providing our students with broader opportunities and stronger academic pathways,” he said.

Mr. Pitt further announced the introduction of a traditional sixth-form programme, marking a first for the campus, which previously offered only a technical sixth form.

The Principal also stated that science subject offerings have been expanded, and plans are under way to establish an agricultural laboratory.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for St. Catherine South Eastern, Dr. Alfred Dawes, commended the stakeholders who have supported the vision for the newly merged institution.

“What we are seeing here today is not a subtraction; there is no loss. It is a multiplication. More value for the school, more value for the students, and more value for Portmore,” he stated.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, says the Hurricane Melissa reconstruction programme has presented an opportunity to make schools more resilient.

In her 2026 Back-to-School broadcast on September 5, Senator Morris Dixon said some 688 schools were damaged by the hurricane, and that 313 of these were severely damaged.

“Almost $26 billion is being spent on the repairs and reconstruction of our schools. The repairs are not advancing as fast as we would like in some schools but once we have this work completed, our schools will be stronger than ever,” she continued.

The Minister expressed thanks to the excellent work of principals, boards and the Ministry team, noting that it is expected that all schools will open today (September 7), even where repairs are not completed.

“I thank our principals, teachers, and contractors… and I want to say a special thank you to every single mason, carpenter, electrician, plumber who has worked on our schools. You are true heroes and we salute all of you,” she said.

“Our Melissa reconstruction programme has not only presented an opportunity to make our schools more resilient, but it has also provided an opportunity to upgrade and renovate staffrooms for educators across Jamaica. The Staffroom Renovation Programme covers 74 institutions in the first phase, with work concentrated heavily in the parishes hardest hit by Melissa,” she added.

The Minister also disclosed that there are more improvements under way beyond hurricane repairs, and that an unprecedented $400-million investment is being made into technical and vocational education in high schools.

“Starting with our technical high schools, each of our technical high schools will be receiving one state-of-the-art laboratory in new areas such as autonomous robotics, renewable energy, virtual welding, electrical engineering, industrial controls, and optoelectronics,” Senator Morris Dixon said.

Also, through the Jamaica Education Programme, the Ministry is retooling science labs.

“We cannot become a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) country without having equipment in our bio, physics, and chemistry labs. Students of today must be given the space and exposure to the best equipment to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow’s industry,” she stated.

In terms of connectivity, more than 150 satellite systems have been distributed to schools, with more devices in procurement to add another level of access to the Internet in even the most rural institutions.

“We are building back our schools better than they were before,” the Minister said.

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information has announced plans to review schools’ textbook lists to ensure that only essential, high-quality texts are required, amid growing concerns about rising back-to-school costs.

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry, Senator Marlon Morgan, made the disclosure while visiting Edward Seaga Primary School in Kingston to observe proceedings marking the opening of the 2026/27 academic year on Monday (September 7).

He said the review will focus on developing a master list that clearly distinguishes between mandatory and approved supplementary texts, helping parents balance academic requirements with financial affordability.

Senator Morgan advised that the decision comes amid mounting concerns from parents and advocacy groups about lengthy and costly textbook lists.

He cited instances in which families make significant financial sacrifices to purchase prescribed texts, only to find that some are never used during the school year.

The Parliamentary Secretary emphasised that while teachers often seek to use a variety of resources to enrich classroom instruction, requiring students to purchase five to seven books for a single subject can place an unsustainable financial burden on families.

“The Ministry will be taking a serious look at this… concerning issue of book lists. We have listened and we have heard the complaints. [Portfolio Minister, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon] has [made note] of the concerns, and we are going to be responding,” he said.

Senator Morgan advised that, going forward, the Ministry will be working with schools and parents to ensure that mandatory texts are prioritised.

“We want to have book lists that clearly set out the mandatory or required texts, and then have other texts that are really supplemental reading or recommended texts which are separate and apart from the mandatory texts,” he explained.

Jamaican students recorded improved results in 18 of the 34 subjects offered in this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, including Mathematics.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, disclosed the preliminary results while addressing the 62nd Annual Conference of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) at Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny on Wednesday (August 19).

She noted that Mathematics recorded a 4.8 percentage-point improvement, with Jamaica continuing to perform above the regional average in both Mathematics and English A.

Meanwhile, the pass rate for English A was 83.6 per cent this year, compared with 85 per cent in 2025.

Senator Morris Dixon further highlighted notable improvements across several subjects, including Geography, where the pass rate increased by 16.2 percentage points; Chemistry, 9.8 percentage points; Social Studies, 8.7 percentage points; Physics, 8.3 percentage points; Technical Drawing, 6.1 percentage points; Biology, 5.1 percentage points; and Music, 4.7 percentage points.

The Education Minister further noted that the improved performance was particularly significant, given the disruption to the education system caused by Hurricane Melissa last year.

She praised teachers and school leaders for their dedication in supporting students under challenging circumstances, particularly in parts of western Jamaica that were severely affected by the Category-Five cyclone.

“I am in awe of what our teachers and leaders have been able to do… [especially] in moving mathematics up… even after a hurricane,” the Minister said.

Senator Morris Dixon congratulated students and their parents on the examination results, underscoring the importance of strong academic performance in expanding opportunities and improving future prospects for young people.

She indicated that the Ministry was continuing its analysis of the CSEC results, including student performance across the various education regions, and would provide additional details once the exercise is completed.

Applications are now open for the 2026 Prime Minister’s National Medal for Science, Technology and Innovation and the National Innovation Awards, under the theme, ‘Science Solves’.

Principal Director of Science at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Dr. Natwaine Gardner, told a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ on Thursday (August 20) that the Awards are a key component of the Government’s efforts to strengthen Jamaica’s science, technology, and innovation ecosystem.

“They are intended, not only to recognise excellence but to also encourage more Jamaicans to use science, technology, creativity, and entrepreneurship to solve national problems and generate economic and social value,” she said.

“The Awards have two components… the first is the Prime Minister’s National Medal for Science and Technology and Innovation, [which] represents one of the highest forms of national recognition in this field,” Dr. Gardner explained.

The second component is the National Innovation Awards, which recognise outstanding innovations across nine categories.

These include Food Systems, Agriculture and Bioproduction; Energy, Climate Resilience and Environmental Solutions; Manufacturing, Engineering and Industrial Solutions; Digital Transformation and Information and Communications Technology; Health, Wellness and Social Innovation; Creative Industries, Tourism and Cultural Innovation; and Education, Skills and Human Capital Development.

There is also a Youth Innovator category that will recognise groundbreaking frontier science innovations with the potential to transform lives in Jamaica.

“The awards provide an opportunity to celebrate scientists, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, institutions and other innovators who are developing solutions with the potential to improve lives, increase productivity and strengthen Jamaica’s competitiveness,” Dr. Gardner noted.

She further pointed out that the programme will send a clear message to Jamaica’s young people that careers in these fields are valuable.

“An important objective of the awards is to help close the gap between innovation and commercialisation. A good idea becomes even more valuable when it can be developed into a viable product, a service or an enterprise. This will create opportunities for employment, investment, exports and economic growth,” the Principal Director stated.

Dr. Gardner said this year’s programme forms part of the ongoing effort to revamp Jamaica’s innovation ecosystem.

“It’s not merely the presentation of awards but it is the start of ensuring that the innovation ecosystem is a place where Jamaica’s premier research and development can take place. The National Medal and Innovation Awards will be the premier platform for identifying, showcasing, and supporting homegrown innovation,” she noted.

“Jamaicans are naturally creative and they’re innovative. However, many promising ideas remain relatively unknown and do not receive the proper recognition that they should get. The awards address this by giving innovators a credible platform through which their work can be recognised and promoted,” Dr. Gardner added.

Applications can be initiated and submitted through the Innovation Awards section of the Office of the Prime Minister’s website at opm.gov.jm.

“We’ve made it very user-friendly, so persons can go… start the application… pause it [and] come back and complete it. We encourage all Jamaicans to apply and to nominate or share the opportunity with persons or individuals or organisations whose work deserves to be highlighted through national recognition,” Dr. Gardner said.

The application deadline is September 5 at 11:59 p.m.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in November 2026.

Chair of the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), Trisha Williams-Singh, is urging parents and guardians of young children to ensure that they choose early-childhood institutions (ECIs) that have received permits from the Commission to operate.

An ECI is any place that cares for four or more children under the age of six years, for up to six hours per day.

They include nurseries, centres or homes that offer day care, basic schools, kindergartens, preschools, infant schools and infant departments.

Under the Early Childhood Act and Regulations (2005), all ECIs must be registered with the Commission to receive a permit to operate.

“If the institution does not have a permit to operate, then do not send your child to the institution,” Mrs. Williams-Singh advised parents in an interview with JIS News on Thursday (August 20).

She emphasised that ECIs are encouraged to physically display their permits in areas where they are visible to parents.

“This should be something that is displayed for the comfort of parents, so they [can] see that there is no threat to the health and safety [of their children],” Mrs. Williams-Singh said.

She pointed out that ECIs that receive a permit have been assessed by inspectors from the Commission and have met the minimum criteria for operation stipulated by the Government.

“So, all institutions are to work towards having a certificate of registration, but presently… we give you a permit to operate once there’s no threat to safety and health, and then you work towards attaining the 12 operating standards,” the ECC Chair explained.

The 12 Standards for the operation, management and administration of ECIs in Jamaica encompass staffing; development and educational programmes; physical environment; interactions and relationships with children; indoor and outdoor equipment; health; nutrition; safety; child rights, child protection and equality; interactions with parents and community; administration; and finance.

As at March 2026, the ECC reported that there were 2,428 ECIs in operation across the island.

Mrs. Williams-Singh said that only about four per cent of those institutions are non-compliant with the ECC’s standards, while the remaining 96 per cent are either fully compliant or at various stages of achieving compliance.

The ECC is an agency of the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information, established in 2003, with the aim of improving the quality of early-childhood care, education and development in Jamaica.

It also coordinates the curriculum for early-childhood education, which encompasses birth to eight years old.

Teachers who went above and beyond in the wake of Hurricane Melissa were honoured during an awards ceremony at the Jamaica Teachers’ Association’s (JTA) 62nd Annual Conference, where Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, paid tribute to their dedication and service.

Speaking during the ceremony at Ocean Coral Spring Hotel in Trelawny on Tuesday (August 18), Senator Morris Dixon praised educators, particularly the awardees, for demonstrating that the strength of an education system lies not only in its infrastructure but, more importantly, in its people.

“An award can never fully capture the value of the lives you have influenced. Jamaica sees you, appreciates you and values your contributions,” she stated.

The Minister recounted visits to schools affected by the hurricane in western Jamaica, including Maud McLeod High School in Westmoreland, where Principal, Beverley Feare, personally delivered learning materials to students each week and transformed the school into a hub of community support.

She also highlighted the efforts of Principal of Petersfield Primary School, Dr. Susan Rattray-Hammond, who continued teaching children to read despite the devastation.

The Minister further noted that St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) used its generator to supply water to the wider surrounding community.

“We must not simply restore what existed before. We must use [this opportunity] to build better,” Dr. Dixon said.

She added that Jamaica cannot afford to rebuild schools only to see them damaged or lost again in future disasters.

In the meantime, Dr. Dixon thanked outgoing JTA President, Mark Malabver, for his service and contribution, and congratulated newly installed President, La Sonja Harrison, on her appointment.

She pledged the Ministry’s continued collaboration with the JTA in advancing the welfare and improving the working conditions of the nation’s educators.

“I do look forward to working with you and your team in a spirit of constructive engagement as we continue the important work of strengthening Jamaica’s education sector. Teaching is one of the most consequential professions in our society, and so tonight, it is important that we celebrate,” Minister Morris Dixon added.

For her part, Mrs. Harrison described the awardees as exemplary educators whose contributions in schools, churches, and community and civic organisations have made them the “cornerstones of this nation.”

She emphasised that their contributions extend well beyond the classroom, noting that teachers are consistently found serving in vital roles across the nation’s social institutions, including electoral bodies, community organisations and churches.

Mrs. Harrison reminded teachers that their ultimate reward comes from God and encouraged them to continue serving their colleagues, students and the nation with humility and faith.

“Tonight we recognise your sacrifice, selfless service, and stewardship,” she further stated.

Awards presented during the ceremony included the WBC (Ben) Hawthorne Award, the Edith Dalton-James Award, the Fay E. Saunders Award, the Anglin Jones Award, and a Special Award.

The conference is being held from August 18 to 20 under the theme ‘Reformation Now: Rebuilding a Resilient Education System Buoyed by the Eternal Father and Unrelenting Unionism’.