JIS: State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, says the target set by the Ministry for mastery in literacy among grade 4 primary school students has been surpassed.

 

Addressing the annual graduation exercise at the Parottee Primary School in St. Elizabeth recently, Mr. Green said there is an 86 per cent literacy mastery among the students.

 

The State Minister explained that the target was surpassed for this year as the Ministry had set it at 85 per cent, adding that the aim is to get more schools achieving 100 per cent mastery.

 

He said the Ministry remains confident that every student at the grade 4 level should be able to master literacy skills.

 

Meanwhile, the State Minister pointed out that performance in mathematics continues to lag among grade 4 students and efforts are being made to improve the 60 per cent mastery which now obtains.

 

Mr. Green said the Ministry is willing to provide specialists to work with the children. “At the end of the day, I want all my children leaving grade 4 to be masters in literacy and numeracy skills,” he said.

 

He commended the students and teachers for their performance at Parottee Primary.

 

“Parottee has been doing well and I think it is our responsibility to spread the good news. Very few schools can boast that they have ever gotten one hundred per cent in the grade 4 literacy examination and Parottee has achieved that,” the State Minister said.

 

In recognition of the performance of students in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), Mr. Green announced that he will be presenting bursaries to the top male and female student at the school.

 

This bursary, he added, will also be presented to the top male and female GSAT student at every primary school in South West St. Elizabeth, which he represents in Parliament.

 

Mr. Green also noted that the top GSAT teachers in the constituency will also be rewarded.

 

CAPTION: 

Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green

JIS: Graduates of the Career Advancement Programme (CAP) are being encouraged to use the skills learnt for employment or to access higher education.

 

Director of CAP in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Kenesha Campbell, made the call during her address at the Caribbean Maritime Institute’s (CMI) CAP graduation ceremony at the Institute of Jamaica (IoJ), downtown Kingston, on July 7.

 

She told the youngsters, who participated in the programme at CMI over the past two years that they are now empowered to make meaningful contributions to the country’s advancement.

 

Ms. Campbell said the Ministry is committed to administering the programme “because of the promise that it offers our young people,” and “in fulfilling its mandate that no young person should be left behind in the education system.”

 

“I congratulate you…and look forward to your contribution to productive nation building,” she told the graduates.

 

CMI’s Executive Director, Dr. Fritz Pinnock, noted that 60 per cent of the “best available jobs” will be created over the next 10 years and the institute stands ready to  train persons in preparation for these opportunities.

 

Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) Vice President and CMI Board Director, David Powell, who was the guest speaker, encouraged the graduates to strive for excellence in their endeavours, pointing out that “there is a world out there waiting to see what you can do.”

 

A total of 152 young people, comprising 96 males and 56 females, participated in the programme through the CMI.

 

Courses were conducted at the Institute’s main campus at Palisadoes Park in Kingston, as well as partner institutions, Kingston High School, and Foga Road High School in Clarendon.

 

CAP, which started in 2010, provides technical, vocational and educational training and certification for young people, ages 16 to 18, who have graduated from high school.

 

A total of 43 skills components are provided. They include welding, plumbing, food preparation, turf management, and allied health care. City and Guilds vocational programmes are also offered.

 

CAPTION: 

Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) Vice President, David Powell (left), offers advice to Career Advancement Programme (CAP) participants during the Caribbean Maritime Institute’s (CMI) graduation ceremony at the Institute of Jamaica (IoJ), downtown Kingston on July 7. Mr. Powell, who is a CMI Board Director, was the guest speaker.

 

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, is urging school principals to review the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) student profiles that accompany the results, and make the necessary adjustments in order to address challenges.

 

Every student, who sits GSAT, receives a profile, which outlines how they performed in each of the areas in which they were examined.

 

Senator Reid said the Ministry is prepared to assist schools through the provision of resource teachers or coaches where required, as well as making the relevant teaching materials available.

 

“The Ministry of Education is committed to ensuring our teachers are adequately prepared and are given the tools to succeed,” he pointed out.

 

Senator Reid was addressing a graduation ceremony at the John Rollins Success Primary School in Rose Hall, St. James recently.

 

Minister Reid praised the graduates for their hard work and dedication to their studies, telling them that they have a bright future.

 

“This school has made a mark and significant contribution to the education sector during its 12 years of existence. For this achievement, successive management and staff of the school deserve commendation,” he said.

 

“The challenge for you going forward is to raise the performance of every student to create a rising tide of academic excellence throughout the entire school,” he noted.

 

The Minister encouraged the graduates, who will be going on to high school to make the best use of their secondary education.

 

“Start thinking along with your parents about choosing an occupation or profession that will increase your chances of gaining employment when you leave high school or complete your tertiary education,” he advised.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (right), and Minister of Tourism and Member of Parliament for East Central St. James, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (left), present a trophy to the top girl and boy at John Rollins Success Primary School, Kesenia Lyttle (2nd left); and Christopher Lee. Occasion was the school’s graduation ceremony held recently, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St. James

JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information indicates that it has received applications from over 70 training institutions that are interested in accommodating students for the expanded Career Advancement Programme (CAP).

 

The Ministry had solicited expressions of interest as it prepares to increase enrolment in the programme to 10,000 students for the 2016/17 academic year, which starts in September.

 

This will see the number of institutions offering CAP moving from 53 to over 100.

 

Portfolio Minister, Senator Hon. Ruel Reid, said earlier this year that the increase in enrolment is aimed at enabling more students to complete their education with the necessary competencies and skills to pursue tertiary training or enter the world of work.

 

“We want every youth to be fully trained to take them from where they are and to maximise their full potential,” he noted.

 

Speaking with JIS News at the Caribbean Maritime Institute’s (CMI) CAP graduation ceremony on July, Director of CAP, Kenesha Campbell said that the applications are being analysed and by mid-July, all institutions that have applied will know whether they will be able to offer the programme.

 

She said that institutions already offering CAP will be evaluated to determine whether they will continue to do so.  She noted however, that based on the satisfactory delivery of the programme by these institutions in 2015/16, it is expected that they will be retained.

 

“If there are institutions…that need additional support, this will be provided (by) the Ministry,” she told JIS News.

 

Ms. Campbell said it is expected that each institution will accommodate an average of 75 students.

 

The Career Advancement Programme (CAP), which started in 2010, provides technical, vocational and educational training and certification for young people, ages 16 to 18, who have graduated from high school.

 

A total of 43 skills components are provided, including welding, plumbing, food preparation, turf management, allied health care, among others. City and Guilds vocational programmes are also offered.

 

Approximately 4,500 students were enrolled for CAP in 2015/16 at secondary, tertiary and private institutions across the island.

 

Meanwhile, Ms. Campbell said the Ministry is giving consideration to expanding the Registered Apprenticeship Programme (RAP), which is administered by the HEART Trust/NTA.

 

It provides on-the-job training for persons, particularly young people, who are employed to an organisation.

 

“We are looking to see how many students we can also have engaged through the apprenticeship programme,” she pointed out.

 

The graduation ceremony, held at the Institute of Jamaica (IoJ), downtown Kingston, saw certificates and other awards being presented to 152 students, who participated in the CMI CAP programme from 2014 to 2016.

 

CAPTION: Director of the Education, Youth and Information Ministry’s Career Advancement Programme (CAP), Kenesha Campbell (left), greets Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) Executive Director, Dr. Fritz Pinnock (right), during Thursday’s (July 7) CAP graduation ceremony at the Institute of Jamaica (IoJ) in downtown Kingston. Sharing the moment is Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) Vice President and CMI Board member, David Powell, who was the guest speaker.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, is urging secondary school principals to ensure that the cost of registration packages are in keeping with the Ministry’s funding guidelines.

 

Under the guidelines issued on June 26 following consultations with principals, registration fees should be kept between $1,000 and $5,000.

 

“School administrators must understand that all charges for registration packages must first be approved by the Ministry of Education before they are implemented,” Mr. Reid said.

 

“Non-payment of fees cannot affect students’ acceptance of school placement or registration to school,” he noted further.

 

Senator Reid was addressing a graduation ceremony held recently at the John Rollins Success Primary School in Rose Hall, St. James.

 

He said that board chairmen are being asked to provide guidance and ensure that school administrators follow the directive in order to minimise the cost to parents and ensure that no child is disenfranchised as they prepare for the upcoming school year.

 

The Minister informed that regional officers will be vigilant over the next few weeks in providing support for schools and to make sure that there is no deviation from the policy position of the Ministry.

 

The Government has abolished auxiliary fees for high schools and has increased the funding to institutions from $ 2.6 billion to $5.1 billion. Parents are being encouraged to make a non-obligatory contribution to schools.

 

The Ministry has stipulated that the contribution being requested by schools should not exceed $20,000.00, inclusive of registration fee.

 

For those schools whose contribution is more than this amount, the specific case must be presented to the respective Regional Director for approval to be granted.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says two of the main goals of the Ministry are to ensure that teachers are well trained and are given the necessary tools to carry out their tasks.

 

Speaking recently at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) CONFINTEA VI Sub-Regional Follow-up Meeting for the Caribbean, in Montego Bay, he emphasised that for teachers to be successful, they have to be empowered and motivated.

 

“We want to highlight the fact that teachers must be empowered as a critical step towards quality education and sustainable societies,” the Minister said.

 

“It is, therefore, fitting that UNESCO has partnered with the Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL) to train teachers of adult learners in literacy and numeracy. The in-service teacher training was delivered islandwide under the ‘Enhancing Outcomes for Trainers of Adult Learners’ Project,” he added.

 

The project, Mr. Reid pointed out, focused on best practices in demonstrated methodologies and the importance of linking and extending content in the learning material, making it relevant to the lives of the youth and adult learners.

 

“The overarching goal was to clearly contribute to the outcome of two of Jamaica’s Vision 2030 plan, that by 2030, Jamaicans are empowered to achieve their fullest potential, and envisions the development of a world-class education and training system,” the Minister added.

 

He noted that modules included personal reflection and attitude, psychology of adult learning, skills of collaboration and the delivery of the curriculum for the Foundation’s Lessons in English, Numeracy and Survival (LENS) programme.

 

“This project had an immediate impact on the approximately 7,000 youth and adult learners enrolled in JFLL centres across the island, with a residual multiplier effect of approximately 100 per cent within a 12-month period,” he said.

 

The Minister pointed out that there are approximately 1,500 adult learners enrolled in the JFLL’s high-school equivalency pilot, with another 3,000 waiting to come on stream in the next phase.

 

Senator Reid said this represents an increase of 100 per cent over the previous year.

 

CAPTION:

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left) in conversation with Education Consultant at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Dr. Carole Powell, during the opening ceremony of the UNESCO CONFINTEA V1 Sub-Regional Follow-up Meeting for the Caribbean, held recently in Montego Bay. The meeting was held under the theme ‘Enhancing lifelong learning opportunities for youth and adults in the Caribbean’.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says that education is the key to Jamaica’s social and economic prosperity and is a major priority of the Government.

 

He said the administration “is doing everything” to ensure that the populace has full and complete access to learning.

 

“Education is associated with better skills, higher productivity, and enhanced human capacity. I am sure we would all agree that the education of our people is one area that should not suffer even as we face difficult times,” he said.

 

The Minister was addressing the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Institute for Lifelong Learning Conference at the Hyatt Ziva Hotel in Rose Hall, St. James, on July 1.

 

Education ministers, permanent secretaries and senior education experts from 14 Caribbean countries participated in the conference, which focused on enhancing lifelong learning opportunities for youth and adults.

 

Senator Reid commended UNESCO for leading the global effort to advance education for sustainable development.

 

This broad movement, he said, is concerned with identifying and advancing education, teaching and learning policies and practices to ensure “social, economic and ecological viability and well-being now and into the future”.

 

“Education for sustainable development ….offers a renewed vision for educational policy and practice fully in tune with the needs and issues of the 21st century,” Mr. Reid noted.

 

UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

 

“With the stand-alone Goal 4 on education  and its related targets, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognises that education is essential for the success of all sustainable development goals (SDGs),” the Minister said.

 

“Education is also included in goals on health, growth and employment, sustainable consumption and production, and climate change,” he noted further.

 

Senator Reid urged the conference delegates, during their deliberations, to reflect on progress and challenges in adult learning and education while facilitating the development of common strategies to address these areas.

 

CAPTION:

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (2nd left), shares light conversation with (from left) Deputy Manager of Jamaica-German Automotive School (JAGAS), Kevin Baxter; Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Curacao, Hon. Irene Dick; Education Consultant at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Dr. Carole Powell; and former United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director, Dr. Simon Clarke. The occasion was the opening ceremony of UNESCO’s Institute for Lifelong Learning Conference at the Hyatt Ziva Hotel in Rose Hall, St. James, on July 1.

JIS: State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, has underscored the importance of adult education and lifelong learning to the growth and development of the Caribbean’s economies and people.

 

Mr. Green noted that while the region boasts documented supporting research, countries must act to ensure this conclusion materializes.

 

In this regard, the State Minister has endorsed a proposal for speedy implementation of revised United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommendations for the advancement of adult learning and education.

 

The recommendations address prevailing educational, cultural, economic, political, and social challenges.

 

The proposed action plan was mooted during UNESCO’s just concluded International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI) Sub-Regional Follow-up Caribbean Meeting, in Montego Bay.

 

Mr. Green, who addressed the closing ceremony at the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall Hotel on Friday, July 1, also cited the need for ongoing collaboration involving stakeholders in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and wider Diasporas to support the advancement of adult education.

 

“As a region, we must ensure that the benchmarks and best practices emerging are validated (and) that adult and lifelong learning is viewed within the context of general education, technical vocational education and training (TVET), special education and literacy, as we continue to train our people for the future,” he said.

 

Additionally, Mr Green said regional states must continue to conduct research which identifies new trends and subjects that will become relevant in schools, and tailor institutions’ curricula to meet the needs of constantly changing workforces.

 

The two-day conference, which was attended by Education Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and senior education professionals from 14 Caribbean countries, was held under the theme: ‘Enhancing Lifelong Learning Opportunities for Youth and Adults’.

 

Mr. Green commended UNESCO for providing the forum that facilitated the participants’ deliberations, thereby enabling them to make decisions which were expected to benefit the region over the medium to long-term.

 

Notable among these, he said, was a proposal for the appointment of a regional ‘Champion Education Minister’ to lobby support for and oversee implementation of the UNESCO recommendations.

 

CAPTION:

State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, addressing delegates attending the closing ceremony for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA V1) Sub-Regional Follow-up Caribbean Meeting, at the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall Hotel in Montego Bay on Friday, July 1. The two-day conference, which ran from June 30 to July 1, was held under the theme – ‘Enhancing Lifelong Learning Opportunities for Youth and Adults in the Caribbean’.