JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is finetuning a mobile application (app) which will serve as a resource guide for young people.

 

State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Floyd Green, who spoke to JIS News at the inaugural staging of the Elevate Youth Festival on the lawns of Devon House recently, said the app, which should roll out by April will serve as a practical source of information for youths.

 

“It will have practical uses, for example, if you want to find where jobs are being offered, there is a job portal site. If you want to write a résumé, we actually have a guideline on how you can do your résumé,” he indicated.

 

“We are going to do beta-testing where we have approximately 100 young people try it out to see how they like it. That process should take another two weeks so hopefully by the end of March or the beginning of April we will be able to fully send it out,” he said.

 

Mr. Green noted that the app, which was developed by students from the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the HEART Trust/NTA’s Vocational Training Development Institute (VTDI), demonstrates that Jamaicans can be both content producers as well as consumers.

 

Director of Communications and Marketing, National Youth Service (NYS), Julia Smiley Green, said the app can serve as a “roadmap to success”.

 

“All the information that they (young people) would need is on the app. If you are looking for scholarships, if they are looking for schools, if they are looking for assistance with their tuition, if they are looking for essential services such as getting a Tax Registration Number (TRN) or birth certificate, we have put all of that into one area,” she informed.

 

The Elevate Youth Festival ELEVATE provided a space for young people to showcase their talents in digital art, music, technology and youth lifestyle, while benefitting from the exchange of knowledge and experiences via discussion panels, workshops and networking activities.

 

The day culminated with a concert featuring artistes such as Ding Dong, Tifa, Rondell Positive, among others.

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Information, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, addresses young people gathered on the lawns of Devon House for the inaugural staging of the Elevate Youth Festival, recently

JIS: The Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA) is partnering with the British High Commission to undertake a public outreach and education campaign, aimed at sensistising Jamaicans about the roles and functions of the office and the responsibility of citizens in protecting children.

 

The initiative in direct response to the increase in incidents of violence against children, and will take various forms to include school and community interventions, with meaningful information and facts about children’s rights provided during these interactions.

 

It is hoped that the undertaking will strengthen the OCA’s capacity in carrying out its mandate of protecting the rights and best interests of the nation’s children, and also cement the agency’s role within the minds of all Jamaicans.

 

The British High Commission has pledged just over $8 million (£49,022) for the campaign, which will assist the OCA in changing the culture of how Jamaicans view children and their rights and how they ultimately treat them.   

 

Speaking at the press launch on Friday (March 17), at the OCA, downtown Kingston, Children’s Advocate, Diahann Gordon Harrison said there seems to be a lack  awareness on the part of many persons as to what they should do when faced with unkind and inhumane acts against children.

 

She said that the OCA realizes that children also need guidance and avenues through which to access help in difficult and troublesome situations, so the project will also plug into this deficit.

 

Central to the project is raising awareness of Jamaica’s signatory status to the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child and the obligations that accompany that status; ensuring that persons understand the role, functions and existence of the OCA and how the office serves the children of Jamaica; and to educate the public about what constitutes different forms of child abuse.

 

It will also educate Jamaicans about their responsibilities when incidents of abuse come to their attention; and how they can actively work to reshape the experiences that children have when they come into contact with members of their community and persons in authority in their schools, the justice system or else where.   British High Commissioner, His Excellency, David Fitton, in his remarks at the press launch said the High Commission is delighted to be able to complement the activities of the OCA.

 

“We hope that, through this project, children in Jamaica will feel empowered, will have the ability to talk to their parents, counsellors or teachers if they feel something is not right and this project will give them some guidance on what they can do,” he said.  Meanwhile, Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Robert Miller said that as a nation “we have a duty to the children within our care and we should give them all the support and guidance as best as possible.”

 

Mr. Miller brought greetings on behalf of Minister of State, Hon. Floyd Green, who has responsibility for youth affairs.

 

CAPTION: Children’s Advocate, Diahann Gordon Harrison (5th right, back row), shares a photo opportunity with school children at the press launch of an initiative by the Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA) and the British High Commission to strengthen the public engagement capacity of the OCA, held on March 17, at the OCA’s offices downtown Kingston. Others sharing the moment are: Deputy Children’s Advocate, Retired Justice Henderson Downer (back row, right); Political Press Officer, European Union (Jamaica), Althea Buchanan (back row, 2nd right); and Entertainer, Queen Ifrica (back row, 4th right).

 

JIS: Administrators at the Highgate Primary and Junior High School in St. Mary and Middleton Primary School, St. Thomas, have welcomed the $24-million (US$195,817) grant funding from Japan for infrastructural works at their institutions.

 

Highgate Primary will benefit from the construction of two new classrooms at a cost of $14 million (US$113,603) that will increase the institution’s complement to 13.

 

Both allocations have been provided under the Japanese Government’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects Programme and were initiated through a partnership between the National Education Trust (NET), an agency of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, and the Embassy of Japan in Jamaica.

 

Agreements formalising the allocations were recently signed by Japan’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Masanori Nakano, and the schools’ Principals – Adassa Henry of Highgate Primary, and Jennifer Crawford of Middleton Primary.

 

Ms. Henry, who described the grant agreement signing as a “momentous occasion”, welcomed her school’s provision.

 

She said the additional two classrooms will greatly assist in alleviating space constraints for the more than 700 students.

 

Ms. Henry said consequent on the removal of the double-shift system in 2015, the school has been improvising in order to create additional space to accommodate all the students.

 

She added that with the addition of the new classrooms, she is confident that some of the overcrowding will be alleviated and, very importantly, “we will have two ideal areas for improved teaching and learning”.

 

For her part, Ms. Crawford said the dream of building a canteen at Middleton Primary, which has approximately 100 students, “has become a reality”.

 

She emphasised the importance of canteens in schools’ operations, particularly in relation to student development.

 

“Well-organised canteens provide adequate nutrition, which gives students and staff high energy levels and prevents diseases such as obesity and anaemia, which are related to poor diet,” the Principal indicated.

 

Ms. Crawford said the signing of the agreement marked a great day for the school, “as the students and staff can now look forward to a (more) comfortable space that will provide nutritious meals for them, five days per week”.

 

“On behalf of the school’s Board of Management, staff, students and parents, it is a pleasure to express thanks to the Grassroots Humanitarian Project of the Government of Japan for approving our proposal for funding of our canteen building. This canteen will be of invaluable benefit to the school and community,” she added.

 

In his remarks, Ambassador Nakano said he was extremely happy to know that his country’s provisions would go a far way in assisting both schools.

 

“We highly value education in the (provision) of our assistance to Jamaica. Since I arrived as Ambassador of Japan, I purposefully put our focus on the education sector. It is my strong belief that education is the key to develop a nation and people,” he said.

 

Ambassador Nakano argued that Jamaica has the potential to further advance economic and social development as a progressive nation, “with bright young students (like those at Highgate and Middleton Primary Schools)”.

 

“This is why we are working with teachers and staff at your respective schools, as well as personnel from the Ministry of Education, to provide you with better (teaching and learning) environments,” he added.

 

For his part, Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, said both projects reflected the continued strong partnership between Jamaica and Japan.

 

He noted that both nations have enjoyed strong bilateral relations since establishing diplomatic ties in 1964.

 

This collaboration, the Minister pointed out, has been strengthened over the years through several initiatives, including the teacher exchange programme.

 

“I take this opportunity to thank the Government of Japan, through the Embassy here in Jamaica, for the continued support to our development efforts, especially in the area of education. Your partnership is contributing to tangible improvements in the lives of many of our children,” he said.

 

The Minister also commended NET for carrying out its mandate “to mobilise financial and quality resource investments for schools in Jamaica”.

 

Director for Donor and Partnership Management at NET, Latoya Harris, said the grant provisions would not only transform the schools’ infrastructures, but the institutions’ environments as well, making them safe, secure and conducive to teaching and learning.

 

“The bond between Japan and Jamaica is buttressed by our shared belief in the fact that human capital is vital to the development of our nation. We are, therefore, grateful and humbled that the Ambassador and his team continue to put faith in us by maintaining our partnership as we work to transform the lives of our children,” Ms. Harris said.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left) and Japan’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Masanori Nakano (2nd right), display a symbolic cheque for a $10-million (US$82,214) grant which was presented to the Principal of Middleton Primary School in St. Thomas, Jennifer Crawford (2nd left), to construct a canteen at the institution. The money has been provided under the Japanese Government’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects. Sharing the moment is Middleton Primary student, Abigail Johnson.

JIS: The Government has increased the number of participants in the National Youth Service (NYS) Summer Employment Programme to 8,000 from 6,000, which obtained last year.

 

Making the disclosure, State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, said the increase is to enable more young persons to gain experience for the workforce.

 

“We want to ensure that we give you the requisite experience, so you can get the jobs you want,” the State Minister said, while launching the 2017 programme at the Half -Way Tree Transport Centre, in St. Andrew, on March 15.

 

Mr. Green also announced that more than 2,000 students will be allowed to be on the programme without having the normal three subjects in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate exams.

 

The State Minister told the gathering that although some young persons might not have done well in school, they still need the work experience, so “this year, we are targeting more than 2,000 of them”.

 

Under the programme, participants are placed in organisations to work for three weeks. During placement, they practise the values taught during the orientation process and are paid a stipend by the NYS at the end of their time.

 

The NYS Summer Employment Programme is geared towards the development of young persons, facilitating opportunities to earn valuable work experience, and making them more productive and efficient employees.

 

Some 400 persons with disabilities will be engaged in the programme.

 

According to Chairman of the NYS, Robert Miller, “we are taking the programme even further”.

 

“Everybody needs experience, and to be engaged. The (NYS) is all about empowering our youth, giving them the opportunities to shine,” he said.

 

CAPTION: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (2nd left), interacts with young persons at the launch of the National Youth Service (NYS) 2017 Summer Employment Programme, held at the Half-Way Tree Transport Centre, in St. Andrew, on March 15. To the State Minister’s left is Chairman of the NYS, Robert Miller

JIS: Persons will be able to access training and be certified through a centralised system, with the merger of the HEART Trust/NTA, Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL) and the National Youth Service (NYS).

 

Under the merger, slated to take effect on April 1 this year, operations of the JFLL and NYS are to be subsumed under the HEART Trust/NTA. This will see some 14,000 students being accommodated in the national training institution’s programmes.

 

Speaking with JIS News, Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the collaboration is particularly noteworthy, as it will serve to strengthen the lifelong learning sector, acting as “a one-stop shop”, providing a suite of educational, remedial, technical and vocational programmes for adult learners 15 years and older.

 

“Through this symbiosis, the suite of programme offerings available through HEART will benefit adult learners greatly. The merger will also provide a smooth transition for a significant number of JFLL learners into HEART to pursue vocational studies, thereby creating a pathway to higher studies and a continuum from basic education to tertiary-level education,” the Minister explains.

 

Senator Reid says this is a critical aspect of the merger, as learners can now benefit from an in-house literacy programme offered by JFLL to enable them to matriculate to HEART Trust programmes as well as other institutions of higher learning.

 

HEART Trust/NTA is the leading human resource training organisation that focuses on technical and vocational skills. It has 28 campuses across the island. The NYS has 13 field offices and the JFLL has more than 20 programme sites.

 

This is another benefit for learners, as they will be able to access the programmes and resources of all three entities through satellite offices across the island.

 

Senator Reid says the merger is part of the Government’s continued efforts to ensure universal access to educational opportunities for all members of society.

 

He tells JIS News that this is particularly important, as adult illiteracy and inadequate access to educational opportunities for socially marginalised communities have a negative impact on the social well-being and economic growth of the country, and perpetuates the cycle of poverty.

 

“Few people would argue with the idea that literacy is essential to human development, as it offers a foundation for good health and nutrition as well as for achieving socio-economic development.

 

This is especially true in today’s knowledge-based world. It, therefore, means that the absence of literacy skills makes it more difficult to advance to a better quality of life,” he says.

 

The JFLL has been the vanguard of Jamaica’s adult education since 1974.

 

Formerly called the Jamaican Movement for the Advancement of Literacy (JAMAL), the Foundation offers programmes of study ranging from basic literacy and numeracy up to Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects in a variety of disciplines and courses. Courses are available at 30 Adult Education Centres (AECs) islandwide, with computer courses at select locations.

 

Meanwhile, the NYS commenced operations in 1973 with the mandate to stem youth unemployment and academic underachievement. The organisation assists youth aged 17 to 24 with life skills, personal development, work experience, and encourages a culture of volunteerism for national development.

 

Formed in 1982 and restructured by the amended HEART Act in 1991, the HEART Trust/NTA is mandated to assist in stimulating economic growth and job creation by offering National Vocational Qualification of Jamaica-certified programmes.

 

The agency operates 27 technical and vocational education and training locations that focus on providing a variety of training options to all Jamaicans seeking to advance their career.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, addresses the contract-signing ceremony of the Jamaica Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL) and the Japanese Embassy Grassroots and Human Security Project in Kingston, recently. The agency will be merged with the HEART Trust/NTA on April 1. 

 

JIS: The Jamaica Library Service (JLS) is hailing the Global Libraries ICT Project as a major success, as it has significantly transformed public libraries across the island through increased access to technology.

 

The project, dubbed ‘JLS: Using Technology to Empower Individuals and Communities for Development’, is funded by 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 project, which was expected to last from November 2013 to November 2016, has been extended to March 31, 2017.

 

Speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ on March 14, Director General at the JLS, Karen Barton, said that 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.

 

The ICT resources, she added, include 780 desktop computers, 271 tablets and 12 laptops.

 

“We have also installed over 150 wireless access points across public libraries, which will enable our library users to enjoy increased Wi-Fi access,” she noted further.

 

Mrs. Barton said the overall objective of the project is to improve ICT provisions for library users as “there is a worldwide trend where libraries are getting into more ICT services, and this is what our users are demanding”.

 

Additionally, the project facilitated the installation of the latest Microsoft applications on all computers utilised by users in all public libraries across Jamaica.

 

“We had over US$1.1 million worth of software from Microsoft, so we were able to not only put the new software on the new computers, but we were able to update the software on the old systems,” Mrs. Barton informed.

 

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.

 

The Director General informed that under the project, a comprehensive membership drive was launched that primarily targeted new library users, in order to encourage them to take advantage of the various services and programmes.

 

Between April 2016 and February 2017, the JLS registered 15,729 new members, exceeding its target for that period by 3,759.

 

“We did our first impact study last year August to measure the effect we are having since we implemented this project, and also to determine how many of our objectives we have been able to achieve,” Mrs. Barton said.

 

This study, she continued, showed that 90 per cent of library users view the public library as an important institution in the community, while 60 per cent read more because of access to technology at public libraries.

 

“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 forward, and the library is not going to be left behind,” she said.

 

Project partners are Microsoft, RJR/Gleaner Communications Group, Jamaica Information Service (JIS), Jamaica Public Service Limited (JPS), Universal Service Fund, CHASE Fund and EBSCO Information Services (Elton B. Stephens Co).

 

CAPTION: Director General at the Jamaica Library Service (JLS), Karen Barton, highlights major achievements of the Global Libraries ICT Project, aimed at increasing ICT access in public libraries across the island. She was addressing a JIS ‘Think Tank’ on March 14.

 

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has requested new President of the University of Technology (UTech), Professor Stephen Vasciannie, to invite more students to enrol in the science disciplines.

 

Addressing the installation ceremony for the President on March 14, at the institution’s Papine Campus, in St. Andrew, the Minister said with less than five per cent of enrolled students pursuing engineering and information technology (IT), there is a need to increase the number, as industries require persons who are pursuing careers in those areas.

 

The Minister said the new President is “one of our best and brightest” who understands the mandate of the university.

 

Meanwhile, Senator Reid said he is committed to doing all he can to improve funding for the university and for the reclassification of positions.

 

For his part, the new President said the university needs to focus more on the publishing of academic work, and if researchers double their effort, they can be on par with other universities.

 

He told the large gathering that shared values must exist at the institution, where equality and fairness stand at the core of the university.

 

The Professor, who is a former Principal of the Norman Manley Law School, and also former Ambassador to the United States, is the fourth President of the university.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, addresses the installation ceremony for new President of the University of Technology (UTech), Professor Stephen Vasciannie, at the institution’s Papine Campus, in St. Andrew, on March 14.

JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is collaborating with the National Youth Service (NYS) to stage a youth festival dubbed ‘ELEVATE’ on Thursday (March 16) at Devon House, St. Andrew.

 

The event, which is to take place from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., is targeted at students attending high schools and tertiary institutions across the island.

 

ELEVATE aims to create a space for young people to showcase their talents in art, music and technology, while benefiting from the exchange of knowledge and experiences via discussion panels, workshops and networking activities.

 

There will also be exhibits, interactive sessions and entertainment.

 

State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Floyd Green, said the event provides a unique opportunity for the youth of Jamaica to display their creative skills outside of the regular classroom setting.

 

He said the long-term vision is for ELEVATE to become the “premier destination to discover and meet the world’s leading trendsetters, innovators, creators and influencers in the areas of music, technology, digital art and youth lifestyle”.

 

“We are encouraging our high schools and tertiary institutions to see this festival as an opportunity to identify, harness and showcase the very best of Jamaican youth products and services to our nation, our region and the world, and also to encourage young people to dedicate themselves to a deeper spirit of youth solidarity and collective progress,” Mr. Green said.

 

ELEVATE was initially planned to take place in Youth Month in November 2016, but was postponed due to inclement weather.

 

School administrators are being encouraged to have their students participate in this opportunity for exploration and learning.

 

For further information, schools may contact Gabrielle Hylton at [email protected] or by telephone at 564-3946.

 

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

JIS: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says he will be meeting with heads of all tertiary institutions for discussions aimed at ensuring that Government support to the sector is targeted at areas of national priority.

 

The Minister, who was speaking in the Senate on March 11, said he has already signalled his intention to hold such talks with the administration of the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Mona campus.

 

Finance and the Public Service Minister, Hon. Audley Shaw, in his opening Budget presentation on March 9, announced that the interest rates on loans from the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) will be reduced for selected areas of study.

 

The objective is to ensure greater alignment of education and training with the job market.

 

For study in the areas of Maritime and Logistics, Agriculture, Engineering, and Information and Communications Technology, interest rates will decline from 9.5 per cent to six per cent.

 

In addition, the interest rates on ‘Pay As You Study’ loans will be lowered from 9.5 per cent to six per cent, and for postgraduate loans, the rates will move from 13 per cent to 9.5 per cent.

 

Meanwhile, the Education Minister, in response to a suggestion from Opposition Senator Wentworth Skeffery for the Government to find additional ways to finance tertiary education, said that the Administration is not looking at putting any additional funding mechanism in place at this time.

 

He noted that in addition to the SLB, which provides 100 per cent of tuition for study at approved institutions in Jamaica and the regional campuses of UWI, support is also provided through the Jamaica Values and Attitudes (JAMVAT) Programme.

 

JAMVAT targets tertiary students who qualify for admission but are financially challenged.

 

“Students who access this programme are given the opportunity to participate in the development of the nation’s social capital through their contribution of 200 hours of public service, and, in response, the Government pays 30 per cent of the student’s tuition cost, which does not exceed $350,000 per annum,” he informed.

 

Senator Reid said the Government will also be approving more accredited universities, which will engender competition in the sector and drive down the cost of tertiary education.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, makes his contribution in the Senate on March 11. Listening in the (background) is Deputy President, Senator Aubyn Hill.