Parents are being urged to support their children through prayer, praise and presence.

The appeal was made by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dr. Kasan Troupe, at Ardenne Preparatory and Extension High School’s Annual School-Leaving Ceremony, held at Ardenne High School in Kingston, on Wednesday (July 2).

Speaking on the theme, ‘Communication: Road Map to Success’, Dr. Troupe said: “When we pray, it’s communication with God. You must pray for them, with them on their behalf. You must talk to God about them.”

She reasoned that life is not a smooth path, noting that they will face persecution, difficulties and trials, which require them to communicate with God.

Dr. Troupe encouraged parents to praise their children and affirm them with encouraging words.

“Don’t tell them that they cannot make it. Don’t tell them about their limitations, because we are all different. There is no one path to success,” she said.

The Permanent Secretary shared that some parents may not be happy with the school their child was placed in following the release of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) results but assured them that their children can bloom where they are planted, because “there are fruits in all of us”.

Meanwhile, she said parents must communicate through their presence and not just their presents.

“You communicate by being there. You turn up, you come to school, you turn up with them and you talk to them. You turn up at home – too many of our boys and our girls are parenting themselves. They are on the telephone, they are on the device, there is no physical presence, there is no touch, there is no love, there is no hug, there is no forgiveness in each other, there is no crying in each other. You have got to turn up. That’s communication,” Dr. Troupe said.

She pointed out that the presence of parents is a critical ingredient on the road to success, as children need to see their parents and receive emotional, financial and physical support.

“For every good school that we have in the country, it is good because the parents turn up. The parents hold the Ministry accountable. The parents hold the school accountable. For every woman, for every champion, it is the parents’ presence that makes the difference,” Dr. Troupe said.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, visited two high-achieving primary schools in St. Ann on Wednesday (July 2), to celebrate their outstanding performance in this year’s Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations.

Senator Morris Dixon met with the students and staff of Philadelphia Primary and Infant School as well as Clydesdale Primary to personally commend their exceptional achievements.

These institutions, located in Region Three of the Education Ministry, were among 10 schools previously flagged for underperformance, but have since elevated their students to proficiency levels.

At Philadelphia Primary, all five grade- six students who sat PEP secured placements in high schools, including Brown’s Town High, Discovery Bay High, Ferncourt High, and Ocho Rios High.

The school reportedly achieved 90 per cent proficiency in language arts and social studies, 60 per cent in mathematics, and 80 per cent in science.

Meanwhile, Clydesdale Primary’s two PEP candidates earned placements at Knox College and Aabuthnott Gallimore High – an achievement credited to targeted intervention programmes that begin with diagnostic testing from Grade One.

“We are very excited to see this development. I am here… because I wanted the teachers, I wanted the principals, I wanted the parents, and I wanted the students to know that your hard work is recognised. You would have all worked really hard,” Dr. Morris Dixon stated.

“When you see these rural schools having the kind of results that they have, it says to all of Jamaica that all our children can do it. It says that we have good teachers and good principals who are trying new things, being innovative, and that’s what we want to celebrate,” she added.

Minister Morris Dixon noted that the schools had fully leveraged Ministry-led workshops and innovative teaching methods to enhance student learning outcomes.

Principal of Philadelphia Primary, Nicholas Wisdom, said the school focused on literacy strategies like read-aloud sessions, strong teacher dedication, and sustained parental involvement.

He emphasised that a solid academic foundation is key to the school’s success, and encouraged other institutions to adopt similar initiatives.

Clydesdale Primary Principal, Teresa Brown, attributed the school’s success to teacher collaboration, extra lessons, and holiday PEP marathons, among other innovative strategies.

“So we want to say congratulations to [our] two students, to the teachers, to their parents. We are so proud of them. The entire community is elated with the results that we have for these two students,” she added.

On the day, additional support came from the Jamaica Independent Schools Association (JISA), which partnered with the Ministry to provide celebratory tokens to the institutions.

Corporate sponsors, including Sunshine Snacks, National, and the Wisynco Group, also contributed gifts, reflecting a shared national pride in the achievements of these rural institutions.

The National Children’s Registry (NCR) received 13,918 reports in 2024 relating to 25,005 incidents of abuse and other care and protection concerns.

This reflects a decrease of 212 reports compared to the corresponding period in the previous year, as outlined in the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) Economic and Social Survey Jamaica (ESSJ) 2024.

The document explained that the total number of reports by incident type was significantly higher than the total number of reports received, as multiple forms of abuse may have been reported for each victim.

The most frequent reports involved behavioural problems (6,181 incidents: 3,252 females and 2,929 males), neglect (5,497 incidents: 2,944 females and 2,553 males) and need for care and protection (4,467 incidents: 2,614 females and 1,853 males).

“Of the reports received, 13,896 were processed (assessed and referred). The majority, 12,061 was referred to the Investigation Services Unit (ISU) after being processed,” the Survey indicated.

The remaining reports were referred to partner agencies, including the Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA), the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA), the Criminal Investigations Branch (CIB), and the Counter- Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch (C-TOC).

Data from the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) indicate that the largest proportions of abuse reports referred for investigation occurred in the parishes of Kingston, St Catherine and St Ann, which accounted for 20 per cent, 16 per cent and 11 per cent, respectively.

Meanwhile, the ISU completed investigations of 12,769 cases, including those brought forward from previous periods. This reflects a decrease of 295 cases compared to the prior year.

Additionally, 12,000 updates were submitted to the NCR outlining the outcomes of completed investigations.

As at December 31, 2024, the ISU had a caseload of 1,917, reflecting a decrease of 602 matters (23.9 per cent) compared to the previous period.

The National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) is raising concern about the impact of permissive parenting in Jamaican households, warning that this trend may cause behavioral challenges in children.

Permissive parenting is characterised by low demands and control by the parent/guardian.

These parents are lenient, set few rules and avoid conflict, often acting more like a friend than a parental figure.

Chief Executive Officer of the NPSC, Kaysia Kerr, said the parenting style may lead to difficulties with self-discipline and emotional regulation.

“What we are seeing is that permissive parenting is now a major concern of the Commission, meaning that children are out there raising themselves. This is different from uninvolved parenting where the parent is not there. But what we are seeing is that the parents are at home but they are not attending to that responsibility,” she explained.

“They are physically there but they are not doing the job,” she added.

Ms. Kerr, who was addressing a recent parenting sector meeting at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, said that permissive parenting has the potential to cause maladaptive behaviour in children.

She noted that while children in these households develop a strong sense of independence, they often lack the emotional maturity to make responsible decisions.

“The children are loved but the parents overindulge. There are no limitations, there are no structures in the home, the children do what they want, when they want, and that is problematic because society is based on structure. When children grow up in environments where anything goes, they have a problem adapting in society,” she pointed out.

“Then, you have to think about the implications of that, because children should not be making certain decisions; they are not equipped. When you leave a child to make certain decisions, there could be serious implications later on and even within the time period of that child’s development,” she noted.

Ms. Kerr said the NPSC is urging parents/guardians to utilise the resources provided by the Commission to improve their parenting skills.

“Even if you don’t know where our office is, you know where school is, and the schools know where to find us. Just say you want parenting support. We can be reached easily through the helpline: (876) 560-7888, or you can reach me directly at (876) 382-8606,” she said.

The NPSC is an agency of the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information.

Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Jamaica, Her Excellency Dr. Erja Eskola (fourth right), presents a chaque for $8,345,000 to the Creative Language-Based Learning Foundation in support of summer literacy camps during a handover ceremony on June 26. The funds were raised through the EU JA 5K and 10K Run/Walk, which held in March in downtown Kingston, in partnership with the Jamaican Government and Running Events Jamaica. The presentation was made at the EU Delegation office in Kingston. Also participating (from left) are Edward Seaga Primary School student, Kashae Matthews; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information, Dr. Kasan Troupe; Greenwich Primary student, Rajaun Drummonds; Cockburn Gardens Primary student, tyeisha Lindsay; Whitfield Primary student, Devana Thomas; Calabar Primary student, Carlan Malcolm, and Cockburn Gardens Primary student; Jayden Hemmings.

Creative strategies being undertaken at the Louise Bennett-Coverley Primary School that have improved academic outcomes, particularly for boys, are being praised by Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon.

The learning strategies include targeted student support to address the specific needs of pupils; a mentorship programme for boys; and consistent value-added learning, where progress is measured and tracked over time.

“The school is working, and I applaud the creativity and the programmes,” Senator Morris Dixon said at the school-leaving ceremony held recently at the institution in Gordon Town, St. Andrew. “I love the fact that you have the all-boys class and… a mentorship programme for our boys,” she added.

Principal of the school, Sheena Taylor-Morgan, commended the graduates for their resilience and growth.

“You will not all pursue the same path or have the same achievements… but when all is said and done, you should all strive to be great in your own way so that your family, community and society as a whole will be better for it,” she said.

Providing details about the support being provided to the boys, she noted that at the beginning of grade six, the school launched a mentorship programme for the all-boys class, consisting of 11 students, to assist with learning, behaviour, and social skills. They were mentored by an alumni ambassador.

Highlighting the growth over the year, she said that in grade five, all the students in the all-boys class had one or more ‘Beginning’ on their profile. By grade six, only three of the boys were designated as ‘Beginning’, and by [by the end of] grade six, only one remained at that level for mathematics,” she said.

In addition, “three of the boys attained ‘Proficient’ in one subject in grade five, while five of the boys attained ‘Proficient’ in two or more subjects in grade six,” she emphasised.

“This is what you call adding value; moving our students from where they were academically to a point of marked improvement. We are not only about high-school placement but more so the value we add to every student under our care,” Ms. Taylor-Morgan emphasised.

She thanked the school’s staff and parents for their continued support. “From providing assistance with homework, support for lunch money and other critical inputs, you have played your part; you have done well. We salute you and celebrate this momentous occasion with you,” added the principal.

She noted the importance of collective effort, adding that, “Transformation requires cooperation, diligence, and dedication… teamwork can make the dream work”.

Member of Parliament for St. Andrew East Rural, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, who donated 10 fans to the school, congratulated the graduates.

“I am so proud of you, graduating class of 2025,” she said.

During the ceremony, tablet computers were presented to Most Improved Student, Chadrick Bailey, and Top Student, Shakeria Stewart.

A significant step forward in educational infrastructure is under way with the introduction of new school building standards islandwide, focusing on safety, sustainability, and student-focused design.

The initiative was outlined during a sensitisation session on the New Building Standards for Schools, hosted by the National Education Trust (NET) on Friday (June 27), at the Overseas Examinations Commission, in Kingston.

Stakeholders, including architects, contractors, and Education Ministry officials, gathered to explore the comprehensive framework aimed at transforming learning spaces nationwide.

“These new standards represent a major step towards greater uniformity, quality assurance and safety across all school construction projects,” declared Manager of Marketing, Communications and Public Relations at the NET, Oraine Wallace.

“This session isn’t just about compliance or ticking boxes; it’s about ensuring that every structure we design, every brick we lay, and every decision we make contribute to a school environment where students can thrive and teachers can safely deliver quality education,” he continued.

The event, branded as ‘Engage 360’, was designed not only to inform participants but to foster collaboration and alignment among the education sector’s diverse partners.

“These standards need also to be shaped through your own voices, so we need to hear from you today. You are the practitioner,” emphasised Deputy Chief Education Officer, Planning and Development Division, Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Viviene Johnson.

“What we want to unveil today… is not just a technical framework but a national blueprint of excellence in educational infrastructure,” she added.

She noted that the new building codes are grounded in international best practices yet customised for Jamaica’s unique cultural and environmental context. “They’re responsive to green building technologies and climate resilience,” she added, reinforcing the Government’s vision for future-ready schools.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of NET, Latoya Harris-Ghartey, highlighted the broader infrastructure strategy and its alignment with national priorities.

“One of the main recommendations was a framework for infrastructure development… to ensure that we have the standard, policy, [and] strategies for infrastructure development,” she said.

“These are the standards that we have now implemented as a Ministry for the public sector, and we are working with the Bureau of Standards to elevate those to national voluntary standards, so that private entities also can tap into and use it,” the Executive Director continued.

Mrs. Harris-Ghartey emphasised that infrastructure is not merely a construction concern but a vital element of educational transformation.

“Our schools are used as shelters in times of disaster, so we have to really build them with that in mind. These facilities need to be resilient; they need to be able to stand up to rigour; they need to be cool, because they have multiple functions,” she said.

“We have to adjust our learning environment, so that it can be more student-centred… designing with the environment in mind,” she added.

In the meantime, Ms. Johnson reinforced the profound role schools play beyond academics.

“A school is not simply a structure of walls and windows… . A school is a place where dreams are born, where values are nurtured, and where a nation’s future takes root. Let us ensure that every school is a beacon of safety, of pride, of possibility,” she said.

As these standards move toward implementation, all stakeholders are being urged to contribute their expertise and insights.

“Let us build not just with blocks and skills but with vision and purpose… . Let us prepare to build the schools that our children deserve,” Ms. Johnson urged.

The National Summer Academy (NSA) 2025, hosted by the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, will get under way on July 7 and run until July 24.

Under the theme ‘Every Learner, Every Level: Targeted Strategies for System-Wide Success’, the initiative aims to address learning gaps in literacy and numeracy among primary and secondary students, fostering educational transformation for national development.

All grades at the primary level and grades seven to nine at the secondary level will be part of this year’s NSA.

The Ministry, in a bulletin, said that the NSA forms part of the ongoing learning recovery strategy and will target students from grades one through nine, with a particular focus on those requiring additional academic support.

The programme promotes active engagement through problem-solving and critical thinking using three modalities – virtual, in-person, and blended formats. Principals and teachers are encouraged to inform parents and students about this important initiative.

While existing school-led summer programmes are acknowledged, priority should be given to enabling the execution of the Ministry-led initiative for those students who need the support, to ensure equitable access to quality learning opportunities.

Schools are also urged to utilise recommended resources to bolster their own summer initiatives.

Regional sensitisation sessions for facilitators and stakeholders will be held during the week of June 30.

Literacy and numeracy coordinators will provide ongoing support throughout the programme to ensure its success.

The Ministry is inviting all educational institutions to participate actively in NSA 2025, working together to create a robust support network that enhances student achievement and success.

For more information, visit the NSA Information Centre at https://sites.google.com/moeschools.edu.jm/information-centre/home or contact the Regional Literacy/Mathematics Coordinators.

Beginning this September, students in grades one to three across Jamaica will benefit from enhanced reading classes and newly printed storybooks as part of a comprehensive literacy initiative.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, made the announcement during the graduation ceremony at the Louise Bennett-Coverley Primary School, on Thursday (June 26).

The Minister underscored the Ministry’s commitment to nurturing a love for reading from an early age.

“At the Ministry, we are now printing… storybooks for the children. Every child from grade one to grade three is going to have a stack of storybooks that they can read,” Senator Morris Dixon said, highlighting the importance of early literacy.

In addition to new reading materials, the Minister pointed out that “we have put internet in over 700 schools”.

This expansion of digital access is a key part of the Ministry’s broader strategy to ensure that “our children [are] using the laptops, using the devices, and having access to technology, because the world is changing,” she added.

The Minister also addressed efforts to improve educational equity, particularly in rural communities. “That’s why we’re doing this rural school bus system,” she explained, noting that many students miss school due to unaffordable transportation costs.

“No child should be out of school because their parents can’t afford it,” the Minister emphasised.

Beyond infrastructure and resources, Senator Morris Dixon challenged both students and parents to embrace a future shaped by technology and innovation.

“I tell you, a lot of the jobs that you see today, you’re not going to see in 10 years,” she noted.

“Help your children to focus on where the world is going,” the Minister urged parents.

She encouraged the students to aim higher and differentiate themselves. “Do not just tell me you want to be a nurse. Tell me how you’re going to be different than every other nurse that’s out there… specialise in cutting-edge technology,” she encouraged.

The Minister emphasised that innovation is transforming every sector, from agriculture to business, and urged students to consider how they can apply advanced technologies like aerial robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) to drive change in Jamaica.

Highlighting the importance of ambition, Senator Morris Dixon urged students to “use your education as a ladder and never stop climbing. Dream big and make sure that you, like ‘Miss Lou’, are making history in this world”.

These initiatives, combined with the Minister’s call for innovation and ambition, underscore the Ministry’s commitment to equipping Jamaica’s youth with the tools and mindset needed to succeed in an ever-evolving world.

By improving access to quality education and fostering a culture of creativity and resilience, the Ministry aims to empower students to become leaders who will shape Jamaica’s future.

Primary schools in St. Elizabeth are celebrating a wave of success following the release of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination results for the 2024/25 academic year.

The grade-six students have earned placements at prestigious secondary institutions throughout the breadbasket parish and beyond, driven by exceptional performance and a determination to overcome adversity.

Principal of Schoolfield Primary and Infant School, Okeshue Bigby, told JIS News that of the 10 grade-six students who sat the PEP exams, seven earned placements in Pathway One – the highest performance category.

The remaining three students, however, were placed in Pathway Two, according to Mr. Bigby.

He noted that students earned placements at prominent institutions, including Sydney Pagon STEM Academy, Munro College, Manchester High School, Black River High, Roger Clarke High, Maggotty High, and St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS).

“The students have performed very well this year, given that most of these students would have started school at grade one when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. So, a portion of their learning would have been online throughout the duration of the pandemic,” Mr. Bigby explained.

He added that, despite early disruptions, the students adapted well – benefiting from a strong support system led by the institution’s dedicated team of teachers, who helped them to “perform at a very high standard”.

The Principal indicated that the school’s improved performance over the previous year was the result of several targeted interventions.

“We recognised pretty early that reading and comprehension are a major part of the programme. So, we would focus on reading comprehension pretty early, looking at the data from internal and external assessments to treat with those deficiencies,” Mr. Bigby outlined.

The Principal expressed confidence in the students’ continued success as they transition to the secondary level.

Meanwhile, Santa Cruz Primary and Infant School has also recorded remarkable success, with students earning placements at secondary institutions across St. Elizabeth and Manchester.

These include Hampton School, Manchester High, Bishop Gibson High, STETHS, Black River High, Belair High, Maggotty High, Newell High, Lacovia High, Roger Clarke High, Sydney Pagon STEM Academy, BB Coke High, and Christiana High.

“I want to celebrate with our parents and the teachers who would have worked assiduously in helping the students to accomplish their goals at the primary level,” said Principal, Karen Smith-Whyte.

She pointed out that the school community is now eagerly anticipating the students’ continued success as they transition to their respective high schools for the 2025/26 academic year.