The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) officially broke ground for implementation of the Safe Passage Project at the Roehampton Primary School in St. James, on Thursday (July 28).

The project is being funded by the Government at a cost of $20 million and is expected to be completed in October of this year.

The Safe Passage Project aims to provide a safe environment for students as they traverse specific streets and bus stops that are surrounding, near to or on school campuses, as well as comprehensive public education and road-safety programmes to include staff, students and residents.

Scope of work for the project will include the construction of a sidewalk, bus stop, guardrails, U-drain/box culvert, 190 metres of fencing, traffic signals and pedestrian crossing.

The project forms part of JSIF’s Integrated Community Development Project – Phase 2 (ICDP II).

In his remarks, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Homer Davis, who is also Member of Parliament for St. James Southern, thanked JSIF for implementing the project in Roehampton.

“School should be a safe space for all, not only for learning but also for play. When they (children) step out on the road, the necessary road and school signs must be there to protect them,” Mr. Davis said.

“The partnership between JSIF and these local schools couldn’t come at a better time, and I know the teachers and the students are very happy for this project. It is a project that is very far-reaching, very profound and it will uplift the way people behave,” he added.

For her part, Senior Manager of Social Development at JSIF, Mona Sue Ho, said that the project is for “our children and for our future. They deserve to work in the future, but for now as they are in school, they deserve the best possible learning environment, and they also deserve to get to school safely and to go back home to their parents and guardians safely”.

She added that the agency will also be working with the Ministry of Transport and Mining to have road-safety clubs in Roehampton Primary.

Principal of Roehampton Primary, Dane Julius, expressed gratitude to JSIF for the project.

“The safety of our children is of extreme importance to all of us, especially in a time when there are so many accidents on our roadways. This Safe Passage Project will not just cater to the students and staff at Roehampton Primary but will extend to other pedestrians who will [traverse] the roadway in this vicinity,” he said.

The project is set to benefit some 120 students, seven teachers and two auxiliary staff members of the school.

The tertiary education of children exiting State care will be fully funded by the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), through its Transitional Living Programme (TLP).

This was noted by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CPFSA, Rosalee Gage-Grey, at the agency’s Transitional Living Expo for the Western and Northeast Regions, at the St. John Methodist Church Hall in Montego Bay, St. James, on July 19.

“There is a guarantee that once you matriculate to university or college, we will pay those tuition fees for you, so all you have to do is pass the exams and get into college, and the rest we will take care of,” the CEO said.

Mrs. Gage-Grey added that through the TLP, the CPFSA wants to ensure that the children in State care are prepared to take their rightful place in society.

“Whatever you want to be, we want to make sure that you are prepared to transition from our care. We want to prepare you for whatever, so if you want to go to college, if you want to do some skills, whatever it is, we are here for that support for you,” she pointed out.

Under the TLP, youngsters are exposed to different pathways to aid in their readiness for independent living. These include life skills, coaching, entrepreneurship, vocational and technical skills training, house accommodation for two years, as well as tertiary enrolment.

Wards who are unable to transition directly into tertiary programmes after leaving State care are provided the opportunity to participate in the agency’s Transition to Work Programme, under the vocational skills component of the project.

This is being done through private-public partnership at tertiary institutions, including the University of the West Indies Open Campus, The Mico University, and St. Joseph’s Teachers’ college, among others.

The expo was held as part of a series of events in commemoration of Transitional Living Week 2022, which was observed from July 18 to July 22.

It was aimed at sensitising about 700 children in State care, between 16 and 18 years old, as well as the public, to the agency’s TLP, highlighting its role and achievements in helping children to transition successfully from State care into adulthood.

For his part, Director of Programmes at the CPFSA, Warren Thompson, said the programme seeks to ensure that persons transitioning State care have access to their education and achieve something and “in terms of your education, we want to know that you are alright while you are going to school”.

“So, we pay your tuition; if you are living on campus, we pay your boarding; if we need to find housing for you, we try to find housing for you, we pay rent for some people; we have some transitional living homes where some youngsters apply for housing and are accommodated there. So, we are there to support you,” Mr. Thompson added.

Some of the services offered at the expo included passport, birth certificate and tax registration number (TRN) processing, bank account processing, HEART/NSTA Trust application processing, and free eye testing.

Organisations represented at the expo were the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Tax Administration Jamaica, National Commercial Bank (NCB), Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Registrar General’s Department (RGD), Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College and Broadbent Eyewear.

The Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY) is reminding stakeholders that the Ministry does not facilitate the general transfer of students from one school to another.

In a bulletin released by the MOEY, it was stated that the Ministry will only assist with transfers in cases of proximity, where a student may have been placed at a school in which he/she would need to travel long distances from home.

Where parents are seeking transfers for children already placed in schools through the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) placement process, these parents/guardians are being reminded that it is their responsibility to contact a school that is willing to accept their child/children.

The procedure for transfer is parents/guardians submit a letter of request for transfer to the school, the accepting school should provide the parent/guardian with an acceptance letter, the acceptance letter should be taken to the school where the child was originally placed, the school administrator must provide the parent with a release letter.

In addition, the parent/guardian is then required to write a letter addressed to the Permanent Secretary, MOEY, requesting approval for transfer. This letter must be accompanied by the acceptance and release letters and should be taken to the respective regional office.

Finally, the MOEY, through the regional offices, will send approval letters to the accepting and releasing schools within one week from the date received.

For additional information, queries can be sent to [email protected] or call the Ministry’s regional offices across the island.

The Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) will observe its annual Transitional Living Week from July 18-22 under the theme: ‘Preparing now for a Better Tomorrow’.

Director of Children and Family Programmes at the CPFSA, Warren Thompson, told JIS News that the objective of the week is to give youngsters in State care the opportunity to be exposed to the various services that are available to them, including the Transitional Living Programme, which facilitates their shift to independent living.

The week will begin with a resume workshop sponsored by Massy Group on Monday (July18), which will include sessions on resume writing, personal branding, dressing for work and mock interviews.

Mr. Thompson said that the activity is targeted at young people in the Transitional Living Programme.

This means that they are enrolled in an educational programme, are getting some support from the CPFSA in terms of subsistence allowance and are being assisted with housing where necessary.

“They are out of the care system, but we are helping them to transition into independent living,” Mr. Thompson noted.

On Tuesday (July 19) the first of two transitional living symposia will be held at the St. Johns Methodist Church Hall in Montego Bay.

This will take the form of an expo with several entities on hand such the HEART/ NSTA Trust, the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Registrar General’s Department (RGD), Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), National Housing Trust (NHT), educational institutions, business operators and financial institutions. This event targets youngsters in State care, between ages 16 and 18, who are preparing to exit childcare facilities.

Children’s officers assigned to the Transitional Living Programme will participate in an internal workshop on Wednesday, July 20.

“This is to ensure that everybody is clear on the components of the programme and the procedures,” Mr. Thompson pointed out.

The second symposium, covering the southern and south-east regions, will be held at the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium, Jamaica College on Thursday (July 21). Representatives from several entities will be on hand to engage the youngsters.

The week will culminate with a virtual information session on Friday (July 22), which will provide an opportunity for those in care to ask questions about the Transitional Living Programme.

Also on the day, youngsters who have successfully transitioned over the years, will be hosted at a luncheon.

“They would have completed a programme of education, are employed or about to start working, no longer receiving a stipend from the CPFSA, no longer receiving housing support, but are successfully living independently without support from the State,” Mr. Thompson noted.

The Transitional Living Programme aims to ensure the independent living of Jamaican youth leaving residential State care at 18 years, and reduce risk factors such as unemployment, involvement in crime, substance abuse, and teenage pregnancy.

Applications are now open for the Public Sector Education Grants.

The grants which are being offered through the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service are open to qualified public sector officers and their children as of July 11. The closing date to apply is August 19.

Speaking with JIS News, Director of Strategic Workforce Planning, Donovan Leon noted that since the introduction of the grants in 2017, many persons have applied for doing their CSEC exams, masters and doctoral studies. “I have seen a lot of persons use the grants to complete professional certifications. The maximum of the grant is… $150,000.00 per person, subject to the availability of funds.” Mr. Leon said.

“Naturally, you can always have unlimited demands but the supply side can somewhat be a challenge. We accommodate as much as possible and ensure that…we are in the best position to satisfy that demand.” Mr. Leon noted.

He explained the types of documents needed to apply for the grants. “You need a job letter, an acceptance letter or transcript if you’re a returning student, you’ll need your tuition letter outlining your school fee. You’ll also need a copy of your TRN, the completed application form and the verification form which must be completed by your respective HRD [human resource department].” Mr. Leon said.

Mr. Leon also added that children of public sector workers are eligible for the grants, but the application must be done by the parent. “For the children of public sector workers, it’s just an additional birth certificate for the child as well as the acceptance letter or transcript that is needed to apply. It’s straightforward in terms of the documents needed. All submissions are done electronically, so once you have the relevant document, you can upload to the designated email, which is [email protected].” Mr. Leon told JIS News.

Individuals can only apply once for a grant. Mr. Leon said the grants are meant to provide a one-time assistance. “In recent times, there was some flexibility that was applied in light of the CoVID-19 period but that is not the norm. It’s really intended to be a one-time benefit but where possible, what I can say is that we try to assist,” he said.

It is approximately eight weeks after the closing period for the funds to be disbursed on behalf of the successful applicant. “Typically, what happens is that once we have received the documents and everything is in order, what we normally do is issue a commitment letter to the school, which allows students to register and access any sort of documentation that they need, prior to the funds reaching their accounts.” Mr. Leon said.

He added that this process may be delayed or fast tracked based on the number of applications received.

Persons can get more information on applying for the grants by visiting the ministry’s website, mof.gov.jm, and navigate to the scholarships page. “You should see a section that has details on which links to navigate to access the respective grant programme that is for the public sector.” Mr. Leon concluded.

Apply Here for Grants for Public Officers: https://forms.gle/EAy2aB2YRrmeUi5p6

Apply Here for the Grants for Children of Public Sector Workers: https://forms.gle/ntMmMfMf6koa1Cn38

In an effort to promote positive behavioural change and management of conflict within schools, 2398 participants across 81 schools were trained in conflict resolution.

The schools include 78 high and 24 primary, and were grouped under phase one of the Restorative Justice Workshops for students, teachers, and parents.

Training was conducted from May 9 to July 1 and was led by the Ministry of Justice and the Safety and Security Branch of the Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY).

During the award ceremony held Friday (July 15) at the Jamaica College auditorium in St. Andrew, participants were recognised from across all education regions.

There, Minister of Justice, Hon Delroy Chuck noted the workshop training as vital, because “Jamaica is being torn apart by wrongdoing of all kinds.

“Within the schools, we hope that restorative justice can be taught and practised because we feel that in the schools, youngsters get into disputes and these are natural parts of the ‘growing-up process’. They need the skills to be able to resolve their differences, and avoid the use of violence,” he said.

“While we’re doing this, we hope to engage all the churches across Jamaica to engage in the restorative justice practices, and we have been in touch with the Church of God and also the Seventh-Day Adventist churches to ensure they utilise restorative justice,” he further pointed out.

Minister of Education and Youth, Hon Fayval Williams lauded the programme as one which promotes “positive relationships between peers and between students and teachers as well as pro-social behaviours through the development of social and emotional skills.

“We cannot continue to use violence as the first resort,” she emphasised.

Against this backdrop, Director (Acting) for the Safety and Security Branch in the MOEY, Richard Troupe, said phase two of the programme will begin in the last week of September with 104 schools.

“We’ll begin training and we will do this every term because we’re committed to impacting every single school,” he said.

He encouraged educators and school leaders to use the restorative justice centres as a tool to treat with student conflicts, “because, beyond school suspensions and exclusions, we want to heal our community.”

The Ministry of Justice has established 20 restorative justice centres across the 14 parishes on the island. The centres are available to assist parties to resolve conflicts and the aftermath, in a positive and law-abiding manner.

Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, is imploring parents to ensure that their children are engaged in the summer school programme as it will benefit their long-term development.

Speaking with JIS News, she said it is “painful”’ to see parents having children work instead of taking advantage of the programme.

“I know what the child is missing if they give up their education and I’d love to say to our parents who are [allowing] that: ‘it’s a short-term benefit that you enjoy today but think of the long-term for your child and their education’,” she said.

“They will be able to help you so much more if you allow them to get their education. They’ll be able to get a better job to help you, rather than earning the little bit now,” she emphasised.

The national summer school programme, which commenced on July 4, is aimed at addressing loss of learning due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Classes are being held online and face-to-face over four weeks up to July 28.

Minister Williams is reporting that there has been “a steady build” in the number of students accessing lessons since the start on Monday.

“They are utilising the face-to-face facility, and there are students online as well. We’re going to tally up those numbers and get a sense of where we are,” she said.

She noted that prior to the start of the programme, some students were contacted who “needed a bit more learning assistance” and we “hope they will take advantage of this offering that we have for them”.

Minister Williams said that no consideration is being given to extending the programme beyond July. However, she noted that the Ministry will continue to seek out “other types of interventions” to help students recover from learning loss.

More than 700 primary-level teachers who have received electronic vouchers (e-vouchers) under the ‘Laptop for Teachers’ initiative are yet to redeem their vouchers for devices and are being urged by the Ministry of Education and Youth to do so.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, said the latest numbers show that 8,852 e-vouchers for laptops have been issued to primary-level teachers across the island, and of that number, only 8,139 have been redeemed.

Speaking with journalists in Clarendon on Sunday (July 3), the Minister said: “We’re almost at the end of this process for the primary schools; the next phase is the high schools.”

She said that although there were concerns about availability of the devices, in the early stages of the project “since then, vendors have brought in more supplies”.

With the e-vouchers, teachers can visit an approved vendor location to purchase a laptop that meets the minimum specifications of project developers, e- Learning Jamaica Limited.

The Minister informed that the vouchers are valued at $90,000, and “based on the specifications as given by e-learning, teachers should be able to find a device for that price”.

She noted, however, that teachers who desire a higher-end device would have to pay an additional amount.

The ‘Laptop for Teachers’ programme involves collaboration with the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA).

Education and Youth Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, is appealing to parents to provide adequate supervision for their children and not to leave them home alone.

In an emotional send-off on Sunday (July 3) for two Clarendon sisters who perished in a fire at their Haylesfield home on March 24, Minister Williams said parents should “ensure that [children] are always in the care of an adult, as you never know what the tragedy will be”.

“Hold your children a little closer,” she said.

A small casket at the Race Course Seventh-day Adventist Church bore the remains of four-year-old Kayla Tomlinson and three-year-old Abigail Tomlinson, who were home alone when the fire started.

In her tribute, the Minister called on the community to support the grieving parents, Micey Walters and Owen Tomlinson, who wept openly and sometimes uncontrollably. She said the deaths had gripped the nation with a deep sense of sorrow.

“Pray with your children,” the Minister urged. “Ask God’s guidance over them because none of us can imagine the pain [of the parents] and none of us would want such a situation to happen to any of us”.

She extended sympathy on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Youth, and the entire education sector, noting that, “all our hearts were broken as we received the tragic news of these deaths”.

Other tributes for the sisters came from Councillor for the Race Course Division, Pauline Reynolds, relatives of the children, and teachers and students at the Race Course Primary and Infant School.

Principal, Monica Smiley, described the grief felt by the school community as “unimaginable”.

Little Kayla was a student at the institution, while Abigail was registered to take up enrolment in September.

“Kayla was a bright girl who participated well in everything. Whenever I go into her class, she’s always ready to high-five. She was a pleasant little girl, and we will miss her dearly,” Mrs. Smiley said.

The funeral was officiated by Pastor Loxley Tulloch and the sisters were laid to rest at the family plot in Haylesfield.

Fifty-one primary and infant schools are to benefit from a donation of 100 water tanks, valued over $9 million.

The 1,000-gallon black tanks, along with fittings, were provided by the United States (US) Southern Humanitarian Command Program (USSHCP), through the National Education Trust (NET).

The USSHCP’s donation is in support of the Ministry of Education and Youth’s efforts to ensure the safe operation of in-person school in light of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Speaking at the handover ceremony on Tuesday (June 28) at Jamaica College in St. Andrew, Portfolio Minister, Fayval Williams, expressed gratitude for the contribution, noting that “it will assist the Ministry to improve the general teaching and learning environment of the selected schools.”

“It will also support the Ministry’s campaign for safe operation of schools, during the face-face delivery of the curriculum,” she pointed out.

The Minister noted that the donation of the tanks also “serves to underscore the importance of the bilateral and multilateral cooperation that we have enjoyed with the United States Government and its agencies, for many decades.”

For his part, United States Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Nick Perry, said “keeping schools open, and ensuring that students have everything that they need to learn in a safe and healthy environment is critical.”

“Washing and hygiene in our schools have never been more urgent,” he stressed, adding that supporting the education and safety of children is an important mission of the USSHCP.