JIS: The Government will be spending more than $63 million to construct two early childhood schools to increase capacity by 400 places in St. Andrew, and St. Thomas.

 

Under the project, the Tower Hill Infant School, in St. Andrew, and the Morant Estate Infant School, in St. Thomas, will be built, with each accommodating 200 students.

 

Each of the schools will have eight classrooms, computer room, library, offices, sickbay, medical room, music room, kitchen, dining/multipurpose room, play equipment and other facilities.

 

The allocation for the projects are outlined in the 2017-18 Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives.

 

Another $45 million has been provided in the budget for the continuation of the Early Childhood Development Project (IBRD), with the objective of improving the monitoring of children’s development.

 

There will also be the screening of household-level risks affecting development, and early intervention systems, in order to promote development.

JIS: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, is welcoming the launch of a social enterprise study, which sheds light on how such activities enable students to develop core skills to transition from school to the workplace.

 

The study, commissioned by the British Council, was conducted within secondary schools across the island, in partnership with the Jamaica National Foundation, the Office of Social Entrepreneurship and the Centre for Leadership and Governance.

 

A social enterprise is a business that trades for a social purpose, reinvests surpluses into their social objective, and makes themselves accountable for their actions, rather than simply maximising profits for their owners and shareholders. They also deliver social as well as economic value.

 

Among the gamut of social enterprises in existence at high schools are: Key Clubs, Tourism Action Clubs, Girl Guides, History Clubs, Octagon Clubs, Cadet and Interact Clubs, among others.

 

Senator Reid, in his remarks at the launch, held at the British High Commission in New Kingston on February 15, said that, among other things, the study will help to determine the impact of social enterprises on the lives of participants and the communities in which the projects are located.

 

“I welcome the (study) because I believe it is important that our young people be enabled to broaden their outlook…There are multiple pathways to social advancement and indeed personal success,” he said.

 

He argued that the study is critical as it confirmed that students will receive real-life exposure to business and sponsors by being a part of social enterprises.

 

Senator Reid pointed out that such endeavours are important for education and social advancement as well as to prevent students from “falling through the cracks.”

 

“Social enterprises also improve access to work by ensuring that intended qualifications are relevant to employment and learning and meet the needs of learners in the economy and learning institutions,” the Minister said.

 

“Social enterprises also help to boost students’ résumés, to enter higher education and to boost employment prospects,” he added.

 

Recently, Jamaica National Foundation staged its second Social Enterprise Boost Initiative Summit at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

 

The Summit aimed to create an enabling business environment for social enterprises in Jamaica and to assist them in transitioning their grant-funded operations into a viable profit-making business.

 

For his part, the Foundation’s Head, Saffrey Brown, said there are huge benefits to be had from social enterprises, and welcomed the research.

 

Among the findings of the study, which was presented by Acting Co-Director of the Centre for Leadership and Governance, Shinique Walters, is that the funds from these initiatives are reinvested to undertake projects and will go to welfare, such as a feed the needy students programme.

 

Social enterprises also engender advocacy, capacity building and address social problems, among other things.

 

The study also makes recommendations for social enterprises in secondary schools.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, addresses the launch of a social enterprise study at the British High Commission in New Kingston on February 15.

JIS: The Ministry of Education Youth and Information has endorsed the use of the Stay Alert App developed by the Ministry of National Security. This app is one way for students, teachers, and other persons to be proactive in taking personals steps to aid in their safety.

 

The ministry also notes that many schools have policies relating to cell phones, and while clear policies are to be developed and enforced, the ministry’s position, pursuant to the revision of the Safety and Security Policy Guidance 2015, is that the education, youth and information ministry fully supports the use of technology and the use of mobile phones in the teaching and learning environment.

 

The Ministry has also instructed that school officials determine to what extent, if any, phones should be used during school-contact time.

 

With the increased use of technology, the Stay Alert APP in the hands of students is being encouraged.

 

The ministry notes from previous reports that thousands of prank calls to emergency numbers such as 119 have been made and is encouraging the responsible and appropriate use of the app.

 

 

 

Social Media

 

 

The Safety and Security Policy Guidance manual also speaks to the ministry’s policy on the use of mobile phone and social media.

 

Section 3.9, under the sub-heading Inappropriate Use of Mobile Phones, says: “With the increase in the use of technology, the Ministry endorses the use of mobile phones, which can be used to aid in the learning environment of students. Boards of schools are therefore encouraged to develop clear polices based on their particular situation with the use, or lack thereof, in this regard.

 

“3.10 Inappropriate use of other electronic devices

 

These devices include cameras, MP3 players and Game-Boys. Similar procedures as applied to mobile phones should be followed for all unauthorised electronic devices. Principals are directed to set clear rules and guidelines for those electronic devices that are allowed in the school. For items prohibited, similar procedures apply as outlined above.

 

 

 

GUIDELINES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA USE IN SCHOOLS

 

 

The purpose of this section is to outline the Ministry’s standard guidelines for social media use. These guidelines are as follows:

 

The information posted online will follow you into adulthood and sometimes the damage created may affect your career goals.

 

Social media venues are public and information can be shared beyond your control. Be conscious of what you post online as you will leave a long-lasting impression on many different audiences.

 

Do not post or link anything (photos, videos, web pages, audio files, forums, groups, fan pages, etc) to your social-networking sites that you wouldn’t want friends, peers, parents, teachers, school administrators, or future employers to access. What you present on social networking forums represents you forever.

 

If a student sees anything of concern on another student social networking page or account, they should immediately contact the dean of discipline, guidance counsellor, or another adult within the school community.

 

Think before you post. The ministry asks students to use discretion when posting to the Internet.

 

The Ministry reserves the right to request school-related images or content posted without permission to be removed from the Internet.

 

Do not misrepresent yourself by using someone else’s identity. Remember, identity theft is a major crime.

 

When responding to others, remember to be respectful and avoid comments that may be hurtful. Do not use profane, obscene, or threatening language.

 

 

 

NOT APPROPRIATE

 

 

On and offline pornography is not appropriate for students. Students shall not participate in materials containing explicit description or display of sexual activities.

 

Only accept invitations to share information from people you know. Utilise privacy settings to control access to your network, web pages, profile, posts, blogs, wikis, podcasts, digital media, forums, groups, fan pages, etc.

 

Most human-trafficking recruiters solicit their victims online. Human trafficking is dangerous as research has shown that only one in every 100 victims is recovered.

 

Online stalkers and identity thieves are a real threat. Never share personal information, including, but not limited to, social security numbers, phone numbers, addresses, exact birth dates, and pictures with parties you don’t know or on unsecured sites.

 

Users should keep their passwords secured and never share passwords with others. If someone tampers with your blog, email, or social-networking account without you knowing about it, you could be held accountable.

 

Cyber bullying is considered an act of harassment. Avoid using electronic communication to intimidate or threaten others online.

 

Use of your schools logos or images on your personal social-networking sites is prohibited. If you wish to promote a specific school activity or event, you may do so only by means of a link to the official school Facebook account, Twitter account, or YouTube channel.

 

– Courtesy of Ministry of Education, Youth and Information

 

CAPTION: In this file photo, Rickeem Raybe is all smiles as he checks out the new tablet he received during a handover ceremony for Tablets in Schools at the Haile Selassie High School, 16-24 Payne Avenue, in Kingston.

JIS: Executive Director, Junior Achievement Jamaica, Alphie Mullings-Aiken, is urging young people to pursue career paths that will enable them to create wealth while offering solutions to some of society’s problems.

 

She noted that many innovative ideas have been developed in the areas of information communication technology and robotics.

 

She cited the example of Whatsapp, a free messaging and calling application, which has provided a solution to high telecommunications costs.

 

Mrs. Mullings-Aiken, who was addressing a youth forum at the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s (PIOJ) Oxford Road offices on February 17, urged the participants to begin to think about how they can make an impact.

 

“I want you to think about what is the problem I have personally, how can I solve that and how can I make money from that? That’s what our entrepreneurs are doing around the world,” she pointed out.

 

The forum was staged by Junior Achievement Jamaica in partnership with the Vision 2030 Jamaica Secretariat at the PIOJ and formed part of activities to mark National Careers Week from February 13 to 17 under the theme: ‘Expanding Horizons for Vision 2030’.

 

It included interactive sessions highlighting new and emerging jobs in order to assist students in making wise career choices. It also provided them with an all day experience in a work environment.

 

Programme Director, Vision 2030 Jamaica Secretariat, Elizabeth Emanuel, told JIS News that the objective was to engage students in a “visioning exercise” about the Jamaica they want by 2030.

 

It also served to help them better understand their role in the fulfilment of the National Development Plan.

 

“So they are not only beneficiaries of whatever development gains that we (achieve), but they also contribute to making Jamaica that place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business,” she said.

 

CAPTION: Programme Director, Vision 2030 Jamaica Secretariat, Elizabeth Emanuel, interacts with students participating in a youth forum held at the Oxford Road offices of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) on February 17. The forum, which was put on by Junior Achievement Jamaica in partnership with the Vision 2030 Jamaica Secretariat was held as part of activities to mark National Careers Week 2017 from February 13 to 17.

JIS: The new National Standard Curriculum (NSC), will better prepare students for high academic achievements, says Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid.

 

Speaking at a recent media conference, held at the offices of the Overseas Examination Commission, in St. Andrew, the Minister said the system is a sound initiative to help students in their quest for tertiary education.

 

With implementation of the NSC in grades 1, 4, 7, 8 and 9 already, Senator Reid said some 13,000 teachers have received training for the curriculum, and “plans are in place for full rollout of the other grades in September 2017.”

 

The Minister emphasised that effectiveness of the education system depends largely on devising programms to meet the “diverse needs” of students.

 

“For our education system to be effective, we have to cater to the multiple intelligences of our children, and their diverse needs, in order to fully maximize their capabilities,” the Minister said.

 

Under the NSC, launched in March 2016, students at grades 12 and 13 have the opportunity, through the Career Advancement Programme (CAP), to move into the traditional sixth form programme, or a technical sixth form programme, which also include opportunities under the National Apprenticeship Programme.

 

Meanwhile, Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean, explained that the examinations in the new system deal with issues of culture, international affairs, general awareness and projects.

 

 She pointed out that students will start sitting exams under the NSC in May 2019, adding that this will allow for “critical thinking, problem solving and giving our students the opportunity to apply what they have learnt.”

 

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

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, is urging students to pursue career paths that will enable them to become developers of goods and services that will ultimately redound to the benefit of the economy.

 

The Minister was addressing the National Careers Week 2017 regional forum at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston today (Feb. 16).

 

“How many times have you seen ‘made in Jamaica’ (as it relates) to electronics? Isn’t that a shame? If we want Jamaica to be great, it means that we have to get to the stage where what we produce and consume have the label ‘made in Jamaica’,” he said.

 

He urged them to cognisant of the changing 21st labour market, which requires higher levels of training and skill sets.

 

“The Ministry is (ensuring) that we give you all the opportunities for self-development, all the opportunities to develop your knowledge and skills, providing you a pathway to university, providing you a pathway to become entrepreneurs, so you will remain in Jamaica and make Jamaica a great country,” he said.

 

He added that the Government is also ensuring that all students have a place in secondary schools.

 

“Whether you are going to be your own bosses, you still require high levels of education and training and, certainly, those of you who become entrepreneurs will require highly skilled and productive workers,” he said.

 

The regional forum formed part of Careers Week 2017, which runs from February 11-17. The event showcased the work of young people involved in programmes that are focused on preparing them for the workplace and business. These include the Career Advancement Programme (CAP), Junior Achievement Company of Entrepreneurs and the Jamaica BizTown.

 

The week, which is being observed under the theme ‘Expanding Horizons for Vision 2030’, is the premier initiative to strengthen the future paths of young people in an effort to prepare them for the world of work, entrepreneurship and higher education.

 

Activities for the week includes church services, library expositions, school career expositions, a poster competition, international career discussions, a public forum at Emancipation Park in Kingston and forums in all six regions.

 

The week is organised by the Education Ministry, HEART Trust/NTA and Junior Achievement Jamaica.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left), interacts with students of the St. Patrick Primary School while teacher Orlando Sculley (2nd left) looks on. Occasion was the National Careers Week 2017 regional forum at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston today (Feb. 16). The students are (from left): Tamilia Minott, Adriano Harris and Nyoka Betton.

JIS: Persons without formal qualifications, but with the requisite experience and vocational skills, will soon be able to access higher education.

 

This will be made possible through the National Qualification Framework of Jamaica (NQF-J), which facilitates the identification of various avenues individuals can take to higher education, depending on the level of these qualifications. It also facilitates mature entry into programmes.

 

The NQF-J, which was officially launched yesterday (February 15) at The Knutsford Court Hotel, in St. Andrew, is a new national policy for regulated qualifications in Jamaica’s education and training system.

 

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, explained that the NQF-J has been introduced as a way of standardising and improving the quality of training in Jamaica.

 

“The NQF-J is one way of bridging the gap between academic qualification and technical vocational qualification. The focus is on creating a track for the occupational degrees that is separate from traditional degrees or straight vocational qualification,” he added.

 

Senator Reid pointed out that the NQF-J should level the playing field “by neutralising all qualifications so multiple pathways and multiple assessments will allow all persons to be qualified by age 30.”

 

The Minister said that with the onset of globalisation and the mobility of the workforce in the Caribbean and elsewhere, it is necessary to put a system in place that standardises qualifications that are recognised at home and abroad.

 

He further informed that the NQF-J will provide a register in which all the qualifications in the general, secondary, post-secondary, tertiary or professional sectors in all eight levels offered in the Jamaican education and training system are housed.

 

“It is intended to improve access to work and further learning by ensuring that qualifications are relevant to employment and learning, and meet the needs of learners, the economy and education and training institutions,” he said.

 

The Minister noted that by providing greater transparency within the national qualifications system, the NQF-J will support greater progression and mobility for lifelong learning through education and training pathways.

 

“It will also enable flexible and individualised learning and employability through increased access to assessment and certification, and greater recognition and certification of learning and achievements,” he said.

 

In addition, the matriculation and articulation requirements of the NQF-J allow persons to get credits for courses done, whether through apprenticeship or in the formal system.

 

The Framework is one of the activities undertaken by the Jamaica Tertiary Education Commission (J-TEC), as part of the fulfilment of its mandate.

 

Meanwhile, Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, J-TEC, Maxine Henry-Wilson, said the establishment of the Framework is in furtherance of the Commission’s mission to improve Jamaica’s tertiary system, by working with institutions to ensure that they are internationally competitive, relevant and accessible.

 

“Jamaica is known for having a high quality, high calibre tertiary system, and we want to make sure we keep that tradition, but that we make it more accessible to all who have the ambition, even if they don’t have the qualifications yet,” she said.

 

The J-TEC is mandated to register, monitor and measure the performance of institutions which offer tertiary studies in Jamaica, including online delivery of programmes.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left), is greeted by Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, Jamaica Tertiary Education Commission (J-TEC), Maxine Henry-Wilson, when he arrived at The Knutsford Court Hotel in St. Andrew on Wednesday (February 15) to attend the launching ceremony for the National Qualification Framework of Jamaica (NQF-J). The NQF-J is a new national policy for regulated qualifications in Jamaica’s education and training system.

JIS: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the Government has honoured its financial commitments to secondary schools under the non-mandatory fees policy and the institutions have complied with the measure.

 

The policy, which abolishes the payment of auxiliary fees, came into effect at the start of the 2016-17 school year in September. It discontinued the payment of mandatory fees by parents and instead accommodated voluntary contributions.

 

The budgetary support to schools for operational costs was increased from $2.6 billion to $5.3 billion, with the allocation per student moving from $11,000 to $19,000. Minister Reid said the funds were disbursed to the schools on time to allow for them to operate in an orderly manner.

 

Payments were made in June, September and November, the latter of which was a month ahead of schedule.

 

“We are ahead of our schedule and the final phase will be April, and we are well funded to be able to deliver on these commitments,” the Education Minister said.

 

He informed that funding for the next school year will be delivered in June.

 

Describing the change as a win-win for parents, the schools and the Ministry, Senator Reid said a positive relationship has been developed, where parents, without being forced, are making contributions to the development of schools.

 

He informed that support has been also been provided for non-establishment staff in order to meet needs at the schools.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (2nd right), addresses a press conference at the offices of the Overseas Examinations Commission in Kingston on February 14 to give an update on developments in the education sector. Others (from left) are: Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean; Permanent Secretary, Deanroy Bernard; and State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Floyd Green.

JIS: The Labour Market Reform Commission has identified apprenticeship as one solution to some of the issues facing the labour market, such as high youth unemployment and low levels of certification.

 

This was disclosed by Director General of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Dr. Wayne Henry, at the opening of a two-day Labour Market Forum at the Spanish Court Hotel on February 14, to look at transforming the job market through apprenticeships.

 

The Government is looking to strengthen the national apprenticeship programme to ensure greater access to training, certification and employment opportunities for young people.

 

This will reduce the number of unattached youth and ensure that persons have job-ready skills.

 

Among the models being look at is the Australian system, which makes it mandatory for every youth who wants to transition into the formal economy to go through an apprenticeship programme that is supported by the private sector.

 

Dr. Henry noted that while various apprenticeship models exist, “it is for us as a country, Government, private sector, and educators, to define Jamaica’s apprenticeship programme within a coherent framework, with strong private sector buy-in and ownership.”

 

He said that apprenticeships must not only be seen as a job placement tool, but also a productivity tool that must be utilised to improve the prospects of the employer, worker and the economy.

 

“All of us as partners and stakeholders – public and private sectors – can contribute to empowering individuals and businesses, enhancing income security, and improving quality of life as vital pillars on the development landscape,” Dr. Henry said.

 

The Director General pointed to the need to ensure a certified workforce and for diversification of the programme offerings in educational institutions to include emerging occupational fields such as robotics, animation, criminology, forensic science, entrepreneurship, logistics management and aeronautical engineering and mechanics.

 

Meanwhile, the Director General said it is anticipated that the main outcomes of the forum will be to further the dialogue among critical stakeholders on the strengthening and expansion of the apprenticeship programme and to engage the private sector and industry groups in delivery and ownership.

 

He added that the insights of the team of panellists with their wide range of experiences with apprenticeship programmes locally and globally will help to broaden Jamaica’s perspective and help to chart the desired course.

 

“It is my sincere hope that the (forum) is enlightening and rewarding as we advance and improve our National Apprenticeship Programme and, by extension, Jamaica’s labour market to meet our national sustainable development imperatives,” Dr. Henry said.

 

The Labour Market Forum involved collaboration among the PIOJ, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the HEART Trust/NTA under the theme: ‘Apprenticeship for the XX1 Century: A Model for Latin America and the Caribbean’.

 

Participants engaged in discussions around transforming the labour market to promote social and economic development through apprenticeships.

 

The Labour Market Reform Commission is comprised of representatives of trade unions, employers, academia, and the public sector and is supported by a Secretariat, which operates out of the PIOJ.

 

It was established to assess the state of the labour market and propose policy prescriptions to facilitate reform to create a labour force that is adaptable to labour market information; increase the knowledge, skills and productivity of the worker; provide the worker with adequate social protection; and protect the employability and life earnings of the worker.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (centre); Director General, Planning Institute of Jamaica, Dr. Wayne Henry (left); and General Manager of the Inter-American Development Bank, Country Department Caribbean Group, Therese Turner-Jones, enjoy a light moment at the opening of a two-day Labour Market Forum at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston on February 14.

JIS: Over $56 million has been set aside in the 2017-18 Estimates of Expenditure for the continued upgrading and expansion of facilities at the University of Technology (UTech).

 

The allocation will provide for the completion of shared lecture facilities including installation of furniture and commissioning.

 

The project, which started in July 2008 and originally scheduled to end in December 2012, aims to enhance the university’s capacity to provide quality level education in Jamaica. After two extensions, it will end in September 2017.

 

Achievements up to December 2016 include completion of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, the Environmental Laboratory, Student Union and Daycare, laboratory and electrical upgrading.

 

There was strengthening of institutional capacity in several areas. These include improvement in information and communications technology, income diversification strategy, human resource capacity, and enhancement of the quality of learning and teaching.