JIS: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, says the Government is taking a zero tolerance approach to the abuse of children.

 

Speaking at the opening of a play therapy room at the Glenhope Childcare Facility in Kingston on February 7, Mr. Green urged every Jamaican to become invested in the protection of the nation’s children and to report known or suspected cases of abuse.

 

“The Government has a role to play not only in the protection but also in the response, but every Jamaican also has a role to play. So many children live in communities where they are being abused daily and the community members know and whisper but nobody brings the information forward… as a society we must bring the information forward,” he said.

 

Chief Executive Officer of the Child Development Agency (CDA), Rosalee Gage-Grey, in echoing the sentiments of the State Minister, said “we believe that until we start looking out for each other, looking out for our children, then we will not curtail this ill in our society.”

 

The play therapy room, which is located at the nursery’s Maxfield Avenue address, will assist in the psychological treatment of children, who have been exposed to traumatic events, including abuse.

 

Play therapy is a form of counselling or psychotherapy that uses play to prevent or resolve psychosocial challenges. It has been found to help in social integration, growth development, emotional and trauma resolution. This form of therapy also assists in identifying abusers.

 

Renovation of the facility included roof repairs, installation of a window and air conditioning unit, and the provision of an assortment of toys and games.

 

A play therapy room has also been established at the Granville Place of Safety, Trelawny, and another room is being repurposed at the Blossom Gardens Childcare Facility in Montego Bay, St. James, which is slated to be opened in two weeks.

 

The project was funded by the Government and through donations from several private sector entities.

 

CAPTION: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (left), addresses the opening of a play therapy room at the Glenhope Childcare Facility in Kingston on February 7. The play therapy room will assist in the psychological treatment of children who have been exposed to traumatic events.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the planned merger of the Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL) and the National Youth Service (NYS) with the HEART Trust/NTA forms part of a “rescue mission” for the country’s at-risk youth.

 

He said the merger will ensure that there is a sustained programme for early intervention for children from poor socio-economic backgrounds.

 

“We all recognise that these children start behind those from more affluent background when they arrive at school. At age five, children living in poverty are several months behind their peers in terms of readiness for school,” he pointed out.

 

“When we merge JFLL and NYS and HEART, it is because we are trying to arrest the problems and ensure that nobody falls through the cracks again. Every child in Jamaica now is going to be targeted and get an opportunity for their full personal, intellectual (and) academic development,” he noted further.

 

Minister Reid was addressing a teachers’ appreciation banquet at the Aabuthnott Gallimore High School in St. Ann on Saturday (February 4).

 

Meanwhile, he said the Government remains firmly committed to eliminating the shift system within three years.

 

“We are rolling out a big programme in terms of taking schools off shift. We have just taken off about 34 schools over the last two years….we have 42 more to do,” he pointed out.

 

He indicated that a renovation and upgrading programme for a number of primary schools will be rolled out shortly as allocations have been made in the upcoming budget for the undertaking.

 

The Minister informed that the Education budget for the 2017-18 financial year is about $97 billion, and he is confident that this amount, added with contributions from other sources, will enable the delivery of quality education to students up to age 18 and learners moving to tertiary-level training.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, addresses a teachers’ appreciation banquet at the Aabuthnott Gallimore High School in St. Ann on Saturday (February 4).

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has commended the church for the role it has played in the development of a vibrant education system.

 

Speaking at an appreciation and awards banquet for teachers at the Aabothnott Gallimore High School in Alexandria, St. Ann, on February 4, the Minister said it was the church and not government that started the mission to educate the people on a global scale.

 

“What we talk about as mass education today – educational opportunities for the majority of our people – was not really started by government, not only in Jamaica but globally. The churches were behind the propagation of educational opportunities for the mass of the peoples across the world,” he argued.

 

He said the responsibility of further developing and growing the education sector has been given to the current political, civic and social stakeholders which must cooperate to make it happen.

 

The Minister pointed out that the education system and physical structures have come a far way in terms of development and this is due to a focused approach which has been adopted by stakeholders.

 

“We have expanded the educational opportunities, and you didn’t have the kind of technology that we now have access to,” he noted.

 

The Minister said he is aware of shortcomings which continue to plague the education sector and the criticisms from stakeholders about the inadequate results, adding that the quest towards a perfect education system remains a work in progress, which must get major inputs from parents and the State.

 

“The truth is that we have never had a perfect education system. It begins with good and strong parents who are going to take care of the children…and yes, the State will have to come in and assist to make sure that children with special needs are well provided for,” the Minister said.

 

At the banquet, which was staged by the Kiwanis Club of Charlton, Alexandria, 10 teachers from the constituency of South West St. Ann were recognized for their contribution to education.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, addresses an appreciation and awards banquet for teachers at the Aabothnott Gallimore High School in Alexandria, St. Ann, on February 4. 

JIS: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has lauded the work of teachers from South West St. Ann who were honoured on February 4 by the Kiwanis Club of Charlton Alexandria, in the parish.

 

Speaking at an appreciation banquet for 10 teachers at the Aabuthnott Gallimore High School in Alexandria, St. Ann, the Minister said it is important for members of the teaching profession to be recognized for their work, as they continue to build and mold the minds of citizens.

 

“I know how important it is for members of the teaching profession to be appreciated and having served the education sector as teacher, administrator and now as Minister, I know that feeling very well,” Senator Reid said.

 

The Minister lauded the teachers for the solid foundation in education which they have built over the years and that the recognition from the Kiwanis Club of Charlton Alexandria was well deserved.

 

“I want to signal my own appreciation and the appreciation of the Government, because if you had not worked as hard as you have done, we would not be able to build on that foundation,” Senator Reid stated.

 

Also speaking at the function was Member of Parliament for South Western St. Ann, Zavia Mayne.

 

He lauded the work of the teachers and pointed out that he will be working closely with the Ministry of Education to have a new school built in the constituency.

 

The teachers honoured were: Jennifer Walker of Aabothnott Gallimore High, Odeth Rhoden of Aboukir Primary, Doreen Anderson Rowe of Alva Primary, Beverly Veitch Clarke of Bethany Primary, Carol Shaw of Bob Marley Primary and Junior High, Keron Gallimore Anderson of Charlton Infant, Annette Campbell Hall of Charlton Primary, Sandra Wray of Clarksonville Primary, and Maxine Stephenson Shirley and Yashika Smith Campbell of Inverness Primary.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (right), hands over a plaque for dedicated service to Odeth Rhoden, teacher at the Aboukir Primary School in St. Ann. The award was given by the Kiwanis Club of Charlton Alexandria, during a ceremony at the Aabothnott Gallimore High School on February 4.

JIS: Students at all levels in the six regions of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information are expected to participate in the seventh staging of National Careers Week.

 

The week, which will be observed from February 11 to 17 under the theme: ‘Expanding Horizons for Vision 2030’, is being organized in collaboration with HEART Trust/NTA and Junior Achievement Jamaica.       

 

Addressing a JIS ‘Think Tank’ on February 3, Senior Education Officer, Guidance and Counselling Unit in the Ministry, Lisetha Adams, said the objectives of the Week are to help inspire wiser career decisions; and to better engage youth and adults to help establish Jamaica as a globally competitive nation.      

 

“As part of the growth agenda and Vision 2030, the activities for the week are being hosted under the umbrella of the National Career Integration Committee and will seek to build a culture of career development in schools,” she explained.

 

Ms. Adams, who is also Chairperson of  the Committee,  said the Week will also be used to: engage major stakeholders through participatory approach to career development; support learners in developing meaningful strategies to utilize networking and information technologies to inform decision making; and using national, regional and global labour market signals and trends to guide career development programmes in the education system.

 

Meanwhile, Senior Director for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Development and Support System at HEART Trust/NTA, Dr. Marcia Rowe-Amonde, pointed out that her organization is committed to working with the education system at all levels to make career tools and information available to learners.   

 

             “What HEART Trust is seeking to do for the Week is very much within our mandate, to adopt a participatory approach in providing career information.  We recognize that we have to collaborate with other stakeholders to give the necessary career information so that we can empower persons to make informed decisions in relation to their career choice,” she said.          

 

For her part, President of Junior Achievement Jamaica, Alphie Mullings-Aiken, said her organization will focus on two programmes – Ja Biz Town for primary school  students and Ja Company of Entrepreneurs for high school students.    

 

“We are using this week as an additional drive to educate and share with students and schools about career preparation, and so collaboratively, we want to see students engage as they prepare to become future leaders,” she noted.     

 

Activities for the week will include 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.   

 

Highlight of the week will be a ‘Take Your Child to Work Day’ on Friday, February 17.  Businesses will open their doors to employees’ children from Grades 7 to 9 to experience work for a day.          

 

Partners for the Week are: the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Jamaica Public Service Co. Ltd., Insurance Company of the West Indies (ICWI) Ltd, Citibank N.A. and the Gleaner Company.

 

CAPTION: Senior Director for TVET Development and Support System, at HEART Trust/NTA, Dr. Marcia Rowe-Amonde (left), speaks at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ on February 3. Listening keenly from right are: President of Junior Achievement Jamaica, Alphie Mullings-Aiken and Senior Education Officer, Guidance and Counselling Unit, in the Ministry of Education, Lisetha Adams.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has lauded the National Commercial Bank (NCB) Foundation for its role in assisting students to pursue higher education, through its scholarship programme.

 

“I am sure that since this project was started 14 years ago, the lives of thousands of young people have been changed for the better. Your intervention has opened windows of opportunities for many,” the Minister said.

 

He was speaking at the NCB CSEC Principles of Accounts (POA) and Principles of Business (POB) National Bursary Awards function, held on the grounds of the Ardenne High School in St. Andrew on February 1, where the bank electronically transferred $13 million in bursaries to schools.

 

Under its CSEC POA/POB National Bursary programme, the entity allows qualified secondary-level students to sit these two business subjects free of cost. This helps them to meet the minimum number of five subjects required for entry to a tertiary institution.

 

The bursary programme augments the Government’s subvention of four subjects – Mathematics, English, a Science subject and Information Technology. An additional subject is also offered to Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) students and wards of the State.

 

Mr. Reid said the Government is appreciative of this support from a corporate entity in ensuring that more students are afforded tertiary-level education, lamenting that only 15 per cent of the current workforce has attained tertiary-level qualification.

 

He noted that another 15 per cent of employees have some technical education, while 70 per cent have not achieved the minimum acceptable qualifications for entry into tertiary-level programmes.

 

“We can all appreciate the importance of scholarships in helping our students to meet their goals of furthering their training and education,” Mr. Reid said.

 

The Minister said the support is significant because NCB “is giving us that opportunity to make this bold aspiration (to get all youth to stay in school up to Grade 13, and achieving at least a degree by age 30) far more realistic.”

 

Since the scholarship programme’s inception in 2003, the NCB Foundation has paid out $141 million to more than 100,000 students.

 

To qualify for the bursary, each school must have a sit rate of 90 per cent in each business subject covered by the bursary over two years.

 

In addition, the qualifying schools can only submit the names of the students who have attained at least 70 per cent in the subject areas.

 

A total of 4,270 students from 116 schools islandwide are benefiting from the programme this academic year.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (centre), joins students in thanking the National Commercial Bank (NCB) Foundation for providing $13 million in bursaries under its scholarship programme this academic year. The Foundation electronically transferred the funds to several high schools across the island during its Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Principles of Accounts (POA) and Principles of Business (POB) National Bursary Awards function, held at Ardenne High School in St. Andrew on February 1.

JIS:  Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Government will re-establish its leadership and direction of local institutions that call upon the budget of the country.

 

“I do not intend to have the institutions of the country captured by people’s own personal belief of what they (think) should happen. Government must re-establish its authority to direct policy,” he said.

 

The Prime Minister was delivering a keynote address at the launch of an Absorptive Capacity Programme by the HEART Trust/NTA in partnership with the Joint Committee for Tertiary Education (JCTE), at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in New Kingston, today (February 2).

 

Mr. Holness noted that institutions carrying out programmes outside of the established national direction and needs of the country allow for great disparity, fragmentation and has little positive effect.

 

“Not only is the Government going to ensure that there is a concerted effort and unison in policy and that there is direction, but the Government must ensure that there is efficiency as well,” he said.

 

Mr. Holness hailed HEART Trust/NTA for continuing to be prolific in developing new programmes and launching new initiatives. He urged the institution to maintain a focused direction through an appropriate cadre of programmes, as it plays a critical role in addressing intergenerational poverty and fulfilling the Government’s prosperity agenda.

 

The Absorptive Capacity Programme is designed to expand the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme of the HEART Trust/NTA, with National Vocational Qualification of Jamaica (NVQJ) and Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) courses being offered in 17 JCTE member institutions across the island.

 

Recruitment for the programme has already started, with 2,200 students to be enrolled in the first year. It is anticipated that the programme capacity will increase incrementally in subsequent years to offer courses to some 10,000 persons by 2020.

 

The programme is intended to improve job prospects and opportunity for tertiary level training and provides labour market demand skills in areas such as Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Tourism and Hospitality, Agriculture, and Transportation and Logistics.

 

Meanwhile, Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, endorsed the initiative as being on the “right path” to put Jamaica amongst the best in the region in continued education.

 

“You have my full support and I am looking for us to work together to achieve the prosperity for Jamaica that we are all committed to,” he said.

 

The programme is being funded at a cost of $262 million, with $182 million provided by HEART Trust and the remaining $80 million by the JCTE.

 

Institutions to carry the programme include Excelsior Community College, International University of the Caribbean, Moneague College, Bethlehem Moravian College, Montego Bay Community College, Church Teachers’ College, Northern Caribbean University, Knox Community College, the College of Agriculture, Science and Education and the Caribbean Maritime Institute.

 

CAPTION: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (left), is greeted by Chairman of the HEART Trust/NTA, Maxine P. Wilson (2nd right), ahead of the launch of an Absorptive Capacity Programme by the institution, in partnership with the Joint Committee for Tertiary Education (JCTE), on February 2 at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Kingston. Looking on are Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (2nd left); and JCTE Chairman, Dr. Cecil Cornwall (right). The programme is designed to expand Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses in 17 JCTE member institutions.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the Ministry will be looking at establishing a special education framework that will better enable teachers to identify students with special needs.

 

“Each student is unique, they have different learning styles; so you have to have a framework of special education that also empowers your teacher to be able to diagnose our students,” he said.

 

The Minister was speaking in a recent interview on the Jamaica information Service (JIS) television programme Issues and Answers.

 

Mr. Reid explained that under this system, each student would have their own profile “almost treating them like a doctor would treat a patient.”

 

This structure, he said must now be the part of the new norm in education and will ensure that no child is left behind, and is able to achieve his or her full potential.

 

“It is a conversation now that I need to have with our policymakers within the education system and our teacher training institutions because how we have trained our teachers, many of them don’t have this kind of skill set to be able to diagnose effectively, and to deal with students with diverse needs,” he said.

 

The Minister recently attended the Education World Forum in London, where addressing students with special needs was one of the areas of focus.

 

In the meantime, Mr. Reid is encouraging persons to aspire for higher education, lamenting that very few students go beyond Grade 11.

 

“We want all our citizens to aspire to highest possible potential they have and we want tertiary education to be an aspiration for every student,” he said.

 

He pointed out that when the Government designed the Career Advancement Programme (CAP), it was “(a) signal to the entire community that you just don’t out school, you yearn for lifelong learning.”

 

“We want full certification for all our students…We take them through CAP, from Grade 11 to Grade 13 (up to) age 18, but they are not to stop there…they shouldn’t even feel comfortable until they have achieved their full potential in tertiary education,” he noted.

 

The Minister noted however that Jamaica is ahead of most other developing countries in terms of getting more students to pursue higher learning.

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., with Guidance Counsellors at Hampton School in St. Elizabeth (from left) Kayon Whyne and Shellion Rowe, when he addressed the school’s Safety and Security Staff Sensitisation Workshop on February 1.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the Ministry will be looking at establishing a special education framework that will better enable teachers to identify students with special needs.

 

“Each student is unique, they have different learning styles; so you have to have a framework of special education that also empowers your teacher to be able to diagnose our students,” he said.

 

The Minister was speaking in a recent interview on the Jamaica information Service (JIS) television programme Issues and Answers.

 

Mr. Reid explained that under this system, each student would have their own profile “almost treating them like a doctor would treat a patient.”

 

This structure, he said must now be the part of the new norm in education and will ensure that no child is left behind, and is able to achieve his or her full potential.

 

“It is a conversation now that I need to have with our policymakers within the education system and our teacher training institutions because how we have trained our teachers, many of them don’t have this kind of skill set to be able to diagnose effectively, and to deal with students with diverse needs,” he said.

 

The Minister recently attended the Education World Forum in London, where addressing students with special needs was one of the areas of focus.

 

In the meantime, Mr. Reid is encouraging persons to aspire for higher education, lamenting that very few students go beyond Grade 11.

 

“We want all our citizens to aspire to highest possible potential they have and we want tertiary education to be an aspiration for every student,” he said.

 

He pointed out that when the Government designed the Career Advancement Programme (CAP), it was “(a) signal to the entire community that you just don’t out school, you yearn for lifelong learning.”

 

“We want full certification for all our students…We take them through CAP, from Grade 11 to Grade 13 (up to) age 18, but they are not to stop there…they shouldn’t even feel comfortable until they have achieved their full potential in tertiary education,” he noted.

 

The Minister noted however that Jamaica is ahead of most other developing countries in terms of getting more students to pursue higher learning.

 

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

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, will be making a submission to Cabinet to register Jamaica for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

 

“It will measure and compare our excellence with the rest of the world,” Senator Reid said.

 

The PISA is a triennial international survey which aims to evaluate education systems worldwide by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students.

 

Senator Reid gave details during the 10th anniversary magis awards, the CXC edition 2016, held on the grounds of Campion College in St. Andrew on January 30.

 

In 2015, over half a million students, representing 28 million 15-year-olds in 72 countries and economies, took the internationally agreed two-hour test. Students were assessed in science, mathematics, reading, collaborative problem solving and financial literacy.

 

The Minister urged students to explore non-traditional areas of study, adding that studies suggest that traditional jobs will become extinct over time.

 

“Because technology is displacing current jobs, we have to retool and reorganise to get new jobs within the new industrial revolution,” he added.

 

In the meantime, he lauded the students for their hard work, which he said will continue in the long tradition of excellence at the institution. “Your focus and determination to succeed are commendable and need to be emulated,” he said.

 

Urging the students to remain focused, the Minister said their achievements would not have been possible without strong and forward looking leaders in the school, a team of dedicated and caring teachers, committed and supportive parents, as well as a helpful and strong past students’ association.

 

Principal, Campion College, Grace Baston, congratulated the students on their achievements.

 

The ceremony sought to recognise outstanding performances in the June 2016 CSEC and CAPE examinations. At the CSEC level, 150 students obtained grade one in seven subjects and more, while at the CAPE level, 39 students achieved grade one in four subjects and more.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left), congratulates student of Campion College, Hasani Edwards, during the 10th anniversary magis awards – the CXC edition 2016 – held on the grounds of Campion College in St. Andrew on January 30. The ceremony sought to recognise outstanding performances in the June 2016 CSEC and CAPE examinations.