National Coordinator for Safety and Security in Schools, Richard Troupe, says the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information is committed to preventing bullying in schools and ensuring safe learning environments.

He was speaking during a church service to mark the start of National Anti-Bullying Week 2026 at the Boulevard Baptist Church in Kingston on Sunday (October 4).

“For the Ministry, bullying prevention forms a part of our wider responsibility to ensure that our schools are safe spaces for teaching, for learning and for development,” he said.

Mr. Troupe noted that several approaches are being undertake, including school safety interventions, conflict resolution and restorative interventions and forging partnerships with government agencies and other stakeholders.

These measures, he said, recognise that creating safer schools requires the involvement of students, educators, parents, the church, communities and the wider support system of children.

Mr. Troupe noted that bullying can be physical or verbal, and involve intimidation, repeated teasing, exclusion, spreading rumors and deliberately humiliating another person.

He said that these behaviours are increasingly extending into digital spaces, where harmful comments, photographs or videos can be shared quickly and significantly increase the harm experienced by a child.

He urged parents and educators to listen to children, take their concerns seriously and pay attention to changes in behaviour.

“We must also intervene early, helping children who display bullying behaviour to understand the impact of their actions and develop healthier ways of managing conflict,” he said.

He noted that students have an important role to play in addressing bullying, encouraging them to report incidents to a teacher, guidance counsellor, dean of discipline, principal, parent or another trusted individual.

Mr. Troupe said National Anti-Bullying Week provides an opportunity for schools to strengthen conversations about bullying and cyberbullying, reinforce reporting mechanisms and remind students of the support available to them.

He assured that the Ministry remains committed to working with schools, families, communities and partners to ensure that every child can learn in an environment where they feel safe, respected and supported.

National Anti-Bullying Week is being observed from October 4 to 10 under the theme ‘Kindness Run Di Place; Bullying Nuh Have No Space’.

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Marlon Morgan, says Winston Jones High School is slated to benefit from repair works following damage to sections of its buildings caused by Hurricane Melissa last October.

Senator Morgan said that as stewards of the students’ affairs and leaders within the education sector, the Ministry remains committed to addressing their concerns, noting that many students from lower-income households and communities located far from the school make tremendous sacrifices to access education.

He was speaking during the institution’s commencement exercise and 50th anniversary celebrations, held on the school’s campus in Prattville, Manchester, on Wednesday (October 7).

Meanwhile, Senator Morgan assured his audience that the national rural school bus service would be expanded over time to better serve students such as those attending Winston Jones High, adding that newly manufactured buses would be incorporated into the fleet as the Government continues to partner with parents to help ease their financial burden.

“[Additionally], we continue to provide support to schools in rural Jamaica as it relates to connectivity, including reliable Internet and broadband access. With respect to service provided by our telecoms partners and satellite Internet through Starlink, we are able to ensure that, although many of you are in rural communities, you have access to broadband. This makes it possible to do research and puts you on par with other parts of Jamaica,” the Parliamentary Secretary stated.

In the meantime, Senator Morgan urged students to reject violence in schools, conduct themselves in a manner that would make their parents, school and community proud, and develop strong interpersonal skills to support their personal growth and future success.

“We do not want to see Winston Jones High School students being featured on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or any other platform for undesirable behaviour or involvement in brawls. Be prepared to stand up, stand out and do the right thing,” he maintained.

Member of Parliament for Manchester Southern, Peter Bunting, who also spoke at the event, encouraged students never to underestimate what is possible in their lives, noting that their present circumstances do not determine their future.

 

National Coordinator for Safety and Security in Schools, Richard Troupe, says school safety is a right for all students that goes beyond the absence of physical danger, permeating all facets of school life and operations.

Mr. Troupe was delivering remarks on behalf of portfolio Minister, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, at the National Anti-Bullying Day Forum at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on Wednesday (October 7).

Speaking against the background of the National Assessment of Perception of School Safety and Security, he noted the importance of a safe school environment in achieving positive educational outcomes.

He said that the assessment makes the link between students’ perception of safety and their academic performance.

He noted that a one unit increase in the perception of safety and security was associated with a 9.67 per cent increase in academic performance among high-school students.

“Creating safer schools is not separate from improving educational outcomes. When students feel that their school is safe… we create better conditions for them to participate and to achieve,” Mr. Troupe said.

The assessment also found that students at primary and secondary schools were experiencing bullying.

“The assessment found that the experience was relatively similar across primary and high schools, with 39.3 per cent of students at the primary level and 38.1 per cent of students at the high-school level agreeing that… students are always being bullied at their school,” Mr. Troupe noted.

He said that the findings highlight the importance of ensuring that “every child know that there is an adult who will listen, take them seriously, and help them to find a way forward”.

National Assessment of Perception of School Safety and Security was conducted in 2022 with reports generated in 2023.

It will be used to guide the policy approach to strengthening school safety and security, including reviewing the amended Safe School Policy.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), Dr. Warren Thompson, in his address, said that bullying must be addressed through a collective effort involving children, parents, educators and the wider community.

He said the response must go beyond reacting to individual incidents and focus on creating school environments where children feel respected and included.

“The kind of school environment we want for our children cannot be built on fear, humiliation or exclusion. It must be built on respect, empathy, inclusion and the courage to stand up when something is wrong,” Dr. Thompson said.

He encouraged children and adults to speak up when bullying occurs or is suspected, noting that assistance is available through the national child protection helpline.

Dr. Thompson said the public can call 211 if they know or suspect that a child is being bullied or abused and needs help.

For his part, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Jamaica Deputy Representative, Mohammad Mohiuddin, said that bullying should be treated as an issue affecting children’s fundamental rights and not simply as misconduct that requires disciplinary action.

“Bullying is not merely a behavioural issue; it is a child rights issue,” he said.

Mr. Mohiuddin said the effects of bullying can undermine children’s ability to participate fully in school and feel protected within their learning environment.

“It undermines children’s rights to protection, dignity, participation, and quality education,” he said.

He called for schools to establish clear prevention strategies, safe mechanisms through which children can report bullying, and timely support for those affected.

Mr. Mohiuddin also underscored the role of parents and caregivers in responding appropriately when children disclose experiences of bullying.

He urged parents and caregivers to listen without judgment, while encouraging young people to speak up and seek assistance from trusted adults.

“Addressing bullying requires more than policies. It requires a culture of respect. It begins with all of us,” he said.

The National Anti-Bullying Day Forum, held under the theme ‘Kindness Run Di Place; Bullying Nuh Have No Space’, brought together students, educators, parents and child-protection stakeholders for youth and adult sessions focused on understanding.

 

The Integrity Commission has launched an ‘Integrity Corner’ initiative in four primary and preparatory schools, providing dedicated spaces where students can learn about and actively engage with the principles of honesty, fairness, responsibility and ethical behaviour from an early age.

The initiative, currently being piloted at Alvernia Preparatory School and Mona Heights Primary School in Kingston, as well as McIntosh Memorial Primary School and Prattville Primary School in Manchester, forms part of the Commission’s broader corruption prevention and integrity education efforts.

Speaking at a JIS Think Tank, today (September 16), Director of Corruption Prevention, Stakeholder Engagement and Anti-Corruption Strategy at the Commission, Sashein Wright-Chin, described the Integrity Corner as a child-friendly interactive space within the school environment, designed to help students explore and express what integrity means in their everyday lives.

According to Mrs. Wright-Chin, the programme reflects the Commission’s belief that building a society grounded in integrity must begin with the development of values during childhood.

“Very often when we talk about corruption, the conversation centres on investigations, prosecutions, laws, sanctions and enforcement. While those measures are important, we must also ask ourselves how we prevent corruption in the first place,” she said.

A key feature of the initiative is its student-driven approach. Each participating school received an Integrity Starter Kit from the Commission containing posters, integrity storybooks and other educational resources to support the development of the initiative.

In addition to educational materials supplied by the Commission, students contribute their own artwork, posters, messages and creative projects to the Integrity Corner, allowing them to interpret and express the concept of integrity in their own voices.

“We do not want integrity to be something that is simply taught to children. We want them to engage with it, think about it and express it for themselves,” Mrs. Wright-Chin explained.

The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, which has supported its introduction within participating schools and helped to ensure the programme is appropriate for the school environment.

Senior Education Officer, Core Curriculum Unit in the Ministry, Marlon Williams, who also addressed the Think Tank, said there was no hesitation on the part of the Ministry in partnering with the Integrity Commission on this initiative.

“When the Integrity Commission reached out to the Ministry almost a year ago, we did not think twice about the partnership. At the Ministry we are not just concerned about teaching the subjects; we are concerned about developing the whole child. And so, we saw it as an opportunity because what the Integrity Commission introduced is actually reinforcing some of the principles that we are teaching at the Ministry,” Mr. Williams said.

“Ultimately, this is about prevention. If we want to change attitudes towards corruption over the long term, we must invest in shaping values from an early age. We want integrity to become not simply something our children hear about but something they understand, practise and live,” Mrs. Wright-Chin said.

Some 500 educators are expected to receive training under the Nurturing Early Scientific Thinking (NEST) Programme, during the academic school year.

Minister without Portfolio with responsibility for Science, Technology and Special Projects, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, made the disclosure during a post-Cabinet press briefing held on Wednesday (September 9) at Jamaica House.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Early Childhood Commission (ECC) and the Scientific Research Council (SRC), to implement the initiative islandwide.

The MOU was signed by Executive Director of the ECC, Karlene DeGrasse Deslandes and Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Ambassador Rocky Meade.

“We will begin with a cohort of some 50 Early Childhood Commission master trainers, experienced practitioners from the Commission’s own network, trained not simply to teach science but to teach the teaching of science. Those 50 will reach 500 educators in this financial year alone. Each one of the 500 trained will stand every morning in front of a classroom,” Dr. Wheatley said.

“The maths is simple, which is also science. Fifty becomes 500, and 500 becomes something in the order of 10,000 Jamaican children in a single school year. The first 50 are not finished when the first 500 teachers are trained. They remain within the Commission, in the parishes, ready to train the next 500, and the 500 after that,” he added.

The Minister informed that the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund is providing $50 million for the acquisition of advanced Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) kits.

Dr. Wheatley also expressed appreciation to the SRC for applying its expertise to the procurement of the kits and to the next activity books.

“The memorandum we signed today gives this work a clear framework, defined roles, strong training, quality assurance, and continuity,” he said.

The NEST Programme is aimed at introducing science at the early childhood level.

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Marlon Morgan, has been tasked with spearheading the Ministry’s boys’ education agenda.

This was disclosed by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Kasan Troupe, during Wednesday’s (September 9) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

She explained that, at the end of the last academic year, the education system was experiencing some level of gender inequity.

“So the boys are trailing the girls. We have gone already into the workshop to look at how we will be supporting our schools this year under the leadership of Senator Morgan. He will be leading the boys’ education machinery in the Ministry. The technical work has begun, and you will hear more about that as we… support our teachers, looking at other activities that will help and enrich the experiences for our boys,” Dr. Troupe stated.

“We want them to catch up. We want them to be good husbands and good fathers… good partners. We have daughters and we want them to find good men tomorrow. So we have a responsibility to make sure that our boys can stand out and stand up in Jamaica,” she added.

Meanwhile, Dr. Troupe informed that more than 8,000 teachers worked with the Jamaica Teaching Council during the summer to ensure they were adequately capacitated and prepared for the 2026-27 academic year.

“I want to salute our National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC). We touched over 56,000 parents between April and September to get our students ready and our parents ready to provide quality parenting, as we work to get it right in the education system. I want to salute the parents who have been working with us,” she stated.

The NPSC, an agency of the Ministry of Education, coordinates a wide range of services for parents and also delivers programmes aimed at strengthening parenting skills and promoting greater parental involvement in education.

The NPSC works to strengthen partnerships between home and school, guided by the principle that parental involvement is critical to student success.

Excitement filled the air at Lawrence Tavern Primary School in St. Andrew, on Monday (September 7), as students returned to the classroom for the start of the new school term.

Speaking with JIS News, grade-four teacher Sashoni Smith-Harris said the students appeared eager to resume classes and reconnect with their teachers and friends.

“This morning I noticed that the students were really ready to be back at school. They were enthused. They came with excitement to see their friends, their teachers, and they expressed it based on how they communicated,” she said.

As the academic year gets under way, Mrs. Smith-Harris said her priority is to assess the students’ current levels and provide the necessary support to help them progress.

She said she will focus on strengthening their literacy and numeracy skills, while ensuring that each child is given the opportunity to reach his or her fullest potential.

“So, for the new school year with these set of students, the first thing I will ensure that I do is to look at their progress, look at what they come to me with, so that I can enhance and support them in whatever area I can,” she said.

“I also want to ensure that their literacy and numeracy level will improve as the year progresses. And I also want to ensure that each student achieves at their best and to their fullest potential,” she added.

For parents, the start of the new school year also brings a renewed sense of anticipation as they watch their children advance through the education system.

Parent Trevesha Bourne said she is particularly excited about the progress of her daughter, who is now in grade five and preparing to enter grade six and sit the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exam, while her son has advanced to grade three.

“To be honest, for back to school for this year… I’m feeling very excited right now because… my daughter is basically in grade 5, looking forward to going into grade 6; nothing but the best, and… for her to embrace PEP and all of that… . I feel so overwhelmed,” she tells JIS News.

“My son is in grade three right now and he’s doing exceptionally well from grade two… . Hoping nothing but the best for grade three… . I’m very excited and I know that other parents are very excited too… . We’re looking for the best for this year for all our children,” she added.

Another parent, Sidric Vickers, said he is optimistic about his child’s experience in the new school year, particularly after meeting the teacher and seeing her interactive approach to learning.

“I am very happy and optimistic about the first day of school for my child. I have met my child’s teacher, Miss Bailey, who seems to be a very vibrant, interactive teacher, which is what we need in the school system now, moving away from the teachers who are far away from technology,” he said.

He noted that the use of technology in the classroom is important, given the changing demands of the modern world.

“She seems to be somebody who will use technology because that’s where the world is going now – use technology in day-to-day classes, very interactive with the kids, have them excited about learning new stuff each and every day… . I’m very optimistic and I wish each and every child, teacher, parent best of luck for this school year,” Mr. Vickers told JIS News.

He is also encouraging parents to take an active role in their children’s education, noting that academic success requires collaboration between the home and school.

“I encourage all the parents to support their kids, both financially, emotionally, psychologically – just support your child in their journey through school. This is not a one-man thing. The teacher alone cannot do it,” he said.

Mr. Vickers urged parents to remain engaged with what is happening in the classroom, including monitoring assignments and communicating regularly with their children.

“It’s a collaborative effort to be active in class with them, find out what is happening at school, have a discussion with them after school, find out anything that is affecting them,” he said.

For first-time parent at the school Moesha Genus, the start of the academic journey brought mixed emotions, including nervousness and reassurance.

Ms. Genus said preparations for the new school year went smoothly and encouraged parents to provide guidance and protection for their children, while reinforcing positive behaviour.

“Ensure you keep praying… . Pray for guidance and protection and ensure that the kids… you talk to them and let them know the key things of being a good student and not being a bully,” she said.

The Digicel Foundation is set to undertake a multimillion-dollar renovation and expansion project at the Port Maria Special Education Unit in St. Mary this financial year, as part of a wider push to enhance special education services across the island.

This was disclosed by Portfolio Manager for Education and Special Needs at the Foundation, Jamilia Crooks-Brown.

She was speaking during a handover ceremony for five renovated classrooms at The Mico University College Child Assessment and Research in Education (CARE) Centre in St. Andrew on Thursday (September 3).

Mrs. Crooks-Brown said the Foundation will undertake improvements to the Port Maria Special Education Unit, which is currently housed in a container unit.

“That project will create proper classrooms, bathrooms and a dedicated teacher area,” she informed.

Mrs. Crooks-Brown emphasised that the initiative reflects the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to supporting the education sector.

She stated that since 2004, Digicel Foundation has invested more than US$12 million in special-needs projects across the island.

“That investment says something very important about who we are and what we truly believe. We believe that special education deserves good things. It deserves good schools, deserves safe and stimulating spaces, it deserves facilities that are up to standard,” she affirmed.

Mrs. Crooks-Brown noted that the Digicel Foundation has also made significant investments in the creation of sensory-friendly spaces.

“In previous years, the Foundation has partnered with the Early Childhood Commission to establish inclusive classrooms and sensory rooms in early-childhood institutions across Jamaica. So we definitely understand the value that these spaces can bring to children, educators and families,” she stated.

Since 2004, the Digicel Foundation has completed 1,750 projects across Jamaica, investing US$51.6 million and impacting an estimated 889,381 lives.

These projects have encompassed education, special-needs and community-based initiatives aimed at advancing social and economic development across Jamaica.

Among these are the five Mico CARE classrooms, converted into Innovative Learning Environment (ILE) spaces through a partnership with the Phoenix Tower International (PTI) WINGS Foundation, which will provide enhanced support for children with special educational needs.

Mrs. Crooks-Brown noted that the Mico project is among several initiatives slated for implementation this year.

The Foundation’s commitment to the education sector has been commended by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dr. Kasan Troupe.

She noted that during times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the organisation provided critical learning resources to support students with special educational needs.

“They were the first to provide the resources… the tablets, the internet… to make sure that there was continuity of learning. Most recently, when we had Hurricane Melissa and we had to prepare our students for exams… Digicel Foundation packaged individual student packages… for every learner to be supported as they prepared for their exams,” Dr. Troupe stated.

The Permanent Secretary further highlighted the Foundation’s contribution to teacher training through its Smart Labs initiative, noting that it has partnered with teachers’ colleges to equip educators with the skills needed to effectively deliver instruction in technology-enabled classrooms.

“That’s the vision of a Foundation that understands partnership and understands how you grow a country. They have never left our students with special education needs alone. They have always been at the forefront,” Dr. Troupe affirmed.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, says the Hurricane Melissa reconstruction programme has presented an opportunity to make schools more resilient.

In her 2026 Back-to-School broadcast on September 5, Senator Morris Dixon said some 688 schools were damaged by the hurricane, and that 313 of these were severely damaged.

“Almost $26 billion is being spent on the repairs and reconstruction of our schools. The repairs are not advancing as fast as we would like in some schools but once we have this work completed, our schools will be stronger than ever,” she continued.

The Minister expressed thanks to the excellent work of principals, boards and the Ministry team, noting that it is expected that all schools will open today (September 7), even where repairs are not completed.

“I thank our principals, teachers, and contractors… and I want to say a special thank you to every single mason, carpenter, electrician, plumber who has worked on our schools. You are true heroes and we salute all of you,” she said.

“Our Melissa reconstruction programme has not only presented an opportunity to make our schools more resilient, but it has also provided an opportunity to upgrade and renovate staffrooms for educators across Jamaica. The Staffroom Renovation Programme covers 74 institutions in the first phase, with work concentrated heavily in the parishes hardest hit by Melissa,” she added.

The Minister also disclosed that there are more improvements under way beyond hurricane repairs, and that an unprecedented $400-million investment is being made into technical and vocational education in high schools.

“Starting with our technical high schools, each of our technical high schools will be receiving one state-of-the-art laboratory in new areas such as autonomous robotics, renewable energy, virtual welding, electrical engineering, industrial controls, and optoelectronics,” Senator Morris Dixon said.

Also, through the Jamaica Education Programme, the Ministry is retooling science labs.

“We cannot become a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) country without having equipment in our bio, physics, and chemistry labs. Students of today must be given the space and exposure to the best equipment to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow’s industry,” she stated.

In terms of connectivity, more than 150 satellite systems have been distributed to schools, with more devices in procurement to add another level of access to the Internet in even the most rural institutions.

“We are building back our schools better than they were before,” the Minister said.

Applications are now open for the 2026 Prime Minister’s National Medal for Science, Technology and Innovation and the National Innovation Awards, under the theme, ‘Science Solves’.

Principal Director of Science at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Dr. Natwaine Gardner, told a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ on Thursday (August 20) that the Awards are a key component of the Government’s efforts to strengthen Jamaica’s science, technology, and innovation ecosystem.

“They are intended, not only to recognise excellence but to also encourage more Jamaicans to use science, technology, creativity, and entrepreneurship to solve national problems and generate economic and social value,” she said.

“The Awards have two components… the first is the Prime Minister’s National Medal for Science and Technology and Innovation, [which] represents one of the highest forms of national recognition in this field,” Dr. Gardner explained.

The second component is the National Innovation Awards, which recognise outstanding innovations across nine categories.

These include Food Systems, Agriculture and Bioproduction; Energy, Climate Resilience and Environmental Solutions; Manufacturing, Engineering and Industrial Solutions; Digital Transformation and Information and Communications Technology; Health, Wellness and Social Innovation; Creative Industries, Tourism and Cultural Innovation; and Education, Skills and Human Capital Development.

There is also a Youth Innovator category that will recognise groundbreaking frontier science innovations with the potential to transform lives in Jamaica.

“The awards provide an opportunity to celebrate scientists, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, institutions and other innovators who are developing solutions with the potential to improve lives, increase productivity and strengthen Jamaica’s competitiveness,” Dr. Gardner noted.

She further pointed out that the programme will send a clear message to Jamaica’s young people that careers in these fields are valuable.

“An important objective of the awards is to help close the gap between innovation and commercialisation. A good idea becomes even more valuable when it can be developed into a viable product, a service or an enterprise. This will create opportunities for employment, investment, exports and economic growth,” the Principal Director stated.

Dr. Gardner said this year’s programme forms part of the ongoing effort to revamp Jamaica’s innovation ecosystem.

“It’s not merely the presentation of awards but it is the start of ensuring that the innovation ecosystem is a place where Jamaica’s premier research and development can take place. The National Medal and Innovation Awards will be the premier platform for identifying, showcasing, and supporting homegrown innovation,” she noted.

“Jamaicans are naturally creative and they’re innovative. However, many promising ideas remain relatively unknown and do not receive the proper recognition that they should get. The awards address this by giving innovators a credible platform through which their work can be recognised and promoted,” Dr. Gardner added.

Applications can be initiated and submitted through the Innovation Awards section of the Office of the Prime Minister’s website at opm.gov.jm.

“We’ve made it very user-friendly, so persons can go… start the application… pause it [and] come back and complete it. We encourage all Jamaicans to apply and to nominate or share the opportunity with persons or individuals or organisations whose work deserves to be highlighted through national recognition,” Dr. Gardner said.

The application deadline is September 5 at 11:59 p.m.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in November 2026.