JIS: Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, with responsibility for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Karl Samuda, says he is working to ensure that every child benefits from early-childhood education.

 

Speaking at the handover ceremony for a $14-million kitchen and canteen at the Middleton Primary School in St. Thomas on May 15, Mr. Samuda said some 100,000 children are entering primary school without exposure to offerings at the early-childhood level, and he will be taking action to stop the practice.

 

“I have given myself an undertaking to invite all the countries that have expressed an interest to assist us, to go one step further and help those students who are not attending pre-primary-level schools because of the inability of their parents to fund it, by underwriting the cost of sending those children to school,” the Minister said.

 

Imploring parents to start their children at the pre-primary level, the Minister said children who do not have the benefit of early-childhood education, for the most part, “have to play catch-up”.

 

“If you start at the basic school, you get a foundation that serves you when you go to the primary school. If you don’t get exposure at the basic school, it means that you will be forever playing catch-up, and the children who are exposed to basic education will be ahead of you,” the Minister argued.

 

Mr. Samuda said every child must have the opportunity to “maximise” his or her potential.

 

“A child’s potential depends on how early, or how intensively they start in the formal education system. There is no limit to what can be achieved, once that is done,” he said, adding that the Ministry, teachers and parents “have a responsibility to expose our infants to the discipline of education”.

 

The kitchen/canteen was constructed with funding from the Japanese government, through their Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Initiative, which provides grants for community development projects across various sectors. Support was also provided by the Government.

Mr. Samuda expressed gratitude to the government of Japan, noting that the gesture was “commendable”.

 

For his part, the Japanese Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Hiromasa Yamazaki, said his country’s aim is to support sustainable human development through education and other projects “under this great assistance programme”.

 

Member of Parliament for Western St. Thomas, James Robertson, and Principal of the school, Jennifer Crawford, also expressed their appreciation for the facility.

 

The National Education Trust (NET) coordinated the project.

 

CAPTION: Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, with responsibility for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Karl Samuda (right), unveils plaque to mark the handover of the $14-million kitchen and canteen at the Middleton Primary School, in St. Thomas, on May 15. The facility was constructed with funding from the Japanese government, through their Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security initiative, which provides grants for community development projects across various sectors. Support was also provided by the Government. Sharing the moment (from left) are Principal of the school, Jennifer Crawford; Member of Parliament for Western St. Thomas, James Robertson; and Japanese Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Hiromasa Yamazaki.

JIS: Jamaican educators have been commended for their Spanish language teaching methods, which are being employed in schools across the island, by Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy of Spain, Victoria Garcia.

 

Ms. Garcia was addressing students at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information Region Four’s biennial Day of Excellence (Dia de Excelencia) Primary School Spanish Competition, which was held at the St. John’s Methodist Church Action Centre in St. James on May 16.

 

“I would like to specially commend the work of the Jamaican teachers. I cannot think of a more noble profession than education… . Teachers are the brick and mortar of a society – the key to its success,” Ms. Garcia said.

 

“You are a part of one of the most beautiful and demanding professions since you have in your hands the most precious raw material that there is, for you to mold and shape,” she added.

 

Meanwhile, Ms. Garcia has underscored that the Spanish Embassy is committed to assisting the Jamaican Government in its thrust to make Spanish the foreign language of choice in the island.

 

“The embassy of Spain is willing and ready to help the Jamaican Government, and particularly the Education Ministry, in its endeavour to make Spanish the number-one foreign language in Jamaica. We commend those efforts, and you can count on us to help you achieve your goals,” Ms. Garcia assured.

 

The event saw primary schools from across Western Jamaica competing in the categories of poetry, drama, song and dance, as well as a booth contest, for which students showcased the cultures of various Spanish-speaking countries.

 

CAPTION: Students from Lucea Primary School, in Hanover perform during the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information Region Four’s Day of Excellence (Dia de Excelencia) Primary School Spanish Competition, which was held at the St. John’s Methodist Church Action Centre in St. James on May 16.

The overall winner of the performing aspect of the competition was Chetwood Memorial Primary School from St. James, while Savanna-la-Mar Primary School, from Westmoreland, won for best booth.

JIS: The curricula for community colleges islandwide have been expanded to incorporate four new industry-relevant programmes.

 

These are the Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Bachelor of Science in Social Work; Associate of Applied Science in Agro-Processing and Business Management; and Associate of Applied Science in Health and Wellness Tourism.

 

The courses are being developed by the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ) in collaboration with the Nursing Council of Jamaica (NCJ) and international development partner, FHI 360.

 

The programmes were launched during a ceremony at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston on May 22.

 

Executive Director of the CCCJ, Dr. Donna Powell Wilson, said the courses will provide additional options for persons pursuing higher education.

 

“This is a monumental moment for CCCJ and tertiary education in Jamaica. We are proud to rise to the occasion to improve the standard of the Jamaican workforce, as well as create opportunities for disadvantaged youth in our society,” she said.

 

Keynote speaker, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr. Phylicia Marshall, said the expanded programme offerings are consistent with the CCCJ’s mandate to provide educational options that satisfy market demand.

 

“Today’s launch of four new programmes underscores the commitment of leadership in the CCCJ and colleges to provide relevant and practical programmes fitted to Jamaica’s needs,” she noted.

 

Dr. Marshall said recent statistics indicate that 13 per cent of tertiary-level students attend community colleges, thereby affirming the CCCJ’s relevance on the educational landscape.

 

“These four programmes being launched today will complement seven bachelors and 22 associate degree programmes currently being offered by CCCJ. So relevant are these programmes that three Caribbean islands – Turks and Caicos, Anguilla and The Bahamas – have begun to offer CCCJ programmes,” she pointed out.

 

Dr. Marshall further noted that successful negotiations between the CCCJ and the University of Technology (UTech), the University of the West Indies (UWI), and United States- based Monroe College, have resulted in an agreement that will facilitate graduates of CCCJ-affiliate tertiary institutions being accepted into the latter school’s undergraduate and graduate programmes.

 

Additionally, CCCJ-affiliated colleges will be inducted into the prestigious international honour society, Phi Theta Kappa.

 

Jamaica will be the third Caribbean country to have members inducted into Phi Theta Kappa.

 

The CCCJ, in partnership with Phi Theta Kappa, will be providing scholarships to needy students enrolled in community colleges, who are deemed high achievers.

 

Founded in 1918, Phi Theta Kappa has inducted more than 3.5 million members and established nearly 1,300 chapters in 10 countries.

 

National accrediting body, the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ), accredits CCCJ certificates and associate and bachelor degrees.

 

CAPTION ONE: Executive Director, Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ), Dr. Donna Powell Wilson (left), converses with Bethlehem Moravian College student, Suwannie Johnson (centre), and Chief Nursing Officer, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Patricia Ingram-Martin, during Wednesday’s (May 22) launch of four new CCCJ programmes for community colleges, at The Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston.

 

CAPTION TWO: Assistant Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr. Phylicia Marshall (left), converses with Executive Director, Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ), Dr. Donna Powell Wilson (centre), and Chief Nursing Officer, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Patricia Ingram-Martin, during Wednesday’s (May 22) launch of four new CCCJ programmes for community colleges, at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston.

JIS: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, says that more early-childhood institutions and infant departments will be developed under the Brain Builders Programme.

 

He was addressing the opening ceremony of the Early Childhood Commission’s (ECC) first annual Professional Development Institute, held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Tuesday (May 21).

 

The Brain Builders Programme aims to reduce cognitive learning challenges among infants in the country. It is a framework for action in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, which starts from conception to age two.

 

Under this initiative, the ECC will be responsible for establishing 126 Brain Builders centres across the island, with two in each constituency.

 

Mr. Terrelonge lauded the ECC for the work being done to improve Jamaica’s early-childhood sector.

 

“I want to say a special thank you to the ECC for everything they have done to revamp early-childhood education in Jamaica. It is… one of the best elements of our education system. The first 1,000 days (of a child’s life) matter, and the work of the Commission matters so much [and] they recognise this,” he noted.

 

The Education State Minister underscored the Government’s commitment to ensuring that early-childhood institutions are certified.

 

“As an Administration, we are serious about the certification of early-childhood institutions. Currently, there are 167 certified early-childhood institutions, which is an important accomplishment,” he noted.

 

“The ECC; the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Grace McClean; and the entire staff at the Ministry must be lauded,” he said.

 

The EEC’s Professional Development Institute, under the theme ‘Creating quality learning environments for strong foundations’, brings together stakeholders from around the world to share best practices that shape early childhood development.

 

Tuesday’s opening ceremony included tributes to former Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga; former Minister of Education, Hon. Maxine Henry-Wilson; and former Chairman of the ECC, Professor Maureen Samms-Vaughn for their contribution to early-childhood development.

 

The three-day event concludes on Thursday (May 23).

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Alando Terrelonge ( centre); and Senior Advisor on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), Finnish National Agency of Education, Kati Costiander ( right), listen attentively to Chairman of the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), Tricia Williams-Singh. Occasion was the opening ceremony of the ECC’s Professional Development Institute at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Tuesday (May 21).

JIS: Fifty-eight female wards of the Granville Child Care Facility in Trelawny and their families participated in a family reintegration intervention session at the home on Wednesday (May 16), in observance of International Day for Families.

 

The event, dubbed ‘Family Reintegration Day’, was hosted by the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), under the theme ‘Stronger Families, Stronger Society’.

 

Family reintegration is the process of a separated child making what is anticipated to be a permanent transition back to his or her family and community, in order to receive protection and care.

 

In an interview with JIS News, Acting Manager at the Granville Child Care Facility, Marcia McGibbon, said the event was aimed at building a positive relationship between the families and the female wards as well as enhancing parent/child bonding.

“Given that it is Child Month, we have a family day, and the whole objective is to have both family members and the girls in one space where some form of intervention can take place, so that at the end of it, we can look towards family reintegration,” she noted.

 

She further explained that the day marked part of the CPFSA’S reintegration process for the female wards, which seeks to help accelerate the progression of girls being reunited with their families.

 

“The programme was structured so that we have a number of partners. It’s not always CPFSA; we also point them to different stakeholders. So, we have booths that are set up with these persons. We have presenters who come in to encourage the parents, and do a little counselling with the parents, as well, and the child,” Mrs. McGibbon said.

 

“For some, this is the beginning of the process, and for some it is ongoing. So, hopefully, in two weeks or even tomorrow, the girls may be able to go home,” she added.

 

In the meantime, Counselling Psychologist at the CPFSA, Marvette Sterling, encouraged the female wards, as well as their families, to seek to develop good mental and emotional health, which are vital to building stronger family bonds and, by extension, a stronger society.

“Do you have a generally positive outlook on life? Do you say to yourself when you are faced with challenges, ‘yes, today is bad, but I can get through this’? The key to maintaining good mental health is accepting yourself – the good, the bad and the in-between; accepting other persons who you have to interact with, and dealing with life as it comes,” Mrs. Sterling said.

 

“So, let us look at children who are here at this facility and their parents. A child who is sent here would demonstrate positive self-esteem by saying, this is not what I wanted, but I can make the best of a bad situation,” she added.

 

The day also featured a presentation from a representative of HEART Trust/NTA, geared at empowering families to get skilled so that they can become employable, and an address from the National Council on Drug Abuse on the impact of drugs on the family.

 

The wards and their families also engaged in various breakout groups to help chart the way of getting help, and being ready for reintegration.

 

CAPTION: Counselling Psychologist at the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), Marvette Sterling (right), in discussion with parent, Mavis Patterson, during the CPFSA’s ‘Family Reintegration Day’, at the Granville Child Care Facility, at Garrick Foyle, Trelawny, on Wednesday (May 15).

JIS: The Youth and Adolescent Division in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, in partnership with the Safety and Security Unit, will train youth leaders across the island to be a part of the National Safety and Security Ambassadors Programme.

 

This is part of the Ministry’s Safety and Security initiative to create safe zones in schools and their surrounding communities.

 

Addressing a recent JIS ‘Think Tank’, Acting Senior Development Specialist in the Youth and Adolescent Division, Anisa Wilson-Smith, said the programme seeks to empower students to raise awareness about safety and security issues among the student population, thereby enabling them to better protect themselves and others.

 

The youth leaders will be selected mainly from the National Secondary Students’ Council (NSSC), Peer Educators (Prefects) and the National Youth Council of Jamaica.

 

These Ambassadors will attend a series of safety and security workshops and capacity-building sessions, which are essential to the development and sustainability of an effective programme.

 

Mrs. Wilson-Smith noted that the programme will be piloted in Region Three, which covers Trelawny and St. Ann, in the summer of 2019, and implementation will begin at the start of the new school year in September.

 

Other goals of the programme are to instil positive values and attitude regarding safety and security policies and practices, to aid administrators with additional resources to deal with the issue of safety and security in schools, and to strengthen the leadership capacity of the ambassadors.

 

Mrs. Wilson-Smith explained that this is a collaborative effort with entities such as the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), HEART Trust/NTA, the Ministry of Justice, and other stakeholders.

 

CAPTION: Acting Senior Development Specialist in the Youth and Adolescent Division, Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Anisa Wilson-Smith, addresses recent JIS ‘Think Tank’.

JIS: The Youth and Adolescent Division in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, in partnership with the Safety and Security Unit, will train youth leaders across the island to be a part of the National Safety and Security Ambassadors Programme.

 

This is part of the Ministry’s Safety and Security initiative to create safe zones in schools and their surrounding communities.

 

Addressing a recent JIS ‘Think Tank’, Acting Senior Development Specialist in the Youth and Adolescent Division, Anisa Wilson-Smith, said the programme seeks to empower students to raise awareness about safety and security issues among the student population, thereby enabling them to better protect themselves and others.

 

The youth leaders will be selected mainly from the National Secondary Students’ Council (NSSC), Peer Educators (Prefects) and the National Youth Council of Jamaica.

 

These Ambassadors will attend a series of safety and security workshops and capacity-building sessions, which are essential to the development and sustainability of an effective programme.

 

Mrs. Wilson-Smith noted that the programme will be piloted in Region Three, which covers Trelawny and St. Ann, in the summer of 2019, and implementation will begin at the start of the new school year in September.

 

Other goals of the programme are to instil positive values and attitude regarding safety and security policies and practices, to aid administrators with additional resources to deal with the issue of safety and security in schools, and to strengthen the leadership capacity of the ambassadors.

 

Mrs. Wilson-Smith explained that this is a collaborative effort with entities such as the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), HEART Trust/NTA, the Ministry of Justice, and other stakeholders.

 

CAPTION: Acting Senior Development Specialist in the Youth and Adolescent Division, Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Anisa Wilson-Smith, addresses recent JIS ‘Think Tank’.

JIS: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has allocated approximately $67 million (US$500,000) to support the youth component of the Improved Safety and Security in Schools Programme in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

 

The two-year programme, which began in July 2017 and is slated to end in July 2019, is valued at US$3 million. It is being implemented through the National Education Trust (NET).

 

Addressing a JIS Think Tank on Tuesday (May 14), Senior Director for Children’s Affairs in the Ministry’s Youth and Adolescent Policy Division, Hyacinth Blair, said that the partnership aims to transform schools and their immediate surroundings into safe zones.

 

“Using a multilayered, multisectoral approach, which includes schools, communities, parents, and the general public, the programme is intended to reduce the incidence of violence among students and ensure that Jamaica improves and maintains a quality education system that benefits all learners,” she noted.

 

She pointed out that under the youth component, two Youth Information Centres (YICs) in Westmoreland and St. Catherine were rebranded as Youth Innovation Homework Centres in May and June 2018 respectively.

 

These centres provide a safe, structured, supervised and supportive after-school environment for young people to receive homework assistance and tutorial services. A total of 18,571 youth benefited from the resources at these centres between September and December 2018.

 

In addition, members of marching bands have been trained and empowered. This is in keeping with objective four of the programme to provide co-curricular support for uniformed groups and youth clubs, Mrs. Blair told JIS News.

 

She said that engagement of marching bands is seen as one avenue to reach students and young people who are out of school.

 

Since May 2018, members of 25 bands have been exposed to training in leadership and resource mobilisation.

 

Others have been trained in Music Theory One through the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music, equipping them with the requisite skills to read basic music.

 

Ninety per cent of the participants have been recommended to sit the Royal School of Music Theory Grade One examination in June 2019.

 

A series of day camps will be hosted for band members where they will receive training in conflict management skills, interpersonal relations, communications and emotional intelligence, and child rights and protection. Mrs. Blair commended the USAID for supporting these initiatives, which seek to engage, empower and provide positive alternatives for the youth, particularly those unattached and are at risk.

 

CAPTION: Senior Director for Children’s Affairs, Youth and Adolescent Policy Division in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hyacinth Blair, addressing a recent JIS Think Tank.

JIS: As Jamaicans gear up to give their time, effort and financial contributions towards projects on Labour Day, May 23, Chairperson, Early Childhood Commission (ECC), Trisha Williams-Singh, is calling on persons to support basic schools across the island on the day.

 

Speaking with JIS News at the Horizon Park Primary and Infant School’s Retirees Appreciation Banquet, held at The Knutsford Court Hotel on Teachers’ Day, May 8, Mrs. Williams-Singh noted that the theme for Labour Day 2019 – ‘Child safety… It’s you, it’s me, it’s all ah we!’ – is in keeping with Standard 8 of the 12 Standards for Early Childhood Institutions outlined by the ECC.

 

This Standard focuses on the safety of children and states that, “Early childhood institutions should provide safe indoor and outdoor environments for children, staff, stakeholders and visitors to the institution”.

 

Mrs. Williams-Singh said this is a standard that some basic schools across the island have not yet achieved, and with the assistance of the public on Labour Day, the schools can be upgraded, be re-marked by the ECC and improve their scores towards full certification.

 

“The schools need help with perimeter fencing, acquiring fire extinguishers and so much more for the safety of students,” Mrs. Williams-Singh said.

 

She also noted that achieving the goals of Standard 8 will assist basic schools in achieving the goals of Standard 9, which addresses “child rights, child protection and equality”. It states that, “Early childhood institutions should uphold the rights of children, protect them from harm and ensure that all children have equal access to services”.

 

For their part, the ECC will be activating one project in each parish across the island to help needy basic schools fulfil the requirements of all 12 Standards of the ECC.

 

The various projects the ECC will be activating will take place in Kingston at Galilee Basic School; St. Andrew, End Time Basic School; St. Thomas, Rowlandsfield Primary and Infant School;

 

Portland, Rural Hill Basic School; St. Mary, Devon Pen Infant School; St. Ann, Mount Zion Infant Department; Trelawny, Wakefield Infant Department; St. James, Content Basic School; Hanover, Cave Valley Infant School; Westmoreland, Cornwall Mountain Infant Department; Manchester, Mitchell Town Infant Department; St. Catherine, St. Johns Road Basic Early Childhood Institution; Clarendon, Mitchell Town Infant Department, and St. Elizabeth, Knoxwood Basic School.

 

CAPTION: Chairperson, Early Childhood Commission (ECC), Trisha Williams-Singh, speaks at the Horizon Park Primary and Infant School’s Retirees Appreciation Banquet, held at The Knutsford Court Hotel on Teachers’ Day, Wednesday (May 8).

JIS: Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Mike Henry, says it is important to impart the nation’s history to the younger generation, so that they can learn valuable lessons from the ancestors.

 

Mr. Henry was visiting the Hazard Primary School in Clarendon on Friday (May 10), where he interacted with students of a Grade 4 class, sharing historical nuggets about the parish, including the origins of the school.

 

He lamented that students are often more knowledgeable about the history of other nations, noting, for instance that many young people only learn about the teachings of Jamaica’s first National Hero, Marcus Garvey after they have left school.

 

The Minister read to the students from three books he had brought with him including one titled: ‘Marcus Garvey and the Tainos in Canoe Valley. A blurb on the book said that children will not only learn about Marcus Garvey and the Tainos in a fun way, but be inspired to pursue greatness.

 

The others are: ‘Soon Come, a Ptolemy Turtle Adventure’; and ‘Tilly Bummie and other stories. Life in Jamaican Country and Town’.

 

After inviting students to read excerpts from the books, Mr. Henry, who is also Member of Parliament of Central Clarendon, formally handed them over to the class.

 

“I was very impressed with the attentiveness of the children…and by the reading ability that was demonstrated. I am leaving here enthused,” the Minister told JIS News following the session.

 

The Minister’s visit coincided with a literacy fair staged by the school, which was the brainchild of the institution’s Reading Teacher, Danielle Francis.

 

She told JIS News that she was inspired to host the event as part of the ongoing development of students, noting that it followed on a successful staging several years ago, which greatly benefitted the students.

 

“I like when children are well rounded…In terms of the developmental stages of children, reading is the most important foundation,” she said.

 

Ms. Francis thanked the Minister for reading to the students and sharing his knowledge, noting that the children were excited about his visit.

 

CAPTION: Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Mike Henry, guides Grade 4 student at the Hazard Primary School, Dwrayne Powell, during a reading session at the institution’s location in Clarendon on Friday (May 10).