JIS: Students on the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) in rural parishes are to benefit from a school transportation programme starting in September.

 

It will begin as a pilot project to be rolled out in St Elizabeth, St. Thomas, St. Mary, Hanover and St James.

 

This was announced by Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator, the Hon. Ruel Reid, who said the Government is embarking on the initiative to address the problem of absenteeism among this cohort, which represents 50 per cent of all children in school.

 

“We still have an average of 20 per cent absenteeism of our children each day, because parents cannot afford to send their children to school,” he said, while addressing a President’s Forum hosted by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, on March 28.

 

The Minister pointed out that in several parishes, more than 40 per cent of households are on PATH, and many schools in rural areas have more than 90 per cent of students on the programme.

 

Mr. Reid said he has been having discussions with Transportation Minister, Hon. Mike Henry, on organising this school transport system “to get those vulnerable children to school”.

 

“It makes no sense that we are offering free access to education, but they can’t receive it because they can’t even reach (school).

 

“We have to get them to school and take them back safely,” he said.

 

The Minister said the Government is keen on removing all barriers to education, especially for those on PATH who are already benefiting from the school-feeding programme.

 

The Government has gone another step further to assist this group, having now added literature books to the rental system.

 

In addition, the Government will also cover the cost of IDs and insurance for PATH students, come September.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator, the Hon. Ruel Reid, addresses a President’s Forum hosted by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), at The Jamaica Pegasus in New Kingston, on March 28.

 GLEANER : Rather than complex areas of learning far beyond their years, children at the early-childhood level should be focused on developing cognitive and physical capabilities, according to Senator Ruel Reid, minister of education, youth and information.

 

The minister expressed that the curriculum would require further reform to accommodate such a focus and enable Jamaican students to compete internationally with Asia in mathematics.

 

“I’m very conscious that you have to begin from simple to complex where young children are concerned. Foundation and simplicity is what we have to work towards, though I know a lot of parents in this current time want the child to learn everything by age six, but that’s not necessary,” Reid told The Gleaner at the Marubeni Mathematics Awards Ceremony held on Thursday at the Jamaica Public Service Company head office in St Andrew.

 

He added: “Education at this stage, in particular, is about how you validate and motivate students, not necessarily right or wrong. It’s about critical thinking, problem solving and processes, not just the result, as the aim should be to assess you as an individual.

 

“A lot of innovation that has taken place in the world is trial and error. It’s not that you got the result that you wanted initially. Trying to force the students too early is to just focus on the product and not the process. When they go to the higher level, then you can focus on both the product and the process.”

 

CAPTION: Shenia Scott, (left) student of Port Henderson Primary is all smiles as she greets, Senator Ruel Reid, Minister of Education, Youth and Information. Sharing in the moment are: Kelly Tomblin, President and CEO, JPS, (second left) and Tatsuya Ozono, President and CEO, Marubeni Caribbean Power Inc. Reid, on Thursday, participated in an Awards Ceremony hosted by Marubeni, JPS shareholder, to recognise the top 15 primary schools from the Japanese-developed Maths programme – Calculation Time.

JIS: Woodford Primary and Infant School principal, Jennifer Gordon, could hardly contain her joy.

 

After months of planning and preparation, the school was able to successfully stage its first literacy fair on February 23.

 

“It was a success; literacy was shining through everybody’s pores. Although it rained, the competitions happened, the students were engaged in all the activities the entire day,” she gushed to JIS News.

 

Miss Gordon, who has been at the 60-odd-year-old institution since September 2015, says the fair was to showcase the work of the students to the rural St. Andrew community.

 

Calling on her experience as a former member of the national literacy team, charged with providing direct support to teachers in order to raise literacy standards, Miss Gordon and her staff set about organising the event.

 

She notes that she had planned similar activities for schools she worked with as a literacy specialist.

 

“These literacy fairs were very successful. They really brought the community together, created the opportunity to showcase what the schools are doing and engaged parents by giving them the chance to be part of the change process. It worked then, so I thought this is something I should replicate in my school,” she reasons.

 

Miss Gordon says she is hoping that the fair will become an annual event as she undertakes the task of transforming Woodford Primary and Infant School, making it the institution of choice for residents of the area and surrounding communities.

 

The school, nestled in the cool hills of the Blue Mountains, has a population of 172 students, with 13 teachers and six support staff.

 

According to Miss Gordon, up to four years ago, the school operated a multigrade system, which meant that two grades were taught by the same teacher. The grades are now separated, with individual teachers.

 

She notes that parents did not trust the multigrade system, so they would find other schools to send their children.

 

Miss Gordon says that Woodford is the only public primary institution in the farming community, and she wants parents to know that it is a place they can trust.

 

“They can send their children here and we will take care of them. The children will get the same level of education that they are thinking they can get anywhere else,” she says.

 

“We want to change the whole perception; we have been trying to rebrand our school and to see how we can get a lot of our students to come from the community. What we are trying to do is raise awareness of the different initiatives that we want to bring to the school. We want to change the whole ethos, while building the confidence of the students,” she adds.

 

 

Students of Woodford Primary and Infant School show off the trophies that they won during the school’s inaugural Literacy Fair, which was held recently at the institution in rural St. Andrew.

Miss Gordon tells JIS News that the school’s literacy standard has been increasing gradually over the years. However, in the year that she assumed the role as principal, the literacy rate jumped from 60 per cent to 78 per cent.

 

“At the last sitting of the Grade Four Literacy Test in 2016, it moved up to 80 per cent, so we have been doing well,” she notes.

 

The literacy programme also gets support from a Peace Corps volunteer, Jon Daniel Stephenson, who is a literacy specialist assigned to the school since 2015. In 2016, 11 students sat the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) and there was a marked improvement in performance. One student was placed at Jamaica College with a 94 per cent average, while a few were placed at Merl Grove High School.

 

Fifteen students sat this year’s GSAT and the school is now preparing 24 students for 2018.

 

Miss Gordon comes to Woodford Primary and Infant School with a wealth of experience in the education sector.

 

She has taught at all levels of the education system and was assigned as a literacy specialist for four years. She is a graduate of Mico Teachers’ College (now The Mico University College) and the Western Carolina University in the United States where she attained a Bachelor of Science Degree, specialising in Special Education; and a Master’s Degree in Administration and Leadership.

 

“The last thing on my mind was to become a teacher. In 1992 after leaving high school at the age of 17, I remember going over to the Stony Hill Preparatory School and telling the principal there that I just finished high school and my parents cannot afford to send me anywhere else unless I can send myself. So the principal said to me ‘I have a teacher that I want you to sit with and assist her’, and that is how my career started,” she explains.

 

Twenty-five years later, she is still in the education system serving at the helm of Woodford Primary. The soft-spoken first-time principal describes herself as easygoing, focused and a perfectionist.

 

“Sometimes, persons will say to me, let it go, it will be ok, but I just want to see things done right,” she points out.

 

Miss Gordon says that as someone who had learning challenges she is able to relate to some of the difficulties children face and provide guidance and advice to her teachers in order to enhance the teaching and learning process.

 

“As a child growing up, I believe I was smart, but I did not do well at school. I could not sit still in my chair, I was all over the place, I did not find school interesting at the time,” she recalls.

 

She says it was only later in life that she started hearing about attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and realised from her studies in special education that she shared some of the same traits.

 

“So, my own experiences as a child have helped me a lot in dealing with children who may have special issues. I think I bring to the table that kind of perspective to understand children, who may be in a classroom and are at a disadvantage because a teacher is not able to understand fully what is happening with that child,” she points out.

 

Miss Gordon explains that as an administrator, “teachers would come to me and say that this is happening and I may say to them, ‘you need to observe this one, or instead of putting this child here, you may put him/her there and watch them carefully. The child might not be seeing or hearing so well, or you may have to move a child from a particular seat”.

 

“A child who may be fidgeting a lot, just put them beside you and just touch them now and then, because, sometimes, when they are moving, if you just hold on to them and just give them a soft touch, they will calm right down,” she notes further.

 

Miss Gordon tells JIS News that she relishes her role as a principal, which she likens to a mother having to deal with different family members.

 

“There are the teachers, parents, students, and everybody is looking for firm leadership. They want to know ‘does she have a vision, can I trust her?” she says.

 

Meanwhile, she is appealing to corporate Jamaica to assist the school in setting up a resource facility and a computer centre.

 

“The school needs a resource centre that is technology-driven with a wide variety of equipment that students can use to enhance learning. With a resource centre, we can then take children out of the classroom, and engage them in pull-out sessions in a more enriching environment,” she points out.

 

“We have students who are bright and just want that opportunity to excel. So, I am imploring organisations and individuals to do a little bit more; to come out of their comfort zone in the cities and urban areas; come up to the hills, because schools like ours are waiting and ready.

 

Like our school motto ‘A Beacon on the Hill’, we are shining down on you, so look up and you will see us,” she says.

 

CAPTION: Principal of Woodford Primary and Infant School, Jennifer Gordon (2nd left, front row) with members of staff.

JIS: Knox Community College in Manchester, with its four campuses, is impacting the lives of young people, especially from central Jamaica.

 

Principal, Rev. Dr. Gordon Cowans, tells JIS News that the community college is a premier tertiary institution, serving Jamaicans for more than 40 years.

 

“I think community colleges are among the misunderstood institutions in the country. So, here we have an institution that offers a range of accredited programmes all the way up to bachelor’s degrees. We also offer certificates and associate programmes, and these are accredited programmes through the University Council of Jamaica,” he notes.

 

He says programmes are offered through different modalities, such as day and evening classes, along with online options.

 

The institution recently hosted its annual College Day at its Cobbla Campus, where students benefited from a day of skills-learning, displays, presentations, simulations and entertainment.

 

“We feel the need to have a day like this when we expose it (the school), as best we can, to our potential students who we invite – the secondary schools. We are particularly happy to see nearly 40 different schools being represented. We are very pleased about that and we are exposing them to our range of offerings,” Dr. Cowans says.

 

The College Day event is not new, and has been ongoing for the last 20 years.

 

Grade 11 student at the Christiana High School, Derron Jackson, mentions that the Open day activities have motivated him to be more determined about his career choice.

 

“I want to be a gynaecologist, but first I want to study nursing. Coming to Knox wasn’t on my mind, but now after coming here today and hearing (what was said), I think I’ll do it,” he states.

 

Another student, Amanda Wong, also of Christiana High School, says: “I would like to become a midwife, but when the tour guides took us around, it kind of opened up my mind because I wasn’t expecting it to be that hard, but it blew my mind. I think when I leave high school I want to come here.”

 

The founders of the school wanted an institution where students would begin from the basic level, straight through to tertiary, and thus began the noble institution.

 

Currently, the institution has three campuses that offer tertiary-level education only, namely at May Pen, Mandeville and Cobbla.

 

However, the Spalding Campus, otherwise called ‘The Knox Complex of Schools’ offers basic, preparatory, high school and tertiary levels of education.

 

“The complex is 70 years old this year, having been started by Mr. David Bent and Rev. Lewis Davidson. The community college grew out of what these great educators thought would be the progress of education, from the basic school straight through to the preparatory and high schools, and the community college,” Dr. Cowan says.

 

“On that original site in Spalding, all four age groups are educated. But the community college, having grown over the last 40-odd years, is now resident in four parts of central Jamaica,” he adds.

 

 

A Knox College Cobbla Campus student pursuing an Associate of Applied Science in Engineering Technology displays his skills, while visiting secondary students look on. The event was College Day, hosted by the Knox College on March 15, where, hundreds of students in central Jamaica participated sessions, displays and competitions throughout the day.

He also mentions their excellent Nursing programme and the linkages with the main universities in Jamaica.

 

“These opportunities for education must not be wasted. There are so many aspects of our educational programme that are just not very well known. I’m hearing it more and more, that we have the best nursing school in Jamaica,” Dr. Cowan says.

 

He explains that the four-year bachelor’s programme, franchised from the University of the West Indies, is taught over a four-year period.

 

“Our students are graduating. It is a very strong nursing school. There is also engineering to the Associate degree level,” the Principal states.

 

The opportunity for tertiary education and its availability to all is the point Rev. Cowans really wanted to drive home.

 

“Here is an opportunity for students who may think that tertiary education is out of their league. I think we need to get past that. That for a child who came here today, just for a bus drive, and is in the 10th or 11th grade would say, ‘but come to think of it, (I) could probably do that’,” Dr. Cowan says.

 

“We are the most cost-effective way to get a tertiary education. When students come face to face with that reality, what I am hoping is that it will become a moment for more and more ordinary young Jamaicans who can say, ‘I can also be in the tertiary-education band. I can think of myself’,” he reasons.

 

He adds that there is nothing that should be a barrier to a future that is now attainable.

 

CAPTION: Photographs by- Knox College (Mr. Stasumon Clarke)

 

 

JIS: Executive Director of the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI), Dr. Fritz Pinnock, cannot disguise his immense joy as he speaks of the institution being granted university status, following the passage of legislation in both Houses of Parliament.

 

The Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) Bill 2017 was approved in the Senate on February 24, following approval in the House of Representatives on January 25.

 

According to Dr. Pinnock, it was a very emotional moment, as it was the realisation of a dream for the entire CMI community.

 

He expressed appreciation to the staff and students of the school, pointing out that they are the ones who have brought the institution to this point.

 

“Many of the people who make a difference on a daily basis are often overlooked, but play a key role in this operation,” he says.

 

He paid homage to one ancillary worker, whom he describes as having an indomitable spirit, is professional at all times and is committed to what he does, regardless of the task.

 

“Francisco will be a part of the construction team and work on the building in the morning, offer white-glove service at the Board meeting luncheon at midday and plant grass in the quadrangle in the evening. That is just one example of the commitment of my team, and I am only the cheerleader,” he beams.

 

According to Dr. Pinnock, CMI is teeming with students who are budding with potential.

 

“They only need to be guided, and this is our role. I sense the responsibility of the country upon the shoulders of this institution as we seek to guide the students to the next level,” he adds.

 

The Executive Director says gaining university status is a transformational move and that Jamaica will see a new approach to education and training, because they have been treated as separate in the past.

 

“Training is an integral part of education. It is about the total person. It is not just about giving persons a certificate at the end of a period of study, but how you make them better human beings, how you can teach them the value of volunteerism or the value of a good attitude while you are certifying them and giving them a professional recognition. That is what CMU of the future wishes to do,” he says.

 

Dr. Pinnock points out that it is with the granting of university status that the real work begins.

 

“The transition to a university is an expansion and improvement of the brand. We see ourselves as part of the economic-growth agenda by virtue of the relevant programmes that we are doing. We’ll be expanding the programmes, but not just in name. We are expanding them in line with the global market demands,” he explains.

 

The Executive Director says the institution will be expanding in the area of security, especially within the context of the global supply chain.

 

The institution currently offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in security administration and management, (the first degree programme that integrates air, land and sea).

 

A new bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity will also begin in September.

 

He says that collaborations with other universities, such as the University of the West Indies, Mokpo National Maritime University of South Korea and World Maritime University in Sweden, in the fields of marine biotechnology, logistics (PhD) and research, respectively, have also formed a big part of what CMI does.

 

“There are several programmes in the engineering field to begin this academic year, such as a Master in Systems Engineering, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechatronics, which is an integrated degree that merges mechanical and electronics engineering into one,” he says.

 

In the field of environmental engineering, the institution will be looking at offering new bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes in about 10 years, all relevant and backed by professional industry certification.

 

“We must be smart. We have a great product in Jamaica. It should not be devalued. Let us use it as an export possibility; rather than sending out millions of US dollars every year paying for persons to study overseas, why not have people from overseas coming to access our programmes?” he asks.

 

Dr. Pinnock says that CMI relies heavily on the power of partnerships and points out how a public-private partnership helped to make the specialised campus for the Customs Processing and Freight Forwarding students a reality.

 

“When we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Customs and Immigration, and the Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association to facilitate training for their new system (ASYCUDA World), we went for the old police training school in Port Royal, which had been abandoned, and through a public-private partnership we were able to acquire it,” the Executive Director informs.

 

 

An aerial view of Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI). The CMI will now gain university status, following the passage of legislation in both Houses of Parliament. (Contributed photo)

The campus is now able to accommodate 800 students and is already running out of space, based on the demand.

 

Dr. Pinnock also informs that the CMI has entered into an MOU with the Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College where both institutions share the use of the campus.

 

“While we grow, our partners must also grow, so we are also training them at Sam Sharpe to provide specialised teachers in the areas of logistics and supply chain management,” he explains.

 

Dr. Pinnock says that through a franchise, a similar arrangement has been entered into with Knox Community College Mandeville Campus, Trench Town Polytechnic College and Hydel University College.

 

According to the Executive Director, it is tempting to fall into a comfort level and just cruise after developing a number of programmes, “but the market keeps changing. The course that you have this year will need to be refreshed next year”.

 

The Custom Processes, Freight Forwarding and Immigration course, he says, is a classic example, as approximately 60 per cent of the material had to be changed within a year as a result of the implementation of the ASYCUDA World system at Jamaica Customs Agency and the Integrated Information System at the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA).

 

“You can’t have the training lagging behind the industry. We now need to have them moving in sync. We rely a lot on industry advisory groups to inform us of these changes, so that we can make the courses relevant,” he says.

 

Meanwhile, Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Mike Henry, who piloted the Bill in the Lower House, says the upgrade provides an opportunity for CMI to present itself as a niche market university to attract a greater number of foreign students.

 

He also states that with the CMI being accorded university status, it will enable the institution to access international grant funding.

 

He adds that the institution continues to make a significant contribution to the Jamaican economy by bridging the employment gap, with approximately 85 per cent of CMI graduates being placed in jobs within six months of graduation.

 

CMI is the only international entity approved for maritime training in Jamaica, with 80 per cent of the teaching/support personnel and 50 per cent of the Board of Directors drawn from organisations within the industry.

 

CAPTION: The Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) Cadets in parade. The CMI will now gain university status, following the passage of legislation in both Houses of Parliament.

JIS: Approximately 3,100 athletes from high schools islandwide will be on show at the annual Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston from March 28 to April 1.

 

A special opening ceremony will be held at the stadium on Friday, March 31, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, and other government officials are expected to attend.

 

Competitions Officer of ISSA, George Forbes, told JIS News that the teams from the schools are making final preparations.

 

“A lot of schools have been collecting their packages, checking to ensure they have entered,” noting that all the athletes would have attained the qualifying standard to enter Champs.

 

Among the top schools participating are Calabar High, Wolmer’s High, Jamaica College, St. Jago High, Kingston College, Titchfield High, Immaculate Conception High, Munro College and The Queen’s School.

 

However, Mr. Forbes said they are now seeing an influx of athletes from other schools across Jamaica.

 

He noted that this is due to a large number of coaches being trained at the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education & Sport and returning to their communities.

 

“What we find now is that instead of these schools sending their athletes to ‘big track’ schools, they are staying at home and they are being trained to participate at Champs without having to go to the big schools,” he said.

 

As it relates to the health of the athletes, Mr. Forbes said the organising committee of ISSA has been working with the Ministry of Health to have the medical facilities equipped at the stadium.

 

‘As per the requirements at the National Stadium, we have at least two ambulances on standby – one for the patrons, one for the athletes – and, of course, we have medical posts at stadium east and one in the stadium,” he said.

 

Additionally, Mr. Forbes said that persons will not be allowed to smoke at the stadium, noting that the no-smoking ban will be enforced by the police.

 

“It is the duty of the police to ensure that people who are caught smoking should be dealt with,” he said.

 

Persons who smoke at the venue could pay fines ranging from $10,000 for a first offence, $25,000 for a second, and $50,000 for subsequent offences, following a smoking ban implemented through the Public Health (Tobacco Control) Regulations 2013, which took effect on Monday, July 15, 2013.

 

CAPTION: Students of high schools participate in a long-distance race at the Inter-Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys and Girl’s Championships. (FILE)

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator, the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the Government has a responsibility to ensure that all students have access to quality education, regardless of their socio-economic situation.

 

He noted that the elimination of school fees at the secondary level aims to ensure that “no child is left behind and everyone will have a chance of pursuing a tertiary education, and higher, regardless of status”.

 

“The Government that I am a part of is committed to giving schools as much resources as is possible. We are saying that those who can make a contribution… there is nothing wrong with that. What I am saying, however, is that it makes no sense that there are (people)… who cannot pay the mandatory fees, and then we are going to say ‘you cannot come to school unless you can pay the fees’,” he argued.

 

Senator Reid was addressing a service to commemorate the 240th anniversary of Ruseas High School held on March 26 in Lucea, Hanover.

 

The Education Minster noted that when he sat the Common Entrance Examinations many years ago, there were approximately 55,000 students competing for only11,000 traditional high-school places.

 

Of that 11,000, only 10 per cent would find themselves in a sixth form and 10 per cent of that number would go on to university.

 

He indicated that between 1948 and 2000, only 50,000 Caribbean people graduated from all the campuses of the University of the West Indies (UWI).

 

He said that having that knowledge, he had no choice but to “go back to basics, giving schools all the necessary tools to succeed”.

 

He added that while a lot of progress has been made since then, there are still parents who fall below the poverty line, and the Government has to ensure that their children have an equal chance at a quality education.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid. 

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has engaged tertiary institutions in a discussion about the implementation of an affirmative action policy for poor and vulnerable youth through a system of bonded scholarships.

 

The Minister said he has already started a conversation with the University of the West Indies (UWI), in which the university expressed a willingness to start a programme in which the State would fund tuition for the first person of a poor household who matriculates.

 

Senator Reid said this initiative would be for persons pursuing a degree programme that is aligned with the country’s strategic direction, particularly as it relates to expanding the global services outsourcing sector.

 

The Minister was addressing a forum with stakeholders in the education sector, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, yesterday (March 27), to discuss how institutions must restructure to best meet the growing business process and knowledge outsourcing needs of the labour market.

 

“I am going to shake up the education system. We are going to have to find a way to ensure that the same students who we are taking from the margins, that we find a path for them,” he said.

 

Senator Reid, meanwhile, urged tertiary-level institutions to seek to align their programmes with the imperatives set by the Government for the long-term growth and development of the country, in order to create the required skill sets.

 

“We are very clear that the BPO industry is one of those areas that we have to be prepared for, and in that regard, the entire education system needs to understand that we are changing the structure, the dynamics of that system,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Port Authority of Jamaica, Professor Gordon Shirley, called for the private sector to be more heavily integrated into the delivery of business process outsourcing (BPO) services and to collaborate with the HEART Trust/NTA in expanding the training opportunities for the sector.

 

Professor Shirley said he believes the Government’s target of creating 200,000 new jobs in the sector over the next three years is possible, but will require a new approach to training across the education sector.

 

“We have to be disruptive. We will have to think differently on how we build on what we have and augment those existing skill sets,” Professor Shirley said.

 

For his part, President of the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica, Dr. Guna Muppuri, also called on leaders in the education sector and educators to be prepared to provide the workforce with the requisite skills for the global services sector.

 

He also proposed that the development of a BPO University be considered, to provide the personnel for the market.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (centre), responding to questions during a forum on March 27 at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, to engage stakeholders in the education sector on how to align programmes to meet the labour force needs to expand the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector. He is joined by President of the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica, Dr. Guna Muppuri (left) and President and CEO of the Port Authority of Jamaica, Professor Gordon Shirley.

JIS: The library community has been evolving and remains quite relevant in a technologically-driven society through the array of services it offers to meet the demands of users.

 

The Jamaica Library Service (JLS) consists of 119 fixed locations, that is, 13 parish libraries and 106 branch libraries.

 

There is also a mobile library service which caters to some 370 communities island wide.

 

The Jamaica Library Service offers free access to computers, internet and other electronic resources to enable persons to utilize a range of informational, educational and recreational resources.

 

Additionally, well trained computer specialists are available in the thirteen (13) parish library networks to ensure that technical problems are solved quickly and users enjoy reliable and efficient computer services. Basic computer training is also offered to members of the public.

 

Director General at the JLS, Karen Barton, tells JIS News that the library’s services have long gone beyond just lending books, but now expands to meeting the demands of the entire community.

 

“We are expecting to reach as many Jamaicans as possible, who have access to all our libraries and mobile units. We are also on a mission to increase our membership as many persons feel that the library is just about books, but the library is more like the community hub, where you can fulfil educational and academic needs and so, we are targeting a large number of persons in order for the community to be transformed through technology,” she tells says.

 

The Director General informs that through a US$2-million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Libraries Initiative, and US$1.1 million from the Government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, the JLS have been significantly transforming public libraries across the island through increased access to technology.

 

Through the project, the JLS has acquired 1,063 new state-of-the-art information and communications technology (ICT) resources to use in its 119 public libraries and has installed over 150 wireless access points across public libraries, which will enable users to enjoy increased Wi-Fi access.

 

In terms of training, more than 600 JLS staff members participated in customer service, digital literacy and social media courses, while some 2,000 library users received training in basic computer and digital literacy.

 

Come April 1, the JLS will be implementing an Integrated Library Management System (ILMS) called Koha, to improve the efficiency of the library’s operations as well as service for users.

Koha, an automated open-source management system will allow library users to obtain access to search online catalogue from anywhere in the world.

 

She explains that the JLS’s collection will be accessible online where persons can go to do a google-like search to see what is available. Users will be able to see which location the material is at and how many copies are at that specific library.

 

The ILMS will also allow persons to reserve resource material for borrowing and give access to online research facilities.

 

“Members of the libraries will be able to access EBSCO research services, which is a database that we (JLS) subscribe to that provides e-resources, journals and other information. So, a user will be able to utilise this facility outside of the library, from anywhere, as long as he or she is a member and has a membership number,” she points out.

 

Additionally, the JLS has introduced information and communications technology programmes and services to its users in the 13 parish libraries and select branch libraries.

 

Students are able to participate in the tablet sessions, library members will enjoy unlimited Wi-Fi access, while all users can participate in the photography and robotics clubs.

 

“We also cater to the visually impaired and is equipped with the relevant software such as the accessibility options that come with the Microsoft operating system to facilitate this group. We have summer programmes for children and employ students aged 14 to 16 to assist in carrying out these programmes,” she outlines.

 

She adds that the seniors have not been left behind as they can benefit from basic computer training, learning how to use the mouse and connect with loved ones abroad through Skype.

 

“We also have career development programmes where we help persons to write their resumes as our staff is trained to use the Labour Market Information System (LMIS) that is done by the Ministry of Labour & Social Security…so persons looking for jobs, we can assist them in properly preparing their resume to match the suitable position,” she adds.

 

The JLS also hosts the annual National Reading Competition for ages six to 99 and strives for a mixture of good literature with a variety of settings and themes appropriate for the varied age groups.

 

“So we have reading competitions and reading club; writing, chess, technology and digi-art clubs, and the clubs change in focus based on the demand because we have to be relevant,” Mrs. Barton notes.

 

“So librarianship is dynamic and is not just about books anymore…all of our librarians have to be trained in technology because all of the administrative and operational procedures are all technology-based…research is technology based as you have to know how to use all the online resources and database,” the Director General reasons.

 

She reiterates that the JLS remains relevant as it embraces and utilizes technology to meet the needs of its users.

 

“The library service is on the move and we implore persons to utilise the services and benefit from what is being provided…we know that technology is the way and the library is not going to be left behind,” she affirms.

 

CAPTION: Director General at the Jamaica Library Service (JLS), Karen Barton highlights the programmes and initiatives offered to improve the efficiency of the library’s operations, as well as services for users. She was addressing a recent JIS Think Tank.