Latest News

» Media » Latest News

Category: Uncategorized

Holy Trinity High Students Sing A New Song

Posted on by Moey Admin

 

 

 Students at Holy Trinity High School in Central Kingston are singing a new song.

“Before students joined the school choir, teachers and parents had complained about their bad behavior,” recounted Andrew Coley, music instructor at the school for 20 years. He reported that since their participation in the choir students’ attire and speech have improved as a result of the discipline that accompanies music education.

 

Jahnice Solomon invited her school mate Markia Kirkland to join the choir just over one year ago. Both girls are now lead singers in the group that have been invited to perform locally and overseas. “Whenever I sing it makes me feel better. It has opened my mind to see the world in a totally different light. Music has helped to put my mind at ease especially when I am doing my school work,” Solomon said. 

 

Belting out a rendition from reggae legend Bob Marley’s ‘Redemption Song’, their melodious voices filled the small but manageable space currently being used as the music room.  Redemption Song was released in 1980 on Bob Marley and the Wailers ‘Uprising’ album.  Aspiring to be an internationally acclaimed singer, Kirkland said singing brings her peace. “Whenever I am singing I feel myself in a different world. I feel so relaxed and I am able to enjoy my performance,” she said. 

 

Shekiana Russell loves to sing the Marley rendition as it has kept her motivated. She disclosed that it has been hard on her mother to provide for the family and the song helps to put her mind at a place whereshe will not become enslaved by her circumstances. “Singing makes me happy. I give less trouble and I am able to focus on my school work and what is important,” Russell said. 

 

Coley said he has managed to keep the group motivated by sharing his life experiences with them. “We find the talent and we try to enhance it. I tell them they can go anywhere and perform and use their God given talent to improve their lives,” he recounted. 

 

“They know I am very strict. I sit and talk with them first and I outline my expectations of them. Those that are unable to adhere to the requirements normally leave,” Coley added.  

 

Holy Trinity High School, named after the Holy Trinity Cathedral, was formerly St Anthony’s Senior School. It is a Catholic institution that was established by the Franciscan Sisters at West Street in Kingston in the late- 1940s. The school was later relocated to Orange Street where it operated under the leadership of the Sisters of Mercy responsible for Alpha Academy.

 

In 1953, the school was relocated to properties owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston at 18 Emerald Road (now George Headley Drive), the home of the world-famous Sabina Park cricket ground.

 

In 1995 the school was renamed – Holy Trinity Comprehensive High School – and admitted its first batch of Common Entrance students. In 2000 the school was again renamed Holy Trinity High School in keeping with the Ministry of Education’s policy of upgrading all Comprehensive High Schools.

 

Photo Caption

Shekiana Russell (left) Jahnice Solomon (2nd left) Brittney Sylvester (right) and Markia Kirkland (2nd right) form the quartet as part of the music group at the Holy Trinity High School. These young ladies belt out the tune from reggae legend Bob Marley’s ‘Redemption Song’ 

 

New Ministers’ First Day in Office

Posted on by Moey Admin

Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (centre), Minister of Education, Information and Youth views a schedule of his activities for the week along with Mr Floyd Green (right), Minister of State and Dr Maurice Smith Permanent Secretary. The Ministers spent their first day (March 8) in office being briefed by divisional and agency heads in the education system.

All in Place for GSAT 2016 Sitting

Posted on by Moey Admin

 

ALL IS IN PLACE for the 2016 sitting of the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). The tests will take place on Thursday, March 17 and Friday March 18, 2016 in 1090 centres across the island, according to Chief Education Officer Dr Grace McLean.

She has disclosed that the timetables for GSAT 2016 have been dispatched to the Regional Offices and Principals are being asked to contact their respective regions to collect same. Principals are being reminded that to be eligible to sit the GSAT 2016 students must be of the stipulated age and must have mastered the Grade Four Literacy Test. 

Queries regarding timetables are to be directed to the Regional Office no later than 4:00 pm on Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Queries should be accompanied by the student’s full name, date of birth, and the school at which the student attained mastery of the Grade 4 Literacy Test, and Exam Registration Number. 

School Administrators are also reminded that the directive not to close for the sitting of the Grade 6 Achievement Test 2016 (GSAT, outlined in Bulletin 59/2015), still stands, with closure recommended only if there are severe challenges with space, convenience and suitability of rooms and appropriate seating. 

School Administrators are, therefore, being advised to prudently assess the situation in their institution to determine whether closure is inevitable, and advise their supervisory Education Officer of the circumstances influencing this decision. Schools’ staff and parents are encouraged to continue to take an active interest in the students’ preparation for the examination while the Ministry ensures that all systems are in place for a smooth administration. 

Tips for Parents

In this regard, schools are reminded to advice parents of students sitting the GSAT that they are to: 

1. Remain calm and encourage the child to stay calm. 

2. Support, rather than pressure the children/students. 

3. Ensure that children/students go to bed early the night before the exam to ensure a good night’s rest. 

4. Make plans for children/students to have a nutritious breakfast and a snack during the two days of the examination. 

5. Ensure that children/students arrive at the examination centre early. 

6. Ensure children/students gather materials needed for the examination from the previous night to avoid searching for things on the morning of the exam. Searching can cause student/child to become flustered. 

As customary, in order to ensure quick and easy access to information, telephone hotlines have been set up as follows: 

Region 1 – Kingston and St. Andrew 612-5920/612-5918/948-9801 

Region 2 – Portland, St. Thomas and St. Mary 993-5586 

Region 3 – Trelawny and St. Ann 917-7849 

Region 4 – St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland 979-8590 

Region 5 – St. Elizabeth and Manchester 625-7859 

Region 6 – Clarendon and St. Catherine 745-1153/983-1654-5 

Student Assessment Unit 948-9281/922-5680 

Chief Education Officer 948-8715 

Deputy Chief Education Officer 948-9619 

All in Place for GSAT 2016 Sitting

Posted on by Moey Admin

All in Place for GSAT 2016 Sitting

March 7, 2016: ALL IS IN PLACE for the 2016 sitting of the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). The tests will take place on Thursday, March 17 and Friday March 18, 2016 in 1090 centres across the island, according to Chief Education Officer Dr Grace McLean.

She has disclosed that the timetables for GSAT 2016 have been dispatched to the Regional Offices and Principals are being asked to contact their respective regions to collect same. Principals are being reminded that to be eligible to sit the GSAT 2016 students must be of the stipulated age and must have mastered the Grade Four Literacy Test. 

Queries regarding timetables are to be directed to the Regional Office no later than 4:00 pm on Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Queries should be accompanied by the student’s full name, date of birth, and the school at which the student attained mastery of the Grade 4 Literacy Test, and Exam Registration Number. 

School Administrators are also reminded that the directive not to close for the sitting of the Grade 6 Achievement Test 2016 (GSAT, outlined in Bulletin 59/2015), still stands, with closure recommended only if there are severe challenges with space, convenience and suitability of rooms and appropriate seating. 

School Administrators are, therefore, being advised to prudently assess the situation in their institution to determine whether closure is inevitable, and advise their supervisory Education Officer of the circumstances influencing this decision. Schools’ staff and parents are encouraged to continue to take an active interest in the students’ preparation for the examination while the Ministry ensures that all systems are in place for a smooth administration. 

Tips for Parents

In this regard, schools are reminded to advice parents of students sitting the GSAT that they are to: 

1. Remain calm and encourage the child to stay calm. 

2. Support, rather than pressure the children/students. 

3. Ensure that children/students go to bed early the night before the exam to ensure a good night’s rest. 

4. Make plans for children/students to have a nutritious breakfast and a snack during the two days of the examination. 

5. Ensure that children/students arrive at the examination centre early. 

6. Ensure children/students gather materials needed for the examination from the previous night to avoid searching for things on the morning of the exam. Searching can cause student/child to become flustered. 

As customary, in order to ensure quick and easy access to information, telephone hotlines have been set up as follows: 

Region 1 – Kingston and St. Andrew 612-5920/612-5918/948-9801 

Region 2 – Portland, St. Thomas and St. Mary 993-5586 

Region 3 – Trelawny and St. Ann 917-7849 

Region 4 – St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland 979-8590 

Region 5 – St. Elizabeth and Manchester 625-7859 

Region 6 – Clarendon and St. Catherine 745-1153/983-1654-5 

Student Assessment Unit 948-9281/922-5680 

Chief Education Officer 948-8715 

 

Deputy Chief Education Officer 948-9619 

 

Thwaites says farewell to staff

Posted on by Moey Admin

Senior managers in the Ministry of Education and support staff of outgoing minister, Ronald Thwaites held a farewell reception for him at the ministry’s head office at National Heroes Circle in Kingston on Friday (March 4, 2016). Members of staff expressed appreciation to Mr Thwaites and advisers Dr Franklin Johnston and Mr Radley Smith for their contribution to the advancement of Education. In his farewell remarks Minister Thwaites committed to continue supporting education from within Parliament. He advised the ministry’s management to welcome and support the new minister as they did for him in 2012. In the photograph from left Mrs Marcia Thwaites joins husband Ronald in accepting a farewell gift from Arlene Williams, Director of Executive Services, while Permanent Secretary Dr Maurice Smith and Chief Education Officer Dr Grace McLean share the moment.

6000 Students to Attend Math Expo

Posted on by Moey Admin

 The Ministry of Education will be hosting activities from March 6 to March 10, 2016 to mark the fourth staging of the National Mathematics Week with the objective of improving attitudes to the teaching and learning of Mathematics.

 

The highlight of the week is the staging of the National Mathematics Expo on Thursday, March 10, 2016 on the grounds of the Old Library at the University of the West Indies Mona beginning at 9:00 a.m. More than 6000 primary and high school students are expected to visit the booths of scores of exhibitors to view the application of mathematical skills in various industries or occupations.

 

Fifth and sixth form students attending the mathematics expo will have the opportunity to apply for 400 available scholarships to pursue first degree programmes in mathematics and science education.  The scholarships will provide full tuition except for miscellaneous costs, support for boarding where needed, and a stipend to help cover the cost of books and other supplies. 

 

 “The thrust to provide scholarships for persons choosing to pursue secondary mathematics and science education is to increase the recruitment of fully qualified mathematics and science teachers in the public school system,” explained Dr. Tamika Benjamin, National Mathematics Coordinator.

 

Other activities for the week include a church service on Sunday, March 6 at the Webster Memorial United Church commencing at 9:45am, a forum and the Mathematics Teacher of the Year Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, March 8. According to Dr Benjamin the week of activities is designed to emphasize the importance of Mathematics and to help students and other stakeholders to appreciate its relevance to everyday life. The theme of the expo is Math Counts.

 

“We are optimistic that persons will develop a greater appreciation for mathematics and its importance while recognizing that there is enjoyment in learning mathematics,” Dr Benjamin said. “Teachers and principals will also have the opportunity to access resources that are available to support the teaching and learning of mathematics whether through software or other tools that is critical to the teaching and learning process,” she added.

 

The Ministry’s National Mathematics Programme is aimed at achieving the targets of 85 percent mastery of numeracy by students at grade four by 2018 and 100 percent of the grade-eleven age cohort sitting the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examination by 2018.  

 

Sponsors for the week of activities include Jamaica National Building Society, Book Merchant/Scholastic International, First Heritage Cooperative Credit Union, The Gleaner Company and the Insurance Association of Jamaica.

Schools Celebrate Jamaica Day on Friday

Posted on by Moey Admin

 

Primary and secondary schools across the island will observe Jamaica Day 2016 on Friday March 4 under the theme: ‘Celebrating Jamaica, Promoting the Arts.’ The annual celebration is part of efforts by the Ministry of Education to foster national pride in students.

Each school will celebrate Jamaica Day in its own unique way with the focus this year on the creative industries/the arts, looking at areas such as music, dance, drama, visual arts, theatre/film, designing, literary arts and culinary arts, among others.

The official Jamaica Day celebration will take place at the St Mary Technical High School in Richmond. It will involve the ceremonial opening, with uniformed groups from the schools in that region taking part. The school will be transformed into a hotel, depicting all the various components of a resort, while capturing all the art forms in the theme.

Jamaica Day is a part of the Culture in Education Programme, run by the Ministry of Education. It seeks to celebrate the many markers of unique “Jamaicanness” and the country’s contribution to the world, which is represented in its continuous striving for excellence and greatness.

The annual celebrations in schools, which are usually held on the last Friday in February to showcase aspects of Jamaica’s culture, were postponed in light of the General Election which was held on February 25, 2016.

 

Vere Technical High a Leader in Innovation

Posted on by Moey Admin

 

The Ministry of Education has been encouraging the use of innovation, technology and creativity in the classroom to boost the learning ability and technical skills of students especially at the secondary school level.

 

 In this regard, the Agriculture Science Department at Vere Technical High School in Clarendon, in collaboration with other departments at the institution including the Home Economics, Business, Engineering and Information Technology, has been successfully spearheading a number of projects with the objective of assimilating integrative learning techniques to engage their students.

 

 According to Clovis Duncan, head of the Agricultural Science Department, the students are the ones who initiate the ideas for most of the projects and the school facilitates their concepts. “The students are enthused because they are involved in the day-to-day activities of the department,” Duncan said.

 

 There are four classes with over 35 students in each. Each class is required to operate the farm for a day. This is good for exam purposes and for students submitting their school-based assessments, Duncan noted.

 

 “The students do very well in internal and external examinations. We have up to 100 percent pass rates in CSEC (Caribbean Secondary EducationCertificate) examination and CAPE (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination).This year we have over 55 students that should register for the next sitting,” Duncan disclosed.

 

 Some of the crops grown at the school include cassava, sweet potato, tomato and pakchoi. There is a poultry farm, pigs, goats and bees that are all maintained by the students. Duncan said they would like to get assistance to build a greenhouse where they could also plant sweet peppers and lettuce. He added that they would like to erect a perimeter fence to prevent praedial larceny that has been rampant at the school.

 

 Meanwhile, with the use of renewable resources to provide energy becoming a major focal point in Jamaica, students at the institution are also creating avenues to curtail the use of oil for energy. They created a wind turbine that is used to provide power for a chicken coop. The Engineering Department was responsible for the power tool which was made using the blades of an old ceiling fan and other small pieces of discarded equipment.

 

The turbine produces up to 13.12 watts capable of powering up to six LED bulbs. The energy from the turbine is passed through an inverter to two 12-volt car batteries, where it is stored.

 

 The group won the Scientific Research Council’s first prize last year for their creativity and originality of wind turbine-powered chicken coop. The students have also implemented aquaponics which combines conventional aquaculture with hydroponics to create a symbiotic ecosystem system, another one of several innovative ideas at the institution.

 

 Over the years students of the school have walked away with first place prizes in different categories including Goat and Care Management, Selection and Grading of Vegetables, Budding and Grafting, Application and Maintenance of Farm Machines, Beef and Cattle Judging, Poultry Care and Management, Floral Arrangement and Project Work display.

 

 They have also taken second and third place in several other categories including the Boy of the Year competition, the Poster competition, Practices and Management of Organic Farming, Use and Management of Agro Chemicals, Making of Sandwiches, Meal Preparation and the Making of the 4H Uniform.

Insurance Industry pleased with its investment in ‘Maths Workshops’

Posted on by Moey Admin

 

The Insurance Association of Jamaica (IAJ) recently spent just under $800,000 sponsoring four workshops for teachers of mathematics and integrated science in Montego Bay, Runaway Bay, Toll Gate and Kingston.The purpose of the workshop is to equip teachers to properly prepare their students to sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate exams in a few months’ time.

  

Peter Levy, Vice President for General Insurance at the IAJ and CEO of British Caribbean Insurance Company, expressed the IAJ’s pleasure with its investment in the Mathematics Workshops organised by the Ministry of Education and sponsored by the IAJ over the last three years. He noted that in 2012 the CSEC Maths pass rate was 37.5 per cent.In 2013, the first year of the IAJ’s involvement in the workshops, the rates climbed to 42.2 per centthen jumped to 55.5 per cent in 2014 and increased to 62 per cent in 2015.

 

Levy in his address to the attendees noted that “Mathematics is more than a set of skills that make life more manageable – mathematics is a way of understanding the world around us.” He challenged the teachers to convey practical examples of the application of mathematics in everyday life to help to demystify it and make it more accessible to every student.

  

“You can’t correctly decide which cellular plan is right for you, without using Mathematics. You can’t manage a household budget, and stretch your paycheque efficiently, without using Mathematics. You can’t effectively compare different car loans, without using Mathematics,” Levy stated.

The Insurance Industry has been involved in promoting mathematics in schools through competitions among schools for over thirty years, and recently has been concentrating on initiatives like these workshops that up skill teachers.

 

Photo Caption

Peter Levy (right), vice-president of the Insurance Association of Jamaica presents sponsorship cheque to representatives of the Ministry of Education –Caroll Baker (left), education officer for science, and Davion Leslie, maths coordinator for Region One, during the recent workshop for maths and science teachers held in Kingston.

 

 

 

 

 

Public Libraries to Provide Job Information

Posted on by Moey Admin

 

Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites has endorsed an agreement between the Jamaica Library Service (JLS) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) to provide the public with access to its Labour Market Information System (LMIS) utilizing public libraries.

 

According to Minister Thwaites the initiative is a very good use of the Library Service’s island-wide network and its recently acquired communications infrastructure.

 

“There are many current and emerging opportunities for employment that the widest number of people across Jamaica needs to know about in order for unemployment, particularly among youth, to continue to trend down,” said Minister Thwaites at the February 3 signing ceremony. “The information provided through the Labour Market Information System can help to guide students, and parents in making career decisions,” he added.

 

The Education Ministry, he said, expects that guidance counselors and teachers to point students to the facilities at the public libraries.

 

Meanwhile, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Dr Fenton Ferguson, in endorsing the partnership said the initiative is a practical and prudent way to deliver necessary services and programmes to the people of Jamaica.

 

“I must urge Jamaicans to take advantage of employment opportunities. This partnership with the Jamaica Library Service will, therefore, open the gateway for more Jamaicans to access reliable labour market information,” Dr. Ferguson said. “It will provide the first step towards obtaining the necessary skills needed and to efficiently locate decent jobs.”

 

He indicated that the partnership manifests the pooling of available resources from the two government entities noting that employees of the libraries will be trained to give guidance on where to locate information on the website and how to register and search for jobs on the LMIS website.

 

Dr Ferguson said that the MLSS recognized that greater access to the Internet could lead to greater access to employment opportunities.  He thanked the JLS for providing the opportunity which will see students, jobseekers and other uses of the libraries accessing the web-based LMIS.

 

“Through the LMIS database, employers and investors will know where to locate certified and uncertified skills. Policy makers will know where there is an under-supply or over-supply of skills and take corrective actions. The process, therefore, will advance productivity improvement and country competitiveness in the global marketplace. 

 

Since its inception in 2001, the system, which is maintained by the MLSS, has been providing cost effective ways for employers to source and recruit suitable employees, as well  as for job seekers to post resumes for possible employment.

 

To date more than 11,000 job seekers have visited the site, with 520 employers recruiting individuals from the jobs posted. Over 700 jobs have already been posted with 158 of the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) cohort of 1500 having used and are connected to the system.

 

The Jamaica Library has been providing information, educational and recreational programmes and services through a network of 118 fixed public library locations, 374 mobile library stops and 894 school library networks across the island.

 

Karen Barton, Director General of the Jamaica Library Service (JLS) said it was fitting that the Inter-American Development Bank found it necessary to partner with the MLSS to connect the labour market with job opportunities.

 

“This partnership comes at an opportune time especially in an ever expanding digital world. The labour market is changing and various jobs are in demand Barton said. “This partnership recognizes the network that will be created to give persons an opportunity to access job opportunities,”

 

The Labour Market Intelligence is the third component. This is a combination of current and historical data on the local economy, population and labour market and also includes information on training opportunities for the youth, sources of funding for education, the most frequently advertised jobs, and summaries of labour market research conducted by MLSS.

 

The LMIS has three components, the Electronic Labour Exchange (ELE), Skills Bank, and the Labour Market Intelligence. The ELE, which is the core component of the LMIS, facilitates the matching of job seekers with employers, and provides both online and offline services to both parties.

 

The online services include: tips on resume writing, preparing for interview, job search and career counseling. The offline services include: assisting employers to post jobs, interview and shortlist candidates. The second component is the Skills Bank, which is a database of certified Jamaicans, with varying skills.

 

 Photo Caption:

Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites (centre) accepts from Minister of Labour and Social Security Dr Fenton Ferguson a copy of the signed MOU between the JLS and LMIS. Witnessing the occasion from left are Karen Barton, Director General, JLS; Paul Lalor, Chairman JLS Board; and Colette Roberts Risden, Permanent Secretary, MLSS.