JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, is challenging teachers to find new and creative ways of teaching mathematics to students, including the incorporation of technology.

 

“Don’t be afraid of technology; don’t feel, necessarily, that you are less of a person if you use the technology to aid the current process,” he said.

 

Senator Reid was speaking to JIS News following the Jamaica Public Service (JPS)/Marubeni Caribbean Power Scholarship Awards ceremony on Thursday (March 23), at the JPS offices located at 6 Knutsford Boulevard in Kingston.

 

He informed that approximately 70 mathematics coaches have been placed in schools to assist teachers and “we look forward to, over time, put in specialist maths teachers in the primary system”.

 

He urged teachers to excite and motivate their students to learn.

 

“Learning needs to be fun… . If we are going to make sure that our students master mathematics, the teaching has got to be fun as well. We can’t, therefore, approach it in such a way where they lose interest,” he said.

 

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

 

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

 

Introduced in 2011, Calculation Time is a collaborative effort between the Governments of Japan and Jamaica and is designed to improve students’ knowledge and appreciation of mathematics.

 

The initiative incorporates the use of games, toys, music and other non-traditional tools as a means of making the subject fun for the students.

 

The Education Minister lauded the partnership between the countries in improving student achievement in mathematics.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

JIS: THE Early Childhood Commission (ECC) recently formalised a partnership with Digicel Foundation and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide assistance to five early-childhood schools to become certified under the ECC’s 12 Operating Standards.

 

The schools are New Works Primary and Infant, Westmoreland; Upper Rock Spring All-Age and Infant School, Hanover; Pratville Infant Department, Manchester; Carisbrooke Infant Department, St Elizabeth; and Cassava River Primary and Infant Department, St Catherine.

 

Acting executive director of the ECC Karlene Deslandes told JIS News that these schools were selected in an effort to extend assistance to institutions in rural areas where there is need for such an intervention.

 

“The ECC is quite happy for this partnership because it means the 300 children in these five institutions will be positively impacted in terms of their outcomes. We will be providing technical assistance for them to meet our 12 standards, providing guidance as to what is required,” she said.

 

“We work with the schools in terms of their plans and policies. Our officers go out and work with them to get their plans and policies done — the fire plan, nutrition plan and others. They are part of the requirements under the ECC Act and Regulations. We also arrange for training with our agencies, such as the Child Development Agency and public health departments, so that they receive the necessary training in these areas,” Deslandes added.

 

The certification process requires early childhood institutions to satisfy the criteria under the ECC’s standards, which relate to health, safety and educational quality, including teacher qualification certificates. They must also pass a rigorous inspection process.

 

She noted that so far, a site visit has been conducted at Cassava River Primary and Infant. Visits will shortly be made to the other four schools to determine the specific needs of each institution.

JIS: The Enrichment Initiative, which seeks to achieve 100 per cent literacy among primary-school students, has been handed over fully to the Ministry of Education.

 

The project was initiated in 2009 by the Education Ministry and the Digicel Foundation, which provided funding. In 2013, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) came on board with more funding.

 

Through the initiative, Jamaica’s literacy rate at the grade-four level reached 86.5 per cent in 2016, exceeding the ministry’s target of 85 per cent.

 

The programme was handed over to the ministry on Wednesday at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston.

Keynote speaker at the event, State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Floyd Green, said every effort will be made to ensure the continued success of the programme, which has impacted more than 43,000 students from 104 primary schools across the island, so far, who have shown marked improvement in reading and mathematics skills since the programme’s commencement.

 

Green said the initiative has had a significant impact on the primary-level education sector, showing student improvement from 23 per cent to 42 per cent in some schools, after two years of programme intervention.

 

“We at the ministry are pleased at what has been achieved. We have established a number of enrichment centres and 61 mobile enrichment carts. (Participating) schools have been resourced with 258 computers and laptops with educational software. The project included comprehensive training for over 190 teachers in the development areas of literacy, numeracy, special needs and gender strategies,” he informed.

 

He added that more than 60 principals were trained in effective school management, and an enrichment management familiarisation and training manual was developed for schools.

 

Also, a two-year summer intervention programme targeting 1,086 grade-one students who showed weak advancements in literacy was held.  

 

Importantly, 450 information sessions were held with more than 6,000 parents and guardians to incorporate the parent/guardian as an important stakeholder in the development of underperforming children.

 

In her remarks at the ceremony, USAID Mission Director, Maura Barry-Boyle said the collective efforts of the Ministry of Education, the USAID and the Digicel Foundation have successfully improved the early-grade reading skills of hundreds of children and enhanced the parental information necessary to secure a sound education for Jamaica’s future generations.

 

“USAID, together with the ministry and the Digicel Foundation formalised an arrangement to improve literacy at the primary-school level. We did this because we recognise this as a critical means through which Jamaica’s prosperity will be secured,” she said.

 

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Digicel Foundation, Jean Lowrie-Chin, said the four- year project has yielded great success in the improved literacy levels of the students, and thanked the various stakeholders for their unwavering and enthusiastic support of the project.

 

CAPTION: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Floyd Green (right),  in discussion with  United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director, Maura Barry-Boyle (left) and Chairman of the Digicel Foundation, Jean Lowrie-Chin, during the handing over of  the Enrichment Initiative to the Education Ministry on Wednesday at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston. The programme seeks to improve literacy in all primary schools.

JIS: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, says the job market has become very competitive and students should now be guided as it relates to careers they pursue.

 

The Minister, who was speaking at the media launch of the MoBay City Run on March 21 at the Holiday Inn Hotel, St. James, said this has taken on special significance, so as to ensure that students graduating from tertiary institutions are able to find jobs in their areas of speciality.

 

“One of the frank discussions that we must have as a country is that just pursuing a degree is not enough. This is especially so if at the end of the day the currency of that degree is not of a value that can be utilised,” the State Minister said.

 

Mr. Green said he is cognisant that it might not be a popular or a politically correct discussion, but is “one whether we like it or not, that we will have to have”.

 

“There are a number of students who have gone on to pursue tertiary education, and when they come out, they are oftentimes frustrated. They are frustrated because the courses that they have pursued in that field of endeavour do not lend themselves to jobs that are open. What you often find is that those areas are saturated,” the State Minister pointed out.

 

He noted that there are a number of areas that are badly in need of qualified personnel and urged students to explore courses that will make them marketable once they finish school.

 

The State Minister said there are some institutions where 97 per cent of their tertiary graduates are placed in jobs upon completion of their courses, and there are other institutions with rates that “we wouldn’t want to talk about”.

 

“We have to do some realignment in the tertiary sector. We have started the discussion where we have appointed some youth advisors to advise us on some of the tough decisions we will have to make in our Ministry,” he said.

 

The Minister said the advisors have been asked to look at the funding model of the tertiary institutions, as “we are in a climate where resources are scarce and we really have to look at how we prioritise those resources”.

 

“They have submitted their recommendations and we will be looking at them. We will engage our universities and community colleges in that discussion, to find out if we are adequately aligning our funding of tertiary education,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, Chairman of the organising committee, Janet Silvera, said everything is in place to ensure that this will be the biggest Montego Bay City Run yet.

 

“We are expecting to have approximately 4,000 participants, up from the 3,000 we had last year. We have some very good sponsors on board, and there is a great deal of enthusiasm in the communities across the region,” she said.

 

The MoBay City Run is a charity event that raises funds to assist needy students attending tertiary institutions in western Jamaica

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, addressing the media launch of the 3rd annual Mo Bay City Run at the Holiday Inn Hotel in St. James on March 21.

JIS: The Mico University College will launch ‘The Education Conversation Series’, on Thursday, March 23, under the distinguished patronage of Governor General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen.

 

In an interview with JIS News, Pro Chancellor and Chairman of the Mico Board, Professor Neville Ying, said the focus of the first conversation will be on the ‘Migration of Teachers: Opportunities for Game-changing Strategies for Teacher Education’.

 

Explaining the focus, Professor Ying said that migration of teachers is a trend and it is an important issue facing the education system in terms of loss of teachers, especially in critical areas such as mathematics and science.

 

“It is now an opportunity for us to take seriously the whole issue of migration, which is a fact of life. Rather than thinking of it as a threat, we should think of it as an opportunity to come up with some game-changing strategies for teacher education,” he said.

 

Participating in the conversation will be the Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, who will speak on how to use migration as an opportunity to come up with creative strategies for teacher education.

 

Meanwhile, Director General of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Dr. Wayne Henry, will align his presentation to Jamaica’s policy on international migration and development, which is now being developed by the PIOJ and other partners. Former Ambassador to China and the United States of America, Ralph Thomas, will speak to the international perspective of the topic.

 

The presentations will be followed by interactive conversations. According to Professor Ying, Education is the single most important vehicle to achieve sustainable development which is critical to achieving Vision 2030 goal number one – empowering people.

 

He added that the 180-year-old The Mico University College, as the leader in teacher education, will always use the opportunity “to demonstrate our core values, through leadership, service, integrity and excellency in performance, so that is why we think we are in an ideal position to lead this series”.

 

Professor Ying is encouraging Jamaicans to be a part of the ‘Conversation’, which will be held at the Enos Nuttall Lecture Theatre, The Mico University College Campus, starting at 6:00 p.m.

 

Two follow-up ‘Conversations’ will also be held later this year and will look at crime and the economic growth agenda.

 

CAPTION: In this file photo, Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (right), is greeted by Pro-Chancellor of the Mico University College, Professor Neville Ying, at the launch of the University and College Leadership Training Programme (UCLTP), last year at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge and Conference Centre, University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus.

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.