REPORTS OF CHILD abuse to the Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR) point an “accusing finger” at the home or family as the main perpetrator, according to Minister of Education, Youth and Information Ruel Reid.

 Minister Reid cited statistics collected by OCR for the period 2007 to 2014, which showed the two largest categories of child abuse as “neglect” with 27,155 reported cases followed by 21,532 cases of children “in need of care and protection”. Sexual abuse is the third largest category with 16,790 reported cases. He noted that, in the case of sexual abuse, it is generally known that a significant number of incidents occur within families or households.

Minister Reid made these disclosures on Saturday (April 23) while addressing a gala in Florida to raise funds to protect children from abuse. The event was organised by the Nuh Go Deh Diaspora Task Force. The Education Minister argued that the abuse of children in homes often spills over into the school setting and present challenges to teachers and school administrators, as well as disrupt teaching and learning. He said as a result, the Ministry has been reaching out to parents through the work of the National Parenting Support Commission via a variety of initiatives.

The Commission’s flagship initiative is the Effective Parenting Intervention Programme, which seeks to develop and strengthen parental skills and self-confidence, coping and problem solving skills. This programme also aims to empower parents by connecting them to resources and support systems and build family capacity, as well as connect home, school and community.

Minister Reid invited members of the Jamaican Diaspora to lend their support to the critical work being carried out by the Parenting Commission. He anticipates that collaboration between this entity, the OCR and the Child Development Agency –now all in one ministry- will significantly improve the care, protection and education of children.

While visiting Florida Minister Reid was presented with the keys to the city of Miramar by Mayor Wayne Messam.

PHOTO CAPTION:

Minister of Education, Youth and Information Ruel Reid (2^nd left) socialises with guests attending a fund raising gala in aid of child abuse prevention in Margate, Florida on April 23, 206.   From left are: State Representative Hazel Rogers, Lavern Deer, First Lady of Miramar Angela Messam, Balfour Peart, Joy Crawford and Susan Davis.

On Friday (April 22) Minister of Education, Youth and Information Ruel Reid received the keys to the city of Miramar from Mayor Wayne Messam.

 JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Senator Ruel Reid, is appealing to parents not to choose entertainment over the care and protection of their children.

Addressing a ‘Safe Children Forum’ in May Pen earlier this week, Senator Reid noted that parents have been leaving young children at home in the care of older siblings to attend popular entertainment events.

These activities, he said, often take precedence over assisting with homework, and providing general guidance.

“We have to continue to educate all adults to understand that it is not acceptable to leave a three-year-old child under the supervision of a six-year-old, while they go to dances,” Senator Reid pointed out.

Stressing that this does not only happen in poorer households, Senator Reid said he has had reports of well-to-do parents regularly abandoning their children to attend “every red-carpet event, or almost every activity that might produce a photograph for social pages of the newspapers.”

The Safe Children Forum, staged by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA), is part of a series aimed at strengthening parenting skills and keeping the country’s children safe.

The Education Minister commended the intervention, noting that society needs to “unlearn” many of the parenting traditions that have been cemented in the culture.

“Murderation is not the same as discipline,” he pointed out.

“Many of the culturally accepted norms that have not produced good results must give way for other customs necessary for the safety of children,” he added. 

CAPTION:  Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, addresses a Safe Children Forum staged by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEG), the Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA) and other partners on April 19, at the Versalles Hotell in May Pen, Clarendon. 

Senator Ruel Reid, Minister of Education, Youth and Development met with a delegation from UNESCO  Caribbean who paid a courtesy call at his National Heroes Circle office on Thursday (April 21). The UNESCO team, led by Director Katherine Grigsby, discussed with Minister Reid the Sub-regional Conference on the Confintea VI to be held in Montego Bay, St. James from June 22-23, 2016.  The theme will be “Youth & Adult Education Strategies in Lifelong Learning: Perspective in the Caribbean”.  

UNESCO sought the Minister’s agreement to host the conference which will be attended by Education Ministers within the region. 

Senator Ruel Reid, Minister of Education, Youth and Information has announced the removal of auxiliary fees in high schools effective at the start of the next academic year. He said this will be facilitated by increasing the Ministry’s subvention to schools for tuition from $11500 to $19000.

The Education Minister made the disclosure during his address to graduates of the Aspiring Principals Programme at Mona Visitor’s Lodge on Wednesday (April 20). The programme is delivered by the National College of Educational Leadership in collaboration with the University of the West Indies School of Education. 

Minister Reid explained that the resultant $2 billion increase in expenditure will be funded across two budget periods and disbursed to schools in tranches. He disclosed that the Ministry was currently devising a funding formula to ensure that there is equity in the amount of subvention to each school towards tuition fees. 

He noted that the Ministry will be consulting with principals and other stakeholders before the new subvention amount is implemented.

The funding formula aims to achieve several objectives:

1. Provide the highest level of available funding to schools that receive students with the lowest level of academic achievement on entry, and to schools where the majority of students are from the poorest socio-economic condition.

2. Through more equitable funding schools will be able to allocate the staffing and resources required to meet the needs of the students they serve.   

3. The allocation of budget for a school for each academic year should reflect the student enrolment for that particular year and any changes to the school population. As the conditions/situation of students change the budget allocated for staffing in that school must change within an adequate time period. 

4. However, schools will not be permitted to enrol more than the number of places permitted by the Ministry

5. Reflect the nature of the plant and site, the curriculum offer and the health and safety of students and staff.   

The Ministry is seeking to allocate the resources where it is most needed to get optimum results.

Film Producer Tammy Hart presents a DVD copy of the documentary Tell the Children the Truth to Minister of Education, Youth and Information Ruel Reid. The 47-minute production focuses on ‘What it means to be a parent’ and targets high school students.

Seventy seven of the country’s teachers on Wednesday received certificates following the successful completion of the Aspiring Principals’ Programme.

The educators, from schools across the country now join an elite group of school professionals who possess the Professional Qualification for Principalship (PQP).

The Aspiring Principals’ Programme, an initiative of the National College for Educational Leadership (NCEL), is offered through the University of the West Indies.

Yesterday’s award ceremony took place at the Mona Visitors Lodge and involved Education Minister, Senator Ruel Reid, Opposition Spokesperson on Education, Rev. Ronald Thwaites and other education stakeholders.

The year-long programme comprises four modules and a field experience that requires the aspiring principals to demonstrate particular capabilities in critical areas of school leadership.

NCEL’s Aspiring Principals’ Programme complements the Effective Principals Programme which targets practising principals of public schools, bursars and education officers.

Subject to the passage of the appropriate legislation, only educators with a PQP will be eligible for appointment to the post of principal of any public school in Jamaica.

 Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left), Minister of Education, Youth and Information, greets His Imperial Highness, Prince Ermia Sahle – Selassie upon his arrival at the Mico University College in St Andres. Ms Olivia “Babsy” Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender Affairs, Entertainment and Sports (centre) was a member of the greeting party. The Prince paid a courtesy call on the institution which had hosted his grandfather, Emperor Haile Selassie during his vist to Jamaica 50 years ago April 21, 1966.

GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION have agreed to join hands in re-launching a national campaign to promote positive values in the society.

This was disclosed on Wednesday (April 20) during a meeting convened by Senator Ruel Reid, Minister of Education, Youth and Information, with a cross section of stakeholders at his National Heroes Circle offices.  Rev. Ronald Thwaites, Shadow Minister of Education, accepted Senator Reid’s invitation to jointly lead a renewed national values and attitude campaign.

Minister Reid said the campaign would be centred on the core values contained in the Vision 20/30 Jamaica national development plan. In this regard he invited the representative of the Planning Institute of Jamaica to update the committee at its next meeting on the implementation of Vision 2030.

According to Minister Reid the values campaign should promote good role models for children in school and the community, reward positive behaviour in schools, advocate the removal of lewd music from public transportation and commuter centres, appoint values and attitude champions in schools and other organisations, involve parents, and engage the public using traditional and new media.

The committee suggested the holding of a national summit before the official launch of the values and attitude campaign. Several organisations were represented at the inaugural committee meeting. These include the National Parents Teachers Association of Jamaica, Peace Management Initiative, Respect Jamaica/Digicel Foundation, Child Development Agency, National Secondary Students’ Council, National Youth Service, Jamaica Council of Churches, and Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica.

Minister Reid said the membership of the committee will be broadened to reflect other critical stakeholders.