Senator The Hon Ruel Reid (centre), Minister of Education, Youth and Information along with Mr Floyd Green (3rd right), Minister of State, interacts with senior managers at the ministry’s headquarters at National Heroes Circle during his first day on the job (March 8, 2016). From left are Mr Hector Stephenson, Executive Director, Overseas Examination Commission; Dr Maurice Smith, Permanent Secretary; and Ms Dorrett Campbell, Deputy Chief Education Officer. Dr Smith welcomed the newly appointed ministers who both expressed their desire to lead the ministry’s team in advancing education.

ONEAL MCLEOD, teacher at the Godfrey Stewart High School in Westmoreland, is the Ministry of Education’s Mathematics Teacher of the Year 2016. 

McLeod was selected as the winner from five national finalists. Debra Morrison Muir of the Jessie Ripoll Primary school was runner-up, while the other finalists were Marlon McKenzie of the Holy Trinity High School, Karen Hartley of Bethabara Primary and Nerissa Stephens from Little London Primary. 

“I feel great. Words cannot explain how I feel today,” said an elated McLeod after receiving the award during a ceremony on Tuesday at the Jamaica Conference Centre, Downtown Kingston.

“I motivate my students and as a teacher I also need motivation. This award certainly serves as motivation for me,” he stated. 

McLeod was also named as the finalist for Region Four and copped the award for the best mathematics lesson at the secondary level. Nerissa Stephens from the Little London Primary won for best mathematics lesson at the primary level. 

His prizes include a one-year membership to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), which is the world’s largest organisation concerned with mathematics education, as well as a trip to San Francisco for the NCTM 2016 Conference.

According to Dr Tamika Benjamin, National Mathematics Coordinator at the Ministry of Education, each year the Mathematics Teacher of the Year Competition is a reminder that despite teaching conditions being less than ideal, teachers continue to deliver quality mathematics lessons.

“Teachers are making a commendable attempt to ensure that students are excited by and interested in Mathematics. To this end there has been greater and more strategic use of technology and more deliberate attempts to include learning activities to which students can relate,” Benjamin said. 

A total of 107 primary and secondary school teachers from across the six education regions were nominated.  Twenty-nine persons were selected as regional semi-finalists; however, only 16 advanced to the regional finals from which five were chosen for the national finals. 

Each national finalist was observed teaching a mathematics lesson and was assessed by a panel of elite judges.  The candidate’s scores were weighted and totaled to determine the 2016 Mathematics Teacher of the Year. 

Dr Renee Rattray, Director of Education Programmes at the JN Foundation, which is a major sponsor for the event, said it was important that mathematics became a critical component in the creative process. 

“It is important that mathematics comes alive. The quality of the teacher is one of the most important and significant variables in student performance,” Rattray said.  

In the photograph Mr McLeod (centre) celebrates the occasion with Dr Maurice Smith (left), Permanenet Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Dr Renee Rattray, Director of EDucation Programmes at JN Foundation, sponsor of the Mathematics Teacher of the Year Award

 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’ 

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.

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.

 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.

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.

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.