JIS: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, is reporting that 500 volunteers were trained last year to assist in search and rescue operations when a child is reported missing.

 

The volunteers, from communities across the island, also received instruction in first aid techniques.

 

“Not only do we want to know that when a child has gone missing that the reports go out to all our media houses, we want to know that we have volunteers across the length and breadth of Jamaica, who will go out and start the process of searching to bring back our children,” Mr. Green said.

 

The Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR) published the first Search and Rescue Protocol in 2014, and conducted 10 training sessions through the Caribbean Search Centre of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) for over 150 volunteers in St. James, Trelawny, St. Ann, St. Thomas, Westmoreland and St. Catherine.

 

Mr. Green, who was addressing the Ananda Alert National Missing Children’s Forum at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, on Thursday (May 25), said the Government is committed to protecting the nation’s youth, and urged all well-thinking Jamaicans to do their part.

 

He noted that significant reforms have been undertaken in terms of how the State responds to missing children.

 

This includes updating the reporting timeline to allow for a missing-person report to be made before 24 hours have passed.

 

“Once you reasonably suspect that a child has gone missing, you can make that report to the police, to the OCR and we will start working on it immediately,” the State Minister pointed out.

 

In addition, a partnership has been forged with Facebook to broadcast Ananda Alerts to users of the social media site in Jamaica.

 

This is expected to broaden the search for missing children. These alerts will include photographs and other pertinent information about the child.

 

In the meantime, the Minister urged parents to do more to ensure that their children feel safe and protected.

 

“A lot of children leave home because of what they term as maltreatment and neglect,” he pointed out.

 

He said the Ananda Alert Secretariat has undertaken an internal study to determine the profile of children who go missing and the main reasons they give. He said it is the intention of the Secretariat to undertake a broader survey.

 

Between 2009 and 2016, a total of 15,524 children were reported missing. This represents an average of 1,941 children going missing each year, with 78 per cent being girls and 22 per cent, boys.

 

Last year, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) reported some 1,725 children missing, a decline of 11 per cent over the previous year.

 

The State Minister pointed out that 90 per cent of missing children return home. “I do not take comfort in the fact that we have a 90 per cent return rate because it does mean that there are 10 per cent that remain unaccounted for,” he said.

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (left), in conversation with Deputy Executive Director of National Integrity Action (NIA), Patrece Charles (centre); and Registrar, Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR), Greig Smith. Occasion was the Ananda Alert Missing Children’s Forum at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, on Thursday (May 25).

THE GLEANER:  Since 2000, a number of changes have been implemented to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the education system as the country prepares its citizens to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Significant to this process was the Bruce Golding-led administration’s piloting in 2011 of a forward-thinking bill in Parliament titled The Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms (Constitutional Amendment) Act 2011.

 

Particular attention should be paid to Section 13 (3k) (ii) of the bill, which establishes and recognises “the right of every child who is a citizen of Jamaica to benefit from publicly funded tuition in a public educational institution at the pre-primary and primary levels”.

 

It is a well-known fact that a country that caters to the needs of its children by ensuring that they get the best possible start in life and have access to quality basic education will be a country to reckon with. Education is a human right and a key factor to reducing poverty. Therefore, it is the duty of the Government to expand and improve access to quality education for ALL children.

 

Incumbent Education Minister Ruel Reid, at a press conference held at his ministry office on May 1, 2017, indicated his commitment to this stance when he stated that “after undertaking consultation and revision of the MoEYI policy for 2017-2018, the philosophy is that public education should be properly funded by Government, while encouraging stakeholders to make voluntary contribution”. This viewpoint is in support of the same position taken by one of his predecessors and now prime minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness.

 

I am very proud of the fact that not only have we enacted critical legislation to protect the rights of children, but that the Government is also taking the steps necessary for actualisation by funding and putting resources into the system to ensure that this fundamental right is provided for as outlined in Section 13 (3k) (ii).

 

 New Arrangement

 

 For years, primary schools have been underfunded. Previously, a total of $920 per capita was allocated for the school year. However, under the new arrangement, this amount will be increased to $2,500 per capita for the year, and all-age schools will see an increase from $11,000 per capita to the same as secondary schools, which is $19,000 per capita for the year. This is a laudable move by the minister.

 

Commendable as well is that approximately $1.761 billion has been allocated for the PATH feeding grant. This new allocation of funds will result in PATH students receiving meals for five days instead of the three or four days that was the norm previously.

 

Last week, I was privileged to be part of a meeting with some educators. After the meeting, one of the attendees felt compelled to ask, “Weh unno get so much money from to do so much?” Better yet, after the meeting, I received numerous calls from primary-school principals stating that the new arrangement would allow them to do much more for their institutions and would help them to avoid indebtedness for the start of the upcoming school year.

 

It is obvious that the priority of this Government is “education for all”, and wherever the resources will come from, they will be obtained. Expanding the ministry’s focus from early childhood and secondary to now include strengthening and offering more support at the primary level is another step in the right direction. It shows commitment to equipping the country’s human resources with the skills necessary to create a knowledge-based society that is fully productive and more conducive for our families to live work and raise families.

 

Frankly, it costs us too much – socially, economically, and financially – when we fail to invest in education. Kudos to the Government for displaying the vision and the willpower to “spend a little early to save a lot later”.

 

CAPTION:  Robert D. Miller is senior adviser to Minister of Education, Youth and Information

JIS: More than 1,000 children were treated to special tokens and snacks this morning (May 19) by members of the National Child Month Committee (NCMC) and volunteers, in observance of National Children’s Day.

 

Some 250 volunteers from the Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR), the Child Development Agency (CDA), the Early Childhood Commission (ECC) and the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) gathered in four major town centres – downtown Kingston; Papine, St. Andrew; Greater Portmore, St. Catherine; and Yallahs, St. Thomas, where they greeted children and spread the message of love and protection for the nation’s youth.

 

This was in keeping with the Child Month theme, ‘Take Action! Break the Chain of Abuse Against Children’.

 

State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, who joined the team at St. William Grant Park in Kingston, commended the NCMC and its partners for their commitment to the annual Children’s Day activity and pledged the Government’s support for its continued success.

 

He is encouraging members of the public to join the efforts of the NCMC and do their part to protect the nation’s children.

 

“Outside of the day, we need to do more. We all need to recognise that we have a job to do in protecting all our children. As adults, we have a responsibility to look out for every child and… if they are in danger, that we protect them,” Mr. Green said in an interview with JIS News.

 

“We want our children to grow up in an environment where they can become caring, confident and responsible adults, but they can’t do that if they are being taken advantage of, neglected or abused. Look around in your communities to see if children are getting the care they need, and if they are not, you need to do something about it,” he urged.

 

Chair of the NCMC, Dr. Pauline Mullings, said the theme seeks to encourage active participation by the public in protecting the nation’s youth.

 

“We realise that our children are faced today with numerous abuses, such as neglect; sexual, physical and emotional abuse; and issues such as human trafficking and missing children. We realise many persons are aware of these issues, but aren’t doing anything about it… and we want people to report abuses and get involved,” she said.

 

Dr. Mullings noted that the annual Children’s Day activity encourages members of the public to wear yellow to show support for children. She said the initiative, now in its fifth year, has gained traction.

 

“This year, we have noticed that there are more adults in yellow… . It is getting better in terms of support and public awareness. What we hope to achieve is for adults to show more care and love, not just for their children but also for every child, because every child is important,” she noted.

 

Grade-five student of the Kingsway Pre-Kindergarten and Preparatory School, Jordan Beek, expressed appreciation for the special attention by the NCMC.

 

“I want to see more organisations sending out their workers to go and find those children that are in need and help them… . I feel happy because they are doing something good for the children,” he said.

 

Children’s Day is celebrated on the third Friday of May each year. It is supported by 35 government and private-sector entities.

 

CAPTION: Chair of the National Child Month Committee (NCMC), Dr. Pauline Mullings (left), hugs lower-sixth-form student of the Wolmer’s Girls’ School, Shakeema Evans, during the National Child Month Committee’s (NCMC) annual Children’s Day activity held on May 19 at St. William Grant Park, downtown Kingston.

JIS: The HEART Trust/NTA is looking to engage 25,200 young people this year under its Youth Summer Employment Programme.

 

This is a significant increase over the approximately 6,000 persons who were employed in 2016.

 

In an interview with JIS News, Senior Director for Community Services, Youth Services Division, HEART Trust/NTA, Rayharna Wright, explained that with the merger of the National Youth Service (NYS) with the agency on April 1, 2017, the budget for the programme was increased to accommodate a larger number of young people.

 

The Youth Summer Employment Programme is an intervention targeting youth attending secondary and tertiary institutions who need some meaningful work experience.  Graduates, who are unemployed, can also apply.

 

The programme is open to young people aged 17 to 29 and persons from the community of persons with disabilities between the ages of 17 and 34.

 

Interested persons are being asked to submit a completed application form, along with a passport-size photograph; résumé; Tax Registration Number (TRN); valid national identification; valid school identification; birth certificate; and proof of qualification, if there is any.

 

“No longer are persons required to have a minimum of three Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects to participate in the programme. It is now open to all young persons who are eligible to apply to the programme,” Ms. Wright informed.

 

She noted that more than 80 per cent of applicants are placed within the public sector.  However, there has been an increase in private-sector participation.

 

“We have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, and a lot of their members have come on board, along with other entities that are outside of the PSOJ,” she told JIS News.

 

She noted that the employer status of the programme has been extended to include engaging the young people in community summer schools or camps.

 

Ms. Wright said it is important for more private-sector entities to participate, as “it is not just employing these persons for three weeks but it is a national contribution to these young people, who some of these organisations will be employing in the future”.

 

Meanwhile, the deadline for application for the programme has been extended to Friday, May 26.

 

The initiative will be undertaken in three phases over three weeks, starting June 5;   July 3; and August 8.

 

For further information and application forms persons can call or visit the HEART Trust/NTA head and regional offices of visit their website at www.nysjamaica.org.

 

CAPTION: Senior Director for Community Services, Youth Services Division, HEART Trust/NTA, Rayharna Wright.

 

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has emphasised that the Government is not about censorship.

 

He pointed out that the Government is not considering censorship of communication done through various media entities and platforms, but noted that regulations have not been updated with the new era of communication.

 

“It is an issue that we can’t ignore; we will have to deal with it as civilised individuals. We are about ensuring that we protect the rights and freedoms of each citizen,” Senator Reid told a breakfast meeting held at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, today (May 19).

 

While outlining moves by the United Kingdom (UK) Government and Trinidad and Tobago to put forward a legal framework for cybercrimes and communication via the Internet, the Minister said that discussions are needed and a position taken, so that “we can articulate going forward”.

 

The issue, he said, requires a look on how the society has evolved, and “what we can do to make our society a better place”.

 

He said that a challenge exists where the landscape that the regulations were meant to govern has changed due to convergence.

 

“Traditional media has now converged with social media. Technology is driving media and has brought about a situation where the regulations required to properly marshal this new paradigm simply have not yet been created,” the Minister said.

 

The forum consisted of school principals and vice principals. It was organised by the UWI Faculty of Humanities and Education, under the theme ‘Education as a Collaborative Enterprise’.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (right), greets Lecturer at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, Faculty of Humanities and Education, Dr. Mairette Newman (left), at a breakfast meeting held today (May 19), at the university. Others (from left) are Lecturer in the Faculty, Dr. Yewande Lewis-Fokum, and Associate Dean, Dr. Marcia Rainford

JIS: This year, I wish to emphasize the importance of ensuring that the commitments made by the Government, Local and International organizations, community members and individuals to Jamaica’s children are extended to a group of children who are often forgotten or overlooked: those deprived of their liberty – children who are victims of child abuse.

 

These children are all OUR CHILDREN. They are our collective responsibility.

 

We continue to reiterate this and every year that Children are our greatest asset; as a nation, the responsibility is ours to ensure the creation of an environment in which children can grow up to become confident, caring adults, conscious of their social responsibilities. The reality however is that we have all failed to re-establish such an environment.

 

Hundreds of children in Jamaica are victims of crime and violence every year; on average, 15 in every 1000 children are the subject of a child abuse and maltreatment report.

 

“Take Action: Break the chain of Abuse against children” is a theme that resounds with a cry for help for a challenging but an inspirational message on this Children’s Day.

 

As a community, we have a social obligation to our children in assuring their well-being and holistic development are of utmost importance.

 

As such, I urge all Churches, NGO partners, community groups and neighborhood watches to join me in taking the initiative to host community walks across the island that ignite the development of plans and strategies for your respective populations that include child safe spaces that will foster an environment for taking real action in protecting our children.

 

The message on your walks can be simple.

 

If you suspect that a child is being abused, neglected or abandoned, you can help by calling 1-888-PROTECT (776-8328) to the Office of the Children’s Registry or the Child Development Agency at 948-2841-2. You may also visit or call the nearest Police Station.

 

To our Police Officers, namely the CISOCA officers I want to thank you for your vigilance in ensuring matters of violence and crime against children are handled with priority.

 

You are our children’s first point of contact, often times after heinous crimes have been committed and as such, I want to thank you in advance for the care you take in your interactions with them because the pain they feel never really goes away.

 

Finally, let me express my gratitude to the caregivers across institutions, private partners, foster parents and parents who have adopted. You have a significant responsibility and high duty of care for the children of this nation and it is by no easy feat. We will continue to support you while increasing accountability for the welfare of our children.

 

As a Global pathfinder nation, on a mission to protect our children from violence, we must all take pride in enabling our children to thrive in an environment of love and care.

 

Let us once again, communities near and far echo our commitment towards taking proper care of our children.

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green

JIS: Student achievement in mathematics at the John Rollins Success Primary School in St. James was not always something that could be spoken about with pride.

 

But this was before the introduction of the Calculation Time programme in 2011.

 

The initiative, which is a collaborative effort between the Governments of Japan and Jamaica, is designed to improve students’ knowledge and appreciation of the subject.

 

It incorporates the use of songs, toys, workbooks and domino cards to make maths fun. For 15 minutes per day over 90 days, students from grades one to six are immersed in the innovative method of teaching the subject.

 

With the introduction of the programme, the students’ ability to solve mathematics problems with greater speed and accuracy has significantly improved at all levels, particularly in the Grade Four Numeracy Test and the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).

 

For Principal of John Rollins Success, Yvonne Miller-Wisdom, the programme has brought a turnaround in maths results at the school.

 

Delivering a report during a recent mathematics awards ceremony, she says that mastery level in the Grade Four Numeracy Test went up to 60 per cent in 2016, from 30 per cent in 2010.

 

“We intend to continue to execute the Calculation Time programme with the intention of achieving 100 per cent mastery,” she notes.

 

She says the school has also seen an increase in the number of students scoring more than 90 per cent in the subject area in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).

 

“The GSAT students performed above the national average in mathematics in 2016. While the national average was 57 per cent, the school’s average was 65 per cent,” she boasts.

 

But the achievements did not stop there. In 2016, John Rollins Success Primary was declared the champion school in the region four Mathematics Olympics, copping 12 trophies.

 

“The students have succeeded in other mathematics competitions, as well, which includes the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mathematics Olympiad in 2013, which saw two students in grades five and six receiving honorary mention. This means that the two students performed among the top three per cent in the island,” Mrs. Miller-Wisdom points out.

 

She notes, further, that in 2014, the school was ranked among the top-10 performing primary institutions in St. James that gained scores above the national average.

 

“John Rollins Success Primary School is one of the schools that pioneered the implementation of the Calculation Time programme. Today, I stand a proud principal because of the successful impact the programme has made on the performance of the students in mathematics,” she says.

 

She notes that the students enjoy the sessions and are actively engaged, adding that the programme allows for self-regulation, friendly rivalry and fun as well as improvement in fact fluency.

 

“The white card with the black dots, workbooks, the Calculation Time theme song and the activities allow the students to develop speed and accuracy in calculating,” she points out.

 

She says teachers incorporate a tracking system and provide immediate and constant feedback to the students.

 

Mrs. Miller-Wisdom says the programme would not be a success without the input of Education Officer, Seymour Hamilton, and his team, “who have kept abreast of the programme by visiting schools, giving feedback to staff, encouraging students and making sure that we send them pretest and post-test results”.

 

She is encouraging other schools on the project to make good use of the resources provided. “We make sure that they are properly stored and students and teachers are able to access them,” she points out.

 

Providing an overview of the initiative, Mr. Hamilton informs that Calculation Time was introduced as a response to the need for students to develop mental prowess in working with numbers.

 

He says it is designed to help students develop a better appreciation for mathematics; and calculate more accurately and efficiently mentally.

 

He notes that the programme started in seven schools, and at the time it was only taught at the grade-three level.

 

“After the first year, we did some review, and based on the feedback from the teachers, we decided that we were going to venture into 20 schools…the programme was introduced to students from grades one through six,” he explains, noting that it has since been extended to 91 schools.

 

The awards ceremony recognised 15 schools that received the highest ranking following tests under the Calculation Time programme.

 

The Japanese-owned Marubeni Caribbean Power, which is the parent company of JPS, presented $100,000 to each institution for the purchase of learning resources and equipment to improve the teaching and learning of maths.

 

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, lauded the partnership between Jamaica and Japan in improving student achievement in mathematics.

 

He noted that JPS will require a reservoir of quality trained persons, so it is in the company’s best interest to invest in a programme of mathematics.

 

President and Chief Executive Officer, Marubeni Caribbean Power Inc., Tatsuya Ozono, said the company is pleased to support education in Jamaica.

 

He commended the Japanese Embassy and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), “which have continued this Calculation Time programme”.

 

He encouraged children to value the subject of mathematics, adding that it is the language that drives science.

 

“It is quite a useful tool to find a logical solution when you face problems. I wish that you will work hard and enjoy the art of science,” he said.

 

The Calculation Time programme is now available in the form of an app at https://goo.gl/aSuP71 and is accessible to all students at the primary level.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, speaks with Principal of the John Rollins Success Primary School, Yvonne Miller-Wisdom (right) and Vice Chairman of the School Board, Marlene Stephenson Dalley, during a tour of the institution in St. James recently.

JIS: Most students were able to sit their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations yesterday, stated Minister of Education, Youth and Information Ruel Reid.

 

“We had a few students from the Buff Bay Valley in Portland and a few across the country who weren’t able to. The procedure for students who have missed their exams is that they would have to report to the school directly, and we will send a report to the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and they will make a determination as to what remedy they are likely to offer,” Reid explained at a press briefing held at Jamaica House to update the nation on the impact of the heavy rains that have been affecting the island since Saturday.

 

He added, “There are usually two remedies. Either we do a supplementary paper, depending on how many students across the island have been affected, and the other alternative would be to use internal grades and forecast grades as the final determination of their scores.”

 

Students who were due to sit industrial technology, textiles and clothing, agriculture, mechanical engineering,

 

French, computer science, geography, entrepreneurship, and electrical and electronic technology were advised to go the nearest examination centre if possible.

 

Parishes most affected by the persistent heavy rainfall are St Elizabeth, St Thomas, Kingston and St Andrew, St Catherine, Clarendon, Manchester, Westmorland, St Mary, Portland, and St Ann.

 

The inclement weather led to schools across the island being closed yesterday. However, Reid said where possible, schools should reopen today, while noting that the local authorities and the regional directors would manage the reopening on the ground.

 

“We will assess the accessibility to our schools. Some of them would have had some leaks, and so some cleaning up will have to take place. We are going to monitor the situation and give the public regular updates on the matter,” said the minister.

JIS: More than 63,755 students have enrolled in the Career Advancement Programme (CAP) since its implementation seven years ago.An initiative under the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, CAP provides an opportunity for students aged 16 to 18, to gain valuable training and skills for the job market or to further their education.

 

In addition to the job-ready training, CAP also provides exposure to life-coping skills, personal development, civics, personal and national values, and the tenets of good citizenship.

 

CAP is offered at selected secondary schools, private skills-development centres and private/public tertiary institutions across the island.

 

Chief Education Officer at the Ministry, Dr Grace McLean, said that for the 2016/2017 academic year, CAP has been restructured and expanded to better meet the needs of students.

 

The revised and expanded programme, which is being financed through funds totalling $804,888,000, serves as a two-year extension of secondary schooling, allowing students to remain in school at grades 12 and 13. This will provide greater opportunity for certified CAP graduates to matriculate into tertiary institutions.

 

The revised programme also allows for Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) resits in Mathematics or English, which is fully paid for by the Ministry.

 

There is also an allocation of $40,000 each to benefit 40 students, who are enrolled in approved sixth-form programmes and are pursuing the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), or a National Council on Technical, Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET) skill.

CAP is offered along three pathways – technical, traditional and general. The traditional and technical pathways are offered across the programme’s 110 centres, while the general pathway is facilitated through the Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL).

 

McLean explained that the purpose of the general pathway is to ensure that learners are competent in literacy and numeracy and are enabled to successfully pursue career training in technical and vocational skills, delivered by the HEART Trust/NTA.

 

The traditional pathway provides students, who are enrolled in approved sixth forms and are pursuing CAPE, the option to also do NCTVET programmes. This is designed to provide the student with a skill component, along with the critical core subjects. This option allows students to achieve dual certification.

 

As it relates to the technical pathway, Dr McLean noted that it offers various options for students. One aspect is designed for students who are pursuing technical-oriented vocations, and they must have attained a pass or higher in at least one CSEC subject or its equivalent. Students who received a four in Mathematics and/or English will be able to resit the subject(s). Participants will also be required to pursue a TVET course at level one or two in addition to the prescribed mandatory core subjects.

 

Another component of the technical pathway is for students who are pursuing technical-oriented vocations and have attained the minimum score of 25 in the HEART/ NTA Diagnostic Test in both Mathematics and English. They will be required to pursue both Mathematics and English in the City and Guilds examinations, and a TVET course at either level one or two, in addition to the prescribed mandatory core areas.

 

McLean added that, going forward, there will be continuous capacity-building activities for stakeholders to enhance their level of competence in the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) methodology, the technical component of skills, and other areas of weaknesses.

 

She also stated that there will also be full integration of the extended grade 12 and 13 into all public schools for the 2017/2018 academic year, an increase in stakeholders’ partnership, and the implementation of a tracking system for all successful CAP graduates for matriculation into higher education or the world of work.

 

Skill and certification offerings under CAP include commercial food preparation, entrepreneurship, carpentry, welding; call centre operations, cosmetology, business administration, tour guide, hospitality services, motor vehicle repairs, digital animation, customer service, healthcare assistance, electrical engineering, information technology, and many more.

 

CAPTION: Chief Education Officer at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr Grace McLean. (Photo: JIS)