JIS: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, has praised the management and staff of the social learning website, EduFocal, for the work being done to empower young people through education.

 

The facility, which was established in 2012, uses the principles of game elements in learning (gamification) to present test material to students preparing for final examinations at the primary and high school levels.

 

The principal tests are the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination.

 

EduFocal is headed by Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Gordon Swaby, whom the State Minister encouraged to “continue to devise programmes to challenge our students and to help them to think critically”.

 

The State Minister was speaking at EduFocal’s seventh annual Excellence Awards ceremony at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Wednesday (July 24) Ten primary and 10 high school students were recognised for academic achievements resulting from their using the Edufocal online interactive learning platform to prepare for PEP and CSEC.

 

Top awardee at the primary level was 12-year-old Jeremiah Shim, formerly of Mavisville Preparatory in Kingston, who was placed first on the EduFocal PEP leader board.

 

He will attend St. George’s College in September, when the 2019/20 academic year begins.

 

Richard Greenwood, a 17-year-old Kingston College student, was the top EduFocal CSEC leader board performer.

 

Each received a $50,000 bursary, and, along with the other awardees, were given plaques and gift certificates.

 

In congratulating the students, Mr. Terrelonge encouraged them to stay motivated and inspired, and to think critically and endeavour, at all times, to be the best they can be. “It is only through education that you will be empowered… and your empowerment is critical to national growth, development and prosperity,’ he added.

 

To date, over 20,000 students have used the EduFocal platform to prepare for the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT); its replacement, PEP; and CSEC.

 

CAPTION: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Alando Terrelonge (centre, front row), with EduFocal’s Primary Exit Profile awardee level of the Edu Focal leader board. Also pictured are Vice Chairman of the NCB Foundation, Andrew Pearman (left, back row); EduFocal’s Chairman, Peter Levy (third left, back row), and Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Gordon Swaby (third right, back row). The occasion was the EduFocal’s seventh annual Excellence Awards ceremony at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Wednesday (July 24).

JIS: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has hailed the improvements being undertaken at the Seaward Primary and Junior High School, noting that the institution “is well on its way to becoming one of the best performing primary and infant schools in Jamaica”.

 

He was addressing a ceremony held at the school grounds in Olympic Way, St. Andrew, on July 25 to officially open a play area as well as honour partners/stakeholders.

 

The Prime Minister noted that greater focus is being placed on developing the school plant for the benefit of students.

 

He said that in the past, the institution, which is located in his West Central St. Andrew Constituency, was constantly utilised for community activities.

 

He noted, however, that with the construction of the Olympic Gardens Civic Centre to facilitate community activities “that gave you some more space… and now you are only focused on developing the school infrastructure”.

 

“I recognised that if we were going to truly create an institution of learning that would serve the population in this community well, we needed to give the school space to grow and to develop and to allow the students to be able to fully utilise all the assets of the school,” Prime Minister Holness added.

 

Mr. Holness said he is pleased to see the focus that the principal, chairman and the community have placed on the school.

 

“It is quite clear that the community is now treating the school in a much different way than it did in the past. There is now a greater respect for the infrastructure of the school and how you use the school utilities, and that is, in my mind, a significant improvement,” he said.

 

The Prime Minister further noted the measures undertaken to boost student performance.

 

“I recall that when we instituted the Grade Four literacy test we were not so happy with the results both in literacy and numeracy at the time in 2009. I supported the school with literacy coaches and programmes and we have seen steady improvements in literacy and numeracy,” he noted.

 

Mr. Holness said that the school’s literacy results have moved from 68 per cent to 78 per cent in the last academic year, while the numeracy improved from 11 per cent to 54 per cent in the last academic year.

 

Prime Minister Holness pledged to make donations through the Constituency Development Fund and the Positive Jamaica Foundation towards the school bus donation drive.

 

CAPTION: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (left), engages with Seaward Primary and Junior High School student, Kerica Thomas. Occasion was a ceremony to officially open a play area and honour stakeholders, held at the insitution on Olympic Way, St. Andrew, on July 25.

 

 

 

State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information Alando Terrelonge met with Kimberly Francis and Dwayne Stewart, parents of Soul-Heart Francis, at the Ministry’s Heroes Circle office on Monday July 22, 2019. 

 

Earlier this month there were reports in the media stating the parents had a struggle to find placement for Soul-Heart in schools. The Jamaica Star July 12 story headlined “Baby genius too bright for school – Parents struggle to find space for 3-year-old” also highlighted that the 3-year-old had High-Functioning Autism (HFA) or Asperger’s Syndrome. 

 

The State Minister had open discussions with the parents which revealed that despite earlier reports, there was no direct communication with any ministry official regarding the challenges faced by them. Stewart conceded that he made a few  calls to the ministry two years ago but never had dialogue with any senior personnel or educational specialist at the Ministry. 

 

Minister Terrelonge also invited Dr. Morgan, assistant Chief Education Officer for the Special Education Unit, to the meeting  to observe Soul-Heart and give her professional opinion as to the best way forward. Several options were explored in the meeting to find suitable solutions in getting Soul-Heart into a school that would be able to cater to his special needs.

 

“I have repeatedly said that an education is the best gift that we can give to our children. All our children are special and we must ensure that we devise educational programmes so that every child, irrespective of socio-economic background; race; religion; special gifts or disability, gets an opportunity to learn and maximize their full potential. Autism, or any other developmental disorder, must never be a barrier to an education or placement in a learning institution.  I am pleased that Soul-Heart has parents who are dedicated to his education, and they have my full support and that of the Ministry of Education, that we will partner with them to ensure his growth and prosperity” Terrelonge added. 

 

It was concluded that the Ministry would assist in getting a full assessment done by qualified professionals who would help in having a curriculum developed specifically for Soul-Heart. This will be followed by getting him placed in a school that is equipped to cater to his special needs. 

 

The State Minister and father of two, was very impressed with Soul-Heart and reassured his parents that the Ministry of Education and the Early Childhood Commission would assist in ensuring Soul-Heart gets the assistance he needs. 

 

CAPTION ONE: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information Alando Terrelonge engages baby genius  Soul-Heart Stewart during a visit to the Education Ministry.

 

CAPTION TWO: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information Alando Terrelonge in a playful mode, with baby genius Soul-Heart Stewart and his father Dwayne Stewart.  Soul-Heart’s father met with Minister Terrelonge on Monday. The 

Ministry has pledged to assist the three-year old. 

 

 

JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is preparing for the administration of the 2021 Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA).

 

PISA is a triennial study of education systems, which is organised by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). It involves administering a non-curriculum based assessment to 15year-old students to generate comparable data on educational systems across the world.

 

“We conducted a needs assessment to find out how prepared the (education) system is for PISA. The Ministry wanted to find out the benefits that we’ll gain, the readiness of schools for this activity (PISA) and also the tasks required in implementing such an assessment,” Assistant Chief Education Officer, Programme Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Sonia Dobson-Walters, told JIS News.

 

She noted that the needs assessment helped in identifying the perception of stakeholders, the benefits of the nation participating in PISA 2021 and the required inputs for the successful administration of the assessment.

 

“We wanted to examine our concerns in comparison to other nations which have administered PISA, so we did a study tour to the Dominican Republic and Peru where we conducted a mixed-method evaluation with the Principals of past participating schools,” she added.

 

Mrs. Dobson-Walters said the Ministry has approached key education stakeholders such as the Deputy and Chief Education Officers, the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), the Overseas Examination Council, local school principals and regional education officers for their input in the successful administration of PISA.

 

“PISA will drive policy and structural development within the education sector.    However, with regard to the input needed for the successful implementation of PISA,we will need an effective communication strategy to ensure stakeholders’ buy-in,” she said.

 

Mrs. Dobson-Walters pointed out that the Ministry has started to build the capacity to ensure that teachers can guide students in the use of the computers as the PISA assessment will be computer-based.

 

“PISA requires that we have a secure place to put information about students in regards to sampling and registration, so the local PISA registration and sampling committee is now in the process of retrofitting a software the Ministry has, to ensure that student information is secured,” Manager of theEducation System Transformation Programme at theMinistry,DayneaFacey, told JIS News.

 

Meanwhile, National Programme Manager, PISA, Marjorianna Clarke,said  that before the assessment, the Ministry will review the items students will be given.

“The purpose of this review and adaptation is to ensure that our students are not exposed to items that are not culturally relevant,” she shared.

 

Ms. Clarke highlighted that the Ministry will undertake and complete all necessary administrative tasks by 2020for the successful administration of PISA in 2021.

 

 CAPTION: National Mathematics Coordinator and a member of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) management team at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr. Tamika Benjamin (right), consults with National Project Manager for PISA, Marjorianna Clarke, at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ today (July 16). 

 

CAPTION: Manager for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Marjorianna Clarke, addresses recent JIS ‘Think Tank’.

JIS: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, is calling on educators to assist in safeguarding the rights of children by exposing abusers.

 

Addressing a Child Protection Seminar, held today (July 18), at the University of the West Indies in Mona, St. Andrew, Mr. Terrelonge said when persons report suspected neglect and abuse of children, they are fulfilling their obligations under the law.

 

“If you suspect that a child is a victim of abuse, neglect or sexual violence, you have a duty and a responsibility to make a report. The law says you must call the police,” the State Minister told his audience at the Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ)-organised event.

 

He added that with more than 80 per cent of children being exposed to various forms of violence, it is an “alarming” practice that must end, and households must find different ways to discipline children, as studies have shown that many children who are victims of violence become perpetrators of violence and crime.

 

Mr. Terelonge said the society needs to join the move to end corporal punishment in schools, as that and other attacks are “doing more harm to our children” rather than achieving behavioural change.

 

“Let us discipline our children with love, have conversations with them, let them explain to you what their understanding is on missteps that they have made,” he said.

 

The event was used to launch the JFJ and the Ministry’s Child Protection Law Handbook for Educators and Childcare Workers.

 

Mr. Terrelonge said the publication sets out various aspects of the law to protect children and is easy to read, and that every school and childcare facility will get copies.

 

While encouraging educators to familiarise themselves with the book, Mr. Terrelonge underscored that if adults safeguard children’s rights and treat them with human dignity, which every one of us would want for ourselves, then we will have a safer, better and more prosperous Jamaica.

 

The objective of the seminar was to provide legal literacy and human rights sensitisation to justice stakeholders with interest in child rights and child protection.

 

The handbook provides clear examples of child abuse and highlights the obligation of adults to take action against suspected perpetrators.

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Alando Terrelonge (centre), in discussion with Head of Development Cooperation at the Canadian High Commission, Walter Bernyk (right), at a Child Protection Seminar held today (July 18) at the University of the West Indies in Mona, St. Andrew. At left is Chief Executive Officer of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), Rosalee Gage-Grey.

JIS: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Government remains resolute in facilitating an inclusive education system that caters to the needs of all children, particularly those with special needs.

 

“The Government is very sensitive towards special needs education and towards providing the service. We acknowledge that we are not at the service level that we should be, but we are going to be increasing our budget. Indeed, this year we have increased the budget significantly for special needs education,” he said.

 

The Prime Minister was speaking during a visit to the Special Needs Department at Liberty Academy at the Priory in St. Andrew, on July 16.

 

Mr. Holness said the establishment of diagnostic and care centres to cater to students with special education needs is paramount, as these will assist in the delivery of special education programmes and services.

 

“The challenge that we have is that we don’t have centres like these spread right across the island in a geographically equitable way where the population can access. We are building one now at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Portland that will serve that end of the island, where there is a total underprovision of services,” he informed.

 

The Prime Minister reminded parents that the Ministry of Education has an obligation to provide an education to every single child, and encouraged them to make contact directly with the Ministry.

 

“In the old days, people would dismiss the child as being slow, and essentially consign them to a very dark future. Today, that is not the case and it shouldn’t be the case. Every child, regardless of their needs, can have an opportunity to fulfil themselves, and what we will be doing in facilities like these is to provide them with the means to be able to fulfil themselves and articulate in society,” he said.

 

He informed that in 2010, the Ministry of Education conducted an assessment to identify students with special needs.

 

“That assessment showed that 28 per cent of the population would have some form of special learning need ranging from very mild to severe, and based on that Child Find, we were able to place most of the students in facilities… and we have been very active in providing grants,” he said.

 

For her part, Special Needs Coordinator, Liberty Academy, Toni-Ann Millen, said the students and staff members were happy for the visit from the Prime Minister.

 

“This side of our programme deals with children with more moderate needs. We work on things besides academics, such as their self-help skills, their independence, their communication skills and their motor skills, to allow them to have a more meaningful use of life in terms of what they do,” she said.

 

The department caters to students who are autistic, suffer from Down’s syndrome, dyslexia, cerebral palsy and hearing impairment.

 

During his visit, Mr. Holness interacted with students and observed the delivery of instructions.

 

The institution offers an inclusive programme of education, catering to students between three and 18 years of age. The school operates kindergarten, junior, high school, and exceptional needs departments.

 

A church-affiliated institution, Liberty Academy at the Priory commenced operations in 1994. It functions as an outreach ministry of the Swallowfield Chapel.

 

Accredited by the Ministry of Education in 2001, the institution is also a registered non-profit organisation that operates under the guidelines of the Jamaica Independent Schools’ Association.

 

CAPTION: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (centre), observes as teachers from the Special Needs Department at Liberty Academy at the Priory, in St. Andrew, Jami-Ann Genius (left) and Tamalee Hamilton (right), interact with students during a visit to the institution on July 16. To the Prime Minister’s left is Special Needs Coordinator, Liberty Academy at the Priory, Toni-Ann Millen.

 

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is rejecting as false, a recent report in sections of the media that persons at The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information have destroyed documents related to the Caribbean Maritime University since March of this year in a bid to impede investigations. 

 

All documents related to the Ministry’s engagement with the CMU whether through Memoranda of Understanding or service agreements have been made available to the relevant authorities as requested.

 

It should be noted that in keeping with normal Cabinet Office procedures when there is a change in Ministers within an Administration or when there is a change of Government all Cabinet Documents issued to outgoing Minister(s) are to be destroyed and a Certificate of Destruction with the list of the documents disposed of presented to the Cabinet Office.

 

This procedure was followed earlier this year consequent on a directive dated April 3, 2019 to Acting Permanent Secretary Dr Grace McLean from the Cabinet Secretary, Ambassador Douglas Saunders, following the resignation of then Senator Ruel Reid as Minister of Education, Youth and Information.

 

The allegations that CMU-related documents were destroyed in an attempt to impede investigations are therefore false.

 

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is dismissing as inaccurate, claims published in a report in today’s Gleaner titled “Where’s the Cash?” in relation to the Career Advancement Programme. 

 

The statement attributed to the assistant bursar of Campion College that the school has not received any money related to the CAP programme is false.  The principal of Campion College, Mrs Grace Baston has since informed that she was not consulted by the media but rather her assistant bursar, who gave an erroneous report.  The principal notes that Campion should have received $1,600,000.00 for the scholars, and has confirmed that the school uploaded funds from the Ministry to its accounts on December 4, 2018 – $400,000.00 and June 17, 2019 – $675,901.88. The remainder is being processed by the Ministry for payment by tomorrow, Friday, July 19, 2019.

 

In a letter to Acting Permanent Secretary, Dr Grace McLean, the principal apologised for the inaccurate report adding, “I have contacted Mr. Gary Allen, CEO of the RJR /Gleaner Communications Group, and he has agreed to print a correction of the statement in tomorrow’s paper.

 

Once again, I apologize, on behalf of the School Board for this error and for any embarrassment that this might have caused yourself and your team. Campion College has always enjoyed a mutually respectful relationship with the Ministry and trusts that this will continue.”  

 

GLEANER: State Minister in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Alando Terrelonge, is to spearhead a team that is to conduct a review of educational psychologists including social workers and counsellors within the sector.

 

Terrelonge made the disclosure while addressing a recent meeting of Commonwealth Youth Ministers’ in Marlborough, London where he met with the Duke of Sussex Prince Harry who was recently appointed Commonwealth Youth Ambassador by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

 

Terrelonge raised the issue of mental health wellness within the Commonwealth region and its prevalence among youth with specific reference to Jamaica.

 

“There has been increasing cause for concern within the Commonwealth about the attention given to mental health and it is critical that youth are confident that policy is being considered to provide quality support.

 

“In doing so, we have to ensure that we are aligned with the best practices globally in having the requisite human resource personnel to treat and counsel our youth who may need intervention and more importantly that we have persons who are trained and able to identify symptoms and treat accordingly,” Terrelonge stated.

 

August 12 will be celebrated as International Youth Day and the state minister indicated that he intends to have mental health among youth to be a focal point of the scheduled activities in Jamaica.

 

World Health Organization (WHO) statistics indicate that close to 800,000 people die as a result of suicide each year with a significant percentage being young males.

 

Globally, mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and behavioural disorders affect 10 to 20% of all youth.

 

Statistics from WHO state that half of all mental illnesses begin by age 14.

 

Most symptoms go undetected and untreated which severely affect children’s growth and development.

 

“Too many of our youth who suffer from mental health issues are living in fear, shame, and isolation. They face discrimination and many resort to suicide, which is the third-highest cause of death among our youth each year.

 

“Globally it is a threat to the wholesome development of our youth and predominantly among young males. It is time we raise awareness, reduce the stigma and get our youth the help and treatment they deserve,” he added.

 

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CAPTION: Duke of Sussex Prince Harry (right) speaking with Jamaica’s Minister of State in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Alando Terrelonge, at a recent Commonwealth Youth Ministers’ meeting – Contributed photo.