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.

Chair of the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), Trisha Williams-Singh, is urging parents and guardians of young children to ensure that they choose early-childhood institutions (ECIs) that have received permits from the Commission to operate.

An ECI is any place that cares for four or more children under the age of six years, for up to six hours per day.

They include nurseries, centres or homes that offer day care, basic schools, kindergartens, preschools, infant schools and infant departments.

Under the Early Childhood Act and Regulations (2005), all ECIs must be registered with the Commission to receive a permit to operate.

“If the institution does not have a permit to operate, then do not send your child to the institution,” Mrs. Williams-Singh advised parents in an interview with JIS News on Thursday (August 20).

She emphasised that ECIs are encouraged to physically display their permits in areas where they are visible to parents.

“This should be something that is displayed for the comfort of parents, so they [can] see that there is no threat to the health and safety [of their children],” Mrs. Williams-Singh said.

She pointed out that ECIs that receive a permit have been assessed by inspectors from the Commission and have met the minimum criteria for operation stipulated by the Government.

“So, all institutions are to work towards having a certificate of registration, but presently… we give you a permit to operate once there’s no threat to safety and health, and then you work towards attaining the 12 operating standards,” the ECC Chair explained.

The 12 Standards for the operation, management and administration of ECIs in Jamaica encompass staffing; development and educational programmes; physical environment; interactions and relationships with children; indoor and outdoor equipment; health; nutrition; safety; child rights, child protection and equality; interactions with parents and community; administration; and finance.

As at March 2026, the ECC reported that there were 2,428 ECIs in operation across the island.

Mrs. Williams-Singh said that only about four per cent of those institutions are non-compliant with the ECC’s standards, while the remaining 96 per cent are either fully compliant or at various stages of achieving compliance.

The ECC is an agency of the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information, established in 2003, with the aim of improving the quality of early-childhood care, education and development in Jamaica.

It also coordinates the curriculum for early-childhood education, which encompasses birth to eight years old.

Teachers who went above and beyond in the wake of Hurricane Melissa were honoured during an awards ceremony at the Jamaica Teachers’ Association’s (JTA) 62nd Annual Conference, where Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, paid tribute to their dedication and service.

Speaking during the ceremony at Ocean Coral Spring Hotel in Trelawny on Tuesday (August 18), Senator Morris Dixon praised educators, particularly the awardees, for demonstrating that the strength of an education system lies not only in its infrastructure but, more importantly, in its people.

“An award can never fully capture the value of the lives you have influenced. Jamaica sees you, appreciates you and values your contributions,” she stated.

The Minister recounted visits to schools affected by the hurricane in western Jamaica, including Maud McLeod High School in Westmoreland, where Principal, Beverley Feare, personally delivered learning materials to students each week and transformed the school into a hub of community support.

She also highlighted the efforts of Principal of Petersfield Primary School, Dr. Susan Rattray-Hammond, who continued teaching children to read despite the devastation.

The Minister further noted that St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) used its generator to supply water to the wider surrounding community.

“We must not simply restore what existed before. We must use [this opportunity] to build better,” Dr. Dixon said.

She added that Jamaica cannot afford to rebuild schools only to see them damaged or lost again in future disasters.

In the meantime, Dr. Dixon thanked outgoing JTA President, Mark Malabver, for his service and contribution, and congratulated newly installed President, La Sonja Harrison, on her appointment.

She pledged the Ministry’s continued collaboration with the JTA in advancing the welfare and improving the working conditions of the nation’s educators.

“I do look forward to working with you and your team in a spirit of constructive engagement as we continue the important work of strengthening Jamaica’s education sector. Teaching is one of the most consequential professions in our society, and so tonight, it is important that we celebrate,” Minister Morris Dixon added.

For her part, Mrs. Harrison described the awardees as exemplary educators whose contributions in schools, churches, and community and civic organisations have made them the “cornerstones of this nation.”

She emphasised that their contributions extend well beyond the classroom, noting that teachers are consistently found serving in vital roles across the nation’s social institutions, including electoral bodies, community organisations and churches.

Mrs. Harrison reminded teachers that their ultimate reward comes from God and encouraged them to continue serving their colleagues, students and the nation with humility and faith.

“Tonight we recognise your sacrifice, selfless service, and stewardship,” she further stated.

Awards presented during the ceremony included the WBC (Ben) Hawthorne Award, the Edith Dalton-James Award, the Fay E. Saunders Award, the Anglin Jones Award, and a Special Award.

The conference is being held from August 18 to 20 under the theme ‘Reformation Now: Rebuilding a Resilient Education System Buoyed by the Eternal Father and Unrelenting Unionism’.

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information is preparing alternative arrangements, including rotating students on alternate days, for schools that may not be fully repaired by the start of the 2026/27 academic year in September.

This was disclosed by Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry, Senator Marlon Morgan, during a tour of several schools across St. Elizabeth on Monday (August 17) to assess reconstruction work being undertaken in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

Senator Morgan said the Ministry is working to ensure that as many schools as possible are fully restored for the start of the new academic year, while noting that some institutions may still have outstanding repairs when classes resume.

He indicated that where repair works are not fully completed, the Ministry will have to implement practical measures to ensure that teaching and learning continue uninterrupted.

“We have to be responsible people… we have to be practical people and solutions-oriented people, in relation to managing and getting on… even while we have suffered displacement,” Senator Morgan emphasised.

According to Senator Morgan, the Ministry is mindful that ongoing construction while schools are in session can pose challenges, including noise and dust.

As such, he said contractors are being urged to complete the work as quickly as possible while maintaining the required quality standards.

During a visit to Glen Stuart Primary and Infant School, Senator Morgan commended the principal, teachers, infant department caregivers, parents, guardians and students for their steadfast commitment to the education process despite having to operate under challenging conditions since Hurricane Melissa.

“So, things would not have been perfect but it speaks to your own understanding as stakeholders and partners, because that’s what education ultimately is about. At the end of the day, we want the boys and girls here at Glen Stuart Primary and Infant School to go on to be their best selves in whatever field of endeavour they choose,” he said. Meanwhile, Senator Morgan, who was accompanied by Member of Parliament for St. Elizabeth North Western, Andrew Morris, and education officials during the visit to Glen Stuart Primary, provided an update on repair works being undertaken at the institution at a cost of approximately $140 million.

Among the works that Senator Morgan said have been delayed or remain outstanding are the installation of zinc roofing for the canteen, window installations in several classrooms, and electrical works in the infant department.

He cited contractor-related challenges and adverse weather conditions among the contributing factors.

The back-to-school tour also included visits to Elderslie Primary and Infant School and Maggotty High School, where rehabilitation works are continuing.

At Maggotty High School, rehabilitation works are only about 30 per cent complete, and the institution is not expected to be fully ready for the start of the 2026/27 academic year.

Senator Morgan described the slow pace of progress as “far from ideal”, noting that roofing repairs and work on several classroom blocks remain outstanding.

He attributed the slow progress in part to persistent afternoon rainfall and ongoing shortages of critical building materials, including zinc sheeting and window components, noting that demand remains high across several hurricane-affected institutions.

Despite these challenges, Senator Morgan noted that the Ministry is holding the contractor accountable and pressing for measures to accelerate the project, stressing that “students must return to a proper, safe learning environment as soon as possible”.

Regional Director in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Karlene Segre, has encouraged educators to reflect on their schools’ achievements and use the lessons from those successes to build even stronger institutions.

Speaking at the Region Three Back-To-School Leadership Summit for principals and school board chairs in Coral Spring, Trelawny on August 11, Ms. Segre said the region has much to celebrate, pointing to excellence among teachers and students in areas ranging from innovation and entrepreneurship, to robotics, athletics and agriculture.

Among the highlights was Ferncourt High School’s first-place finish in the Junior Achievement Jamaica business pitch competition, which has earned the students a place in the international America’s Company of the Year competition.

She also pointed to St. Hilda’s Diocesan High School, who represented Jamaica in robotics in the Netherlands, and Westwood High School performance in the Schools’ Challenge Quiz Competition.

Ms. Segre implored educators to continue pushing their students towards excellence.

“Set the standards and work towards them diligently until you achieve your goals, and that’s what we want for each school here in Region Three,” she stated.

Other achievements celebrated included the region’s performance in the North West St. Ann Primary quiz competition, where Bamboo Primary School emerged as the winner; the school garden initiatives, which Linton Park Primary School dominated; and the athletic accomplishments of Shanoya Douglas from Holland High School and Sanjay Singh of William Knibb Memorial.

She also highlighted Duval Ebanks, teacher at the Camperdown Primary School, for being chosen as the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Innovation Teacher of the Year.

Ms. Segre also pointed to the region’s infant etiquette programme, which was launched at all infant schools, as part of efforts to develop well-rounded students, which Portfolio Minister, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, endorsed.

The achievements, Ms. Segre said, demonstrated that the region is making progress despite the challenges of the past year.

“We are celebrating teaching excellence. We are celebrating our school gardens. We are celebrating athletic promise, and we have some global reach,” she said.

She acknowledged, however, that the celebration must be accompanied by reflection and renewed effort in areas where the region needs to close the gaps with national performance.

Ms. Segre stressed that school leaders must use their successes as a foundation to identify areas requiring greater attention and go bolder in pursuing better outcomes for their students.

Representatives from government ministries and agencies met with youth leaders for discussions aimed at informing the youth development agenda under the 2027-2030 Medium-Term Socio-economic Policy Framework.

The meeting, held recently at the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) in Kingston, was the second consultation of the Vision 2030 Jamaica Youth Thematic Working Group.

Focus was placed on reviewing the findings of previous consultations, identifying emerging priorities and contributing to the development of medium-term results, strategies and actions that will guide implementation from financial year 2027/28 to 2029/30.

The engagement reflects the Government’s continued commitment to ensuring that youth development remains a central pillar of Jamaica’s national development agenda through collaborative planning and stakeholder engagement.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dr. Kasan Troupe, in her remarks, highlighted the importance of the Youth Thematic Working Group in shaping the development agenda.

“As you know, Vision 2030 Jamaica plans and guides the national development programme of our country, and the Youth Thematic Working Group will play a very important part in how we drive that plan forward.

“So, you represent the engine that will drive the youth development agenda. You are the consultative body ensuring that the voices of young people are not just heard but that they actually shape our national priorities, so that we are not going behind the scenes planning for young people without young people. We want to hear the voice of the young people, and that is what you represent,” she said.

Dr. Troupe told the youth leaders present that it is important for them to return to their respective groups and speak to their peers about the discussions.

For his part, Director General, PIOJ, Dr. Wayne Henry, said it is important to hear the voices of the youth, particularly as the country is in the final leg of the journey under the Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan.

He noted that Vision 2023 Jamaica was not meant to be a plan developed in isolation and then delivered to people.

“From its inception, it was a people-centred concept, one established with and formed by the Jamaican people. The youth have always been recognised as a pivotal stakeholder in shaping national development,”  he said, noting that Jamaica’s youth and children are the generation that will benefit from or bear the brunt of the consequences based on the decisions made.

The consultation meeting was geared towards engaging the perspectives and expertise of stakeholders in translating data and policy into priority strategic development imperatives. This will be primarily for the medium-term, towards advancing the achievement of long-term development goals, outcomes and targets.

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Marlon Morgan, says the Government is strengthening its investment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, while expanding support for students with special educational needs.

Senator Morgan informed that the Ministry is constructing new STEM academies and increasing the number of professionals available to support students with learning challenges.

Addressing the Ministry’s Region One Back to School Conference at the Grand Palladium Resort in Hanover on July 21, he said the Ministry recently signed a contract for the first of six STEM academies.

He also disclosed that improvements are being made to science laboratories across the island.

“We are seeking to better outfit our science laboratories because the truth is, if we at the national level are placing emphasis on STEM education… we have to have all the things and enabling facilities that will provide our students with practical and enriching experiences,” Senator Morgan explained.

He also highlighted measures to strengthen support for students with special educational needs.

“As a ministry, we are building capacity…[to] better serve our special needs population… we have more diagnostic centres that are coming on stream… we want to have a diagnostic facility in each region,” he said.

Senator Morgan further noted that scholarships are being provided to increase the number of clinicians, therapists and other specialists serving the education system.

The Region One Back-to-School Conference was held under the theme ‘Shaping the Future of Education through Resilience and Innovation’.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, is reporting progress in the rehabilitation of several schools that were significantly impacted by Hurricane Melissa.

The positive outlook follows a tour of institutions in Westmoreland where work is under way to repair and rebuild classrooms.

She noted that while some projects are moving more quickly than others, she is encouraged by the progress.

“I went to Unity Primary School, Petersfield Primary and Infant, and Coke’s View Primary and Infant. I saw some encouraging work being done,” Dr. Morris Dixon said during Wednesday’s (July 29) post-Cabinet press conference at Jamaica House.

She noted that the Unity Primary School project is $990 million.

“That school is completely being rebuilt and they’re adding new classrooms. Everything will not be ready for September, but we’re putting in place as much as possible,” she stated.

At Petersfield Primary and Infant, $302 million is being spent to undertake the necessary repairs and erect new classrooms. The institution lost an entire classroom block during the hurricane.

“I was there in May and the school was in a really bad shape. I was able to see significant progress from May. In another two weeks, they will have the roof up; most of the existing structure… will be ready,” Senator Morris Dixon said.

Turning to Coke’s View Primary and Infant, where $700 million has been budgeted for repairs, Senator Morris Dixon said that the Ministry will be intervening to speed up the pace of works.

“That one isn’t moving as quickly as the others, and there’s a lot more work to be done,” she pointed out.

Senator Morris Dixon said that the Ministry will continue to monitor the work being done and will soon publish a list of schools being repaired, the work that is being undertaken at those schools, the value of the contracts, who the contractor is, and the level of progress being made on each project.

“We have to be transparent in terms of what’s happening in our schools, and we will be transparent throughout the process… and as I said, because so many of the schools need complete rebuild, they’re not all going to be finished for September. Work will be continuing throughout the period,” she stated.

The Education Minister noted that most of the principals at impacted schools already have contingency plans that will be implemented until the repairs are complete.

“They’re happy because they know they’re going to get a better school at the end of it. It may mean additional time but they’re going to get a better facility, and that’s really what matters,” she said.