Eleven-year-old Jasonnia Beadle of Park Mountain Primary and Infant School in St. Elizabeth is Jamaica’s top primary-school student in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination. She scored 394.2 out of 400 points.

The grade-six student said she felt proud and excited when she learned of her achievement following the release of PEP results on Monday, June 22.

“I did not expect that to happen and I was feeling excited [when I heard the news],” said Jasonnia, who is also Head Girl of the school.

She told JIS News that her outstanding performance earned her a place at the all-girls Hampton School in Malvern, in the parish.

The young scholar credited consistent preparation for her success, noting that she spent time watching PEP practice videos online and worked through past examination papers daily.

Moreover, the support of her mother at home and the encouragement of her teacher, Dian Dennis, also played a huge role in her accomplishment.

“My teacher, Ms. Diane Dennis, she helped all of us students to do our best and motivated us to do well. So, I feel good and proud of myself,” Jasonnia outlined.

The student, whose long-term ambition is to become either a nurse or a doctor, said she intends to maintain her strong academic performance at Hampton School and continue pursuing excellence in all areas of her education.

For her part, Principal of Park Mountain Primary and Infant School, Carlene Williams Heath, used the occasion to encourage Jasonnia to remain humble, while continuing to walk and speak with the confidence of a champion.

“I want to read about you in the papers, and I want to know to say that, yes, she attended Park Mountain Primary School. You are a star; you’re a champion,” Ms. Williams Heath said.

Josannia’s achievement became the highlight of a remarkable year for Park Mountain Primary and Infant School, which overcame significant challenges caused by Hurricane Melissa last October.

The storm damaged sections of the school, including the roof, forcing administrators to implement a rotation system for classes and adjust to difficult learning conditions.

However, despite these setbacks, the school delivered one of its strongest performances in recent years.

Ms. Williams Heath pointed out that 60 students sat the PEP examinations this year, with seven other girls from the institution also earning places at Hampton School.

Nine boys also secured spots at Munro College, in the parish, while other students were placed at institutions, including Black River High School and Rusea’s High School.

“We have dubbed this year graduation theme to be ‘Trials to Triumph’. We made it. Yes, we made it,” Ms. Williams Heath underscored.

Grade-six and senior teacher at Park Mountain Primary and Infant School, Diane Dennis, indicated that she and the other grade-six teacher met daily to review students’ progress, identify weaknesses, and “pull everyone” along.

“My students would say I am a hard teacher. I come down really hard on them, but I push them because I know they have the ability to excel,” she told JIS News.

Seventy-nine per cent of students exiting primary school in June 2026 have demonstrated mastery of literacy, while 75 per cent have mastered numeracy.

Literacy and numeracy competencies were assessed at the grade-six level of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) for the first time this year.

Addressing Monday’s (June 22) PEP Press Conference at Jamaica House, Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, explained that the definition of literacy used by the Ministry differs from the global definition.

“UNESCO has a definition and it’s basically, can they read and can they write? That’s it. We do not use that definition of literacy in Jamaica. We look at functional literacy. So, we’re not interested in if you can just read something on a paper. That’s not our goal and that should never be our goal. So, when I give you these numbers, they don’t stack up with the international because we go further in our literacy tests. We actually are doing comprehension and not simple reading and writing,” she explained.

Literacy and numeracy were tested with the addition of 20 questions and 20 minutes to complete the exam.

“In terms of mastery of comprehension, we are at 79 per cent of our students, which is good, and it’s going to get better. Almost mastery is 17 per cent and non-mastery is at four per cent of our students,” the Minister shared.

For those on the cusp, she said seven per cent of them needed one or two more points to achieve mastery.

Turning to numeracy, Dr. Morris Dixon shared that in grade four, the cohort was at 69.9 per cent mastery.

By grade six, they were at 75 per cent mastery, 18 per cent at almost mastery and seven per cent at non-mastery.

“The good thing is we now have baselines… from which we can now push performance even further ahead,” she said.

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information is reporting “measurable gains” in the performance of students in the 2026 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination.

Portfolio Minister, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, provided the performance details during Monday’s (June 22) PEP Press Conference at Jamaica House.

“Eight per cent of our students are highly proficient at Mathematics, 61 per cent are proficient, developing is 30 per cent and beginning is only one per cent. So, beginning ones are really low in terms of maths outcome. So, we’re at 69 per cent at proficient and above in mathematics,” she shared.

Year-on-year performance moved from 57 per cent in 2023 to 60 and 63 per cent in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

“That is significant improvement in mathematics. There is a lot of work that has gone into this. There’s obviously more work that we need to do to dispel this fear of mathematics in our country.

We have been doing lots of things, for example, having specialist teachers in our schools and also we have our maths camps and we have our maths experts working quite a bit with our schools trying to improve the way we teach maths and also teaching things earlier,” she explained.

For Language Arts, 72 per cent of students were ranked proficient and above.

“We had 5.5 per cent of our students being highly proficient, 66.5 per cent of our students proficient, 27 per cent developing and only one per cent at beginning level,” she said.

Dr. Morris Dixon shared that there has been a 12-percentage point increase in performance in the subject, from 60 per cent in 2023 to 67 per cent in 2024, then 69 per cent and 72 per cent in 2025 and 2026, respectively.

PEP ranks students in four categories of achievement: Beginning – limited or no competence; Developing – partial competence; Proficient – adequate competence, and Highly Proficient – advanced competence.

Meanwhile, she advised that the PEP report, which will be released to parents this afternoon, will have a new look.

“It’s more user-friendly and more colourful. It includes the numeracy and literacy domain, we use simpler language and so parents, you will be able to look at how your child has performed – where they are and where they need support,” Dr. Morris Dixon said.

Ninety per cent of students who sat the 2026 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination have been placed in a school of their choice.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, advised that 9.5 per cent were placed by proximity while 0.5 per cent were manually placed.

Addressing Monday’s (June 22) PEP Press Conference at Jamaica House, she noted that students are given seven choices.

“Twenty-four per cent of the students got their first choice, 18 per cent got their second choice, 16 per cent got their third choice. So, when you add up all of that, you’re almost at 60 per cent that got their first three choices,” she shared.

Some 13 per cent were placed in their fourth choice, while 11 per cent each were placed in their fifth or sixth choice and seven per cent in their seventh choice.

Dr. Morris Dixon said that the Ministry’s goal “has to be to raise the level of all our high schools, so that wherever you go, you feel like you can achieve”.

In congratulating the students, the Minister said it was a difficult year with the impact of Hurricane Melissa but they persevered.

“These PEP Six results show us the resilience of our country,” she said.

Meanwhile, she shared that, overall, females performed better than males, but among the top-10 students, seven of them are males.

“The top primary student is from St. Elizabeth and he is from Park Mountain Primary School,” she informed.

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information hosted the National School Garden Grand Exhibition 2026 at the José Martí Technical High School in St. Catherine, on Thursday (June 18), bringing together students, teachers and education stakeholders.

It also celebrated the achievements of schools participating in the National School Garden Project. Held under the theme ‘From the Farm to the Table’, the event highlighted the importance of sustainable agriculture, healthy eating and practical learning experiences for students.

The exhibition featured displays from participating institutions across the island, recognition of outstanding projects and presentations showcasing the impact of school gardens on nutrition and agricultural education. Scores of schools received top awards, while several regions were recognised for their commitment to promoting agriculture and food production among students.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Permanent Secretary, Dr. Kasan Troupe, Deputy Chief Education Officer for Core Curriculum and Support Services, Dr. Winnie Berry, said the initiative represents the Ministry’s commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles, strengthening food security and equipping students with practical skills for lifelong success.

She noted that the project has recorded significant growth since its inception in 2024, when it began with an investment of $10 million and 23 schools.

According to Dr. Berry, the programme is now in its third phase with an investment of $30 million and benefiting 79 schools across Jamaica, with 56 institutions represented at the exhibition. She said the participation of early-childhood, primary, special education and secondary schools demonstrates the Ministry’s determination to ensure that every learner has access to meaningful agricultural experiences.

Dr. Berry emphasised that the National School Garden Project was intentionally designed to be sustainable and not merely a showcase activity. She explained that schools are engaged in container gardening, hydroponics, vegetable and herb cultivation, poultry rearing, apiculture and other innovative agricultural practices, aimed at making school gardens an integral part of learning and school life.

She pointed out that the project exemplifies authentic Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), providing opportunities for students to apply scientific concepts, develop technical competencies, solve real-world problems and cultivate entrepreneurial thinking.

Dr. Berry commended the administration of José Martí Technical High School for hosting the event, noting that the project aligns with the institution’s mandate to prepare students for productive participation in Jamaica’s workforce and economy.

The Deputy Chief Education Officer also underscored the role of the initiative in supporting the National School Nutrition Policy and Standards, which seeks to address childhood obesity and the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases among young people.

She noted that when students plant, nurture, harvest and consume their own produce, they develop a deeper appreciation for healthy foods and learn first-hand how nutritious eating contributes to overall well-being.

She said the project advances the country’s goal of achieving food and nutrition security by exposing students to modern and sustainable agricultural practices.

Dr. Berry praised the technical and vocational education officers, school principals, teachers, school garden committees, community stakeholders and partner agencies, including the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, for their contributions to the initiative.

She also expressed gratitude to sponsors, including the Heart Foundation of Jamaica, Sagicor Jamaica and Wisynco Group Limited.

Dr. Berry encouraged students to embrace the opportunities provided by the programme and urged them to become ambassadors for healthy living and sustainable development, reminding them of the project’s guiding message: ‘Eat what you grow and grow what you eat’.

Strengthening literacy skills among Jamaican students remains a top priority for the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, as it works to improve learning outcomes and prepare young people for future success.

Portfolio Minister, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, said foundational literacy and numeracy are at the heart of the Government’s education transformation agenda.

She made the remarks during a session on ‘Building a Resilient Education System in Partnership with the Diaspora’, at the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on June 15.

The Minister posited that improvements in examination performance and overall student achievement must begin with stronger foundations in reading and comprehension.

“The reality is yes; we want higher CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) passes, but we have to address the problems that cause that. If we do not fix the foundation, we’re not going to be able to build children who are ready for the future,” Senator Morris Dixon said.

She underscored that literacy remains one of the most important predictors of academic success.

“If you cannot read, you can’t do Maths. If you cannot read, you have no real future, and so for us literacy is important,” the Minister stated.

Senator Morris Dixon noted that reading has been restored to school timetables as part of efforts to strengthen literacy development in the early years.

“We are on a literacy campaign, and we have put back reading on the timetable,” she said.

In addition, the Ministry has undertaken initiatives to increase access to reading materials for students.

The Minister explained that changing consumer habits have resulted in fewer children’s reading books being available in bookstores, prompting the Ministry to develop and distribute its own materials.

“The Ministry had to do books, actually create books with Caribbean stories for our children and gave out stacks of books,” Senator Morris Dixon informed.

She maintained that literacy serves as the foundation for achievement across all subject areas and remains critical to developing analytical and problem-solving skills.

“If you can read you are a better reasoner and you do Maths better. So, all the outcomes we want start with reading,” the Minister added.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Hon. Rhoda Moy Crawford, is encouraging Jamaicans living overseas to play a more active role in national development by investing directly in young people and community institutions.

Speaking during a plenary session titled ‘Connecting, Engaging and Empowering the Youth Diaspora for National Development’, at the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Tuesday (June 16), Ms. Crawford emphasised that meaningful contributions do not always need to be made through formal government programmes.

She maintained that diaspora members can make a meaningful difference by investing in schools, churches, community organisations, and young individuals in their home communities.

Ms. Crawford pointed out that although the Ministry offers several established youth-focused entities and programmes to facilitate support, Jamaicans overseas can also make a meaningful impact through personal acts of service and mentorship, emphasising that direct engagement at the community level can be equally transformative.

“You can help a struggling child, you can return to visit the basic school you attended and help to supply books or you can return to the church you attended,” she said.

Drawing on her upbringing in the Manchester community of Grey Ground, Ms. Crawford reflected on the role that neighbours, teachers, family members, and the church played in shaping her future.

She argued that Jamaica’s strong culture of community support remains one of its greatest assets and should be embraced by members of the diaspora looking to contribute meaningfully.

The State Minister further emphasised that nation-building requires a collective effort, noting that every Jamaican has a role to play in helping the next generation succeed.

“In the same way that, for many of us, Jamaica moulded us, poured into us, and made us who we are today, we must now identify young people and pour into them. We owe our success to the next generation,” Ms. Crawford said.

From unexpected setbacks to breakthrough performances, the five-day WorldSkills Jamaica and Studica Robotics Invitational Training Camp challenged Jamaican competitors Antonio Rolong and Omar Cockett to push their limits while strengthening the skills needed to excel on the international stage.

“I’d say it was simultaneously stressful and informative. We really learned a lot of things that we did not know or expect to learn. I think it’s good that we had the experience. It’s more preparation for the actual competition in September,” Antonio told JIS News.

One of the most significant lessons, he said, was learning the importance of organisation.

“Workplace management is marked a lot stricter than we realised and also that we need to work together as a team more and properly delegate tasks,” he explained.

Assessing his team’s overall performance in the skill area of autonomous mobile robotics, he acknowledged there was room for improvement, particularly during the early stages of the camp.

“On the last day of the competition, we did very well, actually. Surprisingly well. When I put down the robot, I didn’t think it was going to move, but it did in fact move. It did complete all the tasks.

It was the only one to complete all the tasks. So, we almost got full marks for this round, even though we failed the second round and did not do the best on the first round,” Antonio detailed.

Meanwhile, Omar, Jamaica’s competitor in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) skill area, described the camp as an intensive period of preparation and growth.

“It was a good experience, mainly just long nights staying up and practising everything and getting ready for the next day to showcase what we have learned,” he said.

Among the key lessons he took away from the camp was the importance of effective time management.

“I spent more time doing things that I should have spent less time doing and also the tuning on my drone, it could have been tuned better,” he told JIS News.

As he continues to prepare for the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, China, from September 22 to 27, Omar said he will be working on his time management, noting that it will be a huge advantage on the international stage.

At the end of the camp, Omar earned second place in the UAS friendly competition.

“It’s an honour to have this title and I’ll continue working to, hopefully, get a gold medal,” he said.

Global educational publishing company, Macmillan Education, in partnership with Kingston Bookshop, has donated 4,000 textbooks valued $6 million to schools affected by Hurricane Melissa.

The books were officially presented to the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information during a handover ceremony at the National Education Trust (NET), Caenwood Centre in Kingston, on Friday (May 15).

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry, Senator the Hon. Marlon Morgan, expressed gratitude to the donors, emphasising the importance of partnership in advancing education across Jamaica.

“Literacy is the foundation of education. If you have a solid foundation, you’re able to build on top of that… and that’s what we seek to do as a Ministry,” he said.

Senator Morgan urged the students to be good stewards of the textbooks as they work to expand their knowledge, strengthen literacy skills, and build a brighter future through education.

Macmillan Education Caribbean Sales Manager, Deborah Brearley, noted that the company has maintained a strong relationship with Jamaica for more than 70 years.

“Jamaica holds a very special place in our hearts and in our business. This long-standing relationship is built on trust, shared purpose and a deep commitment to education as a driver of opportunity and growth,” she said.

Ms. Brearley explained that the donation of books is intended to help restore learning continuity, close resource gaps, and support both educators and students in their recovery.

“We believe strongly that our role goes beyond publishing educational content. It’s about standing with our partners, especially in moments of difficulty, and supporting the long-term strength and resilience of the education system,” she stated.

Among the beneficiary institutions is Broadleaf Primary School in Manchester. Principal, Eaton McNamee, expressed sincere gratitude for the timely support.

“These books are more than just paper and ink. They are tools that will open doors, spark curiosity and strengthen the foundation of learning for our students. In a time when resources matter more than ever, your partnership reminds us that education is a shared responsibility and that our children’s future is worth investing in,” Mr. McNamee said.

Student, Shameena Grant, pledged to make full use of the books, noting that they will not remain idle on the shelves.

“They will be read, questioned and used to build a stronger foundation for us as learners,” she said.

For her part, NET Executive Director, Latoya Harris-Ghartey, said the agency was pleased to facilitate the donation, noting its significance for communities where electricity and internet service have yet to be restored.

“It means they still have the capacity to learn, to engage with material that is critical for their brain development, their grasp of concepts and their application of knowledge,” she said.

In expressing gratitude to the donors, Mrs. Harris-Ghartey emphasised that partnerships are critical to advancing education.

“Education is not a government alone undertaking. It is something that everybody has to invest in, because we all have to live in this society,” she stated.

Meanwhile, Director of Strategy and Innovation at Kingston Bookshop, Shauna Fuller-Clarke, underscored the vital role of books in supporting recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

“The textbooks get students back to learning and the storybooks give a child somewhere else to go in the world,” she said.

 

Mrs. Fuller-Clarke advised that Kingston Bookshop has placed donation boxes in its retail stores to collect books from the public in support of schools in western Jamaica.

“We did a needs analysis sometime last year and we’re finalising plans to support one or two schools in the west in a more substantial way, because we believe recovery is not a single moment. It’s a sustained commitment,” she stated.

Buff Bay Primary School, in Portland, is winner of the 2026 Portland Maths Quiz Competition.

The four challengers from Buff Bay faced off against Norwich Primary School in a neck-and-neck battle, separated by just a few points in the end. The final, as well as the third-place playoff, took place at the Social Development Commission’s Portland Office on May 7.

It is Buff Bay Primary’s first time winning the competition. The champion quizzers, the second and third-place teams, their coaches, and other outstanding challengers were all feted with an array of trophies and exciting prizes from sponsors.

Buff Bay Primary’s Coach, Jody-Ann Thomas, told JIS News that it took “hard work and dedication” to claim the win.

Ms. Thomas said that the experience was not just a competitive one but also the contest provided several other benefits to the young participants.

“It also improved how they collaborate with each other and all of that. So, it’s not only just about writing down the answer. As the judges would have said, it is about thinking critically and with reasoning,” she explained.

Cluster-based Mathematics Specialist for Region 2, President of the Norwich Community Development Committee and an Organiser of the competition, Suzette Simpson McNeil, conveyed congratulations to the winning team.

“We are really happy for them [and] for all the teams that made it this far. It has been a long couple of weeks [and] it’s really a wonderful blessing to be here,” Mrs. Simpson McNeil said.

The competition was launched on February 6 with a total of 30 schools – the most entries ever received since it began in 2017 in the Port Antonio area.

“We thought that when we saw the numbers for mathematics for the region, we thought we should not just stick to Port Antonio, but just to enlarge it to the other communities in Portland,” Mrs. Simpson McNeil pointed out.

The 30 Primary-level institutions that took on the challenge hail from both Eastern and Western Portland. For next year, organisers are looking to extend the competition to include high schools.

Mrs. Simpson McNeil also informed that the quiz revealed areas in which students were having challenges with mathematics, and certain misconceptions.

“And what the teachers, and what we have identified to them is that they were not familiar with doing many reasoning tasks, and so we want to fix that. We’re going to continue this progression because coming out of the match, we met with the teachers in West Portland and they decided that they want to form a little group and to do some item writing, which is a plus,” the Maths Specialist said.

“The work continues because we’re going to be going into the schools, school by school, looking at the weaknesses. We want to meet with the teachers, let them know where their school is at and what intervention they can do in school and what we can do from this summer to going into the new school year because we want to fix it,” she added.

Social Development Commission (SDC) Parish Manager for Portland, Karl Coke, said: “We recognise that there’s a gap in mathematics right across the parish of Portland, so hosting a competition like this allows the Ministry of Education to identify those gaps and see where we can work towards fixing it going forward.”

The competition is implemented by the Portland SDC in partnership with the Norwich CDC and the Portland Parish Development Committee.

Mr. Coke said that in addition to expanding the Maths Quiz competition, the agency is looking to establish a public speaking and poster competition for schools in the parish.

He thanked the sponsors for their support of the Maths Quiz Competition, hailing the community spirit that was displayed.

These included Members of Parliament for Portland Western and Eastern, Hon. Daryl Vaz and Isat Buchanan; Mayor of Port Antonio, Paul Thompson; Jamaica Teachers’ Association Cooperative Credit Union; Bookzone; Anchovy Hardware; Ramtulla Supercentre; Essies Variety Store; Soshavel Variety Store; Bayview Eco Resort and Spa; DK Decorations and more; Portland Parish Development Committee; Boundbrook Tyre Shop; and the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission.