JIS: More schools across the island are to benefit from the construction of 26 sanitation blocks this fiscal year.

 

A sum of $200 million has been set aside in the 2017/18 Estimates of Expenditure to carry out this activity under the School Sanitation Project.

 

The project aims to replace pit latrines with flush toilets in order to reduce the contamination of underground water and reduce the spread of diseases caused by faecal matter.

 

To date, under the project, sanitation blocks have been completed in 59 schools islandwide.

 

The project was started in January 2012, and, following further extensions, is slated to end in March 2018.

 

It is being implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), with money provided through the PetroCaribe Development Fund.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has expressed satisfaction at how financial and other resources are being used to assist the teaching-learning process in schools across St. Elizabeth.

 

In an interview with JIS News following a recent tour of a number of primary and high schools in the parish, the Minister said the early disbursement of funds to educational institutions, not only in St. Elizabeth but across the island, has been making a significant difference in improving operations.

 

“At all the schools that I have visited, the Principals have said how appreciative they have been of how early they have been receiving the funding, and they are able to do far more with these resources, because we have been far more efficient in getting the money to them. So, that has been very comforting and encouraging,” Senator Reid said.

 

The Minister toured the Glen Stewart Primary and Maggoty, Black River and Newell High schools.

 

He said as a Minister who has worked in the formal education system, these tours have given him a true appreciation of the very high interest being shown in education by all stakeholders.

 

“It’s very encouraging as Principal and now as Minister of Education that as I tour these schools, you are feeling the energy…you are having a sense that people are really interested in education,” the Minister said.

 

Senator Reid said he was particularly impressed by the progress being made at Newell High School by the administration, teachers and, in particular, the 1,010 students.

 

He told JIS News that as a school which has had its fair share of challenges, the institution has made remarkable progress and is now rated as a model secondary institution in St. Elizabeth.

 

“They are meeting the needs of the diversity of students they have. This is how we can reach out to all different types of students that come to our schools and how we can uplift them,” the Minister said.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (centre), speaks with Principal of the Newell High School, in St. Elizabeth, Paul Grant (second right), during a visit to the institution recently. Others (from left) are Councillor for the Pedro Plains Division of the St. Elizabeth Parish Council, Jeremy Palmer; Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green and Chairman of the Newell High School Board, Jason Henzell.

JIS: There is a 30 per cent increase in the 2017/18 budget for early-childhood institutions (ECIs), and resources are being set aside to help those institutions most urgently in need of assistance.

 

This was stated by Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, at a meeting with members of Region Five, at Everglades Centre, in Black River, St. Elizabeth on February 17.

 

This was the third in the series of Early Childhood Commission (ECC) Certification fairs, aimed at getting all of the island’s infant schools to operate according to the 12 standards set by the ECC.

 

Senator Reid noted that in the 2016/17 fiscal year, the Ministry also budgeted $30 million to partner with the ministries of Health, and Labour and Social Security to reactivate the stimulation programme for mother and child, from birth to age three.

 

He said that come September, there will be an increase in the allocation for grade-one and -two students from below $1,000 to $2,500 each; and grades seven to nine would move from $11,000 to $19,000 per student.

 

The Minister pointed out that there are examples of persons who informally started a basic school on their verandahs, and it is important that all stakeholders achieve the 12 standards set by the ECC in the shortest possible time.

 

“The objective of today’s fair is to sensitise you about what the standards are and what needs to be done. The rationalisation process is to ensure that more children have access to trained teachers in established, certified, government-operated infant departments and infant schools,” Senator Reid stressed.

 

There are currently 2,859 ECIs operating in Jamaica. Of that number, 2,515 have applied for certification and, to date, only 26 have achieved certification status.

 

As part of the certification process, 206 ECI practitioners have been fingerprinted in order to acquire police records, and 63 have accessed medical examinations. Police records and medical examinations are among the requirements for ECI staff, in keeping with the standards for the operation, management and administration of ECIs.

 

Senator Reid also told the hundreds of participants at the fair that an Oversight Committee is being established to oversee the development of a comprehensive strategy to revitalise the vision for the Jamaican child from birth to eight years.

 

This, he said, is intended to advance the early-childhood-development sector towards internationally accepted levels.

 

Meanwhile, the ECC Chairman, Mrs. Trisha Williams-Singh, said the certification fairs came about as a result of listening to the needs of the practitioners and ensuring that the sector is improved and can move forward.

 

“I am hoping to have 100 institutions certified by August. This drive is solely to improve the standards of our early-childhood institutions. Many times we make decisions without consulting with those most affected. We are now involving the stakeholders for the benefit of our most vulnerable citizens,” she said.

 

Also attending the fair were sponsors and participants, including the Jamaica Constabulary Force; the fire services; National Commercial Bank; Digicel; the College of Agriculture, Science and Education; Carlong Publishers; Child Development Agency; Social Development Commission; Red Cross; and National Bakery.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left); State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Floyd Green (centre) and Member of Parliament for St. Elizabeth North-East, Mr. Evon Redman, watch a performance by infant-school children at the Early Childhood Commission Certification Fair for Region Five, held at Everglades Centre, in Black River, St Elizabeth, on February 17.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the Government is committed to addressing the infrastructure needs of schools across the island.

 

He said that this will be done by increasing capital expenditure, through the work of the National Education Trust (NET), and by forging beneficial partnerships.

 

“The Ministry is very much aware of the challenges and we are committed to addressing the most urgent situations within the context of our overall national plan and available resources,” he said.

 

Senator Reid was addressing the official handing over of the Happy Grove High School in Portland on Thursday (Feb. 16), which has benefitted from a $10 million renovation project.

 

The work was undertaken through funding from the Japanese Government under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects.

 

The Education Minister extended gratitude to the Government and people of Japan for the support.

 

He said the investment represents one of the finest examples of the generosity of Japan to the people of Jamaica.

 

Meanwhile, the Minister urged the students of Happy Grove High to begin to prepare themselves for the job market, which will be driven by technology.

 

“You have to look at how you can combine your dexterity with computers and tablets and modern technology with the evolving needs of the marketplace,” he said.

 

Other speakers at the event were: Japan’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency, Masanori Nakano; Mayor of Port Antonio, Councillor Paul Thompson; Chairman of the school board, David Abrikian; and Principal, Monique Grant-Facey.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator Hon. Ruel Reid (centre), makes a point during a tour of classrooms at the Happy Grove High School in Portland, which was recently renovated through $10 million in support from the Japanese Government. The improvement project was officially handed over to the school on Thursday (February 16). Others (from left) are: Mayor of Port Antonio, Councillor Paul Thompson; Principal, Monique Grant-Facey; Japan’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Masanori Nakano; and Chairman of the school board, David Abrikian.

JIS: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, says progress is being made in making it easier for persons to adopt children in state care.

 

This is even as the Government looks to amend the law to improve the adoption processes and procedures.

 

Mr. Green informed that in January seven children were able to leave state care to live with new parents. He said that some 50 children have been identified for adoption.

 

“We have been making significant strides in adoption. We have put in a new Adoption Board and I am very pleased by the reports that we have been having,” he said.

 

The State Minister was addressing a recent press conference held at the offices of the Overseas Examination Commission in St. Andrew.

 

Persons have complained that the adoption process takes too long. The State Minister noted that part of the challenge has been getting consent from the parents of children for them to be put up for adoption.

 

He said that many parents refuse to confirm their interest in the children and there are persons, who are desirous of taking them into their homes.

 

“The Government will be taking a firm stance; if we have children in our care and people are willing to take care of those children then ways must be found to expedite the process,” Mr. Green pointed out.

 

Turning to other matters, he informed that over 12,000 books will be distributed under the ‘Break the Silence’ campaign being spearheaded by the Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR).

 

The books contain information to assist persons to identify, respond to and report child abuse.

 

As it relates to the Youth Parliament, which was re-convened in January, the State Minister informed that the Ministry is looking to act on some of the issues raised in the presentations.

 

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

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.