JIS: Students from 11 secondary and seven tertiary institutions across the island have been selected to participate in the pilot of the Government’s Gender Ambassadors Programme (GAP).

 

The initiative was officially launched on Friday (March 29) at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston.

 

Being implemented by the Bureau of Gender Affairs (BGA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, GAP seeks to raise awareness and facilitate activism on gender issues in schools.

 

It will promote self-care, healthy relationships and leadership development among the youth.

 

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, commended the young people and urged them to “make a difference”.

 

“I have all the confidence that you will remain committed to being good role models in your various institutions of learning, and play your part in making a difference in your schools and communities, and to challenge harmful gender norms and stereotypes,” she said.

 

Minister Grange said that the Ministry will provide the necessary support for the success of the programme in the educational institutions.

 

For his part, State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, said that the initiative is part of the Government’s 10-year National Strategic Action Plan to eliminate Gender-Based Violence (NSAP-GBV) in Jamaica.

 

He said that the focus is on promoting healthy relationships and leadership among young people.

 

“It also aims to engage the youth on what is gender-based violence, and ways to reduce the prevalence in Jamaica,” he added.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange (left), exchanges greetings with State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Alando Terrelonge (right), at the launch of the Gender Ambassadors Programme (GAP) on Friday (March 29), at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingtson. Sharing the moment is Acting Senior Director at the Bureau of Gender Affairs (BGA), Sharon Coburn Robinson.

JIS: Three hundred students from across the country are to participate in the Youth Engagement Summit of the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ) Outsource2Jamaica (O2J) Symposium and Expo.

 

The two-day symposium and expo will be held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, in St. James, from April 11 to 12, with the Summit taking place on the second day.

 

President of the BPIAJ, Gloria Henry, told JIS News that the Summit, which is being put on in partnership with Caribbean HR Solutions, will include presentations, live shows and testimonials for the invited students.

 

“We have a number of persons who will be giving testimonials. These are persons with tenure within the sector. They will be speaking about their experience, their transition and their growth and development,” Ms. Henry noted.

 

The business process outsourcing sector has grown since 2003 and has an employee count of approximately 36,000 in 60 companies as at December 2018, particularly young persons.

 

“This industry really provides an opportunity to learn and for persons to grow. It takes persons coming straight out of high school once they have the right attributes. They go through orientation and training and they get the opportunity to be promoted. Most companies will reimburse, if they don’t cover direct cost, for furthering your studies. There is also a wide variety of internal training opportunities for persons to train across different types of business line and services,” Ms. Henry explained.

 

In keeping with the growth trend and industry demands, the BPIAJ has embarked on preparing industry specific educational certification through partnerships with a number of training institutions.

 

“We do have companies who are asking for higher level degrees and certification. We have had several engagements with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and the Centre for Occupational Studies for developing a curriculum for a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Process Management (BPM). With the Portmore Community College, we launched a Bachelors in BPM two years ago, and that is being implemented through Sutherland Global Services, where the final leg of [the programme] is completed on the job,” Ms. Henry said.

 

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information had already implemented an Associate Degree in Occupational Studies, with two key programme areas being business process outsourcing (BPO) and knowledge process outsourcing.

 

CAPTION: President of the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ), Gloria Henry, addresses recent JIS ‘Think Tank’. Ms. Henry said the youth will be fully engaged in the 2019 staging of the Outsource2Jamaica (O2J) Symposium and Expo taking place from April 11 to 12 in Montego Bay, St. James.

JIS: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, met with leaders in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and its agencies today (March 27) and reassured them of his commitment to support them with their various mandates.

 

At the meeting, which was held at the Heroes Circle offices of the Ministry, Mr. Holness reiterated that Minister Karl Samuda would provide oversight of the Ministry, in light of the recent resignation of former Minister, Ruel Reid.

 

“For the next few months, I will be spending some time with you, meeting with you one-on-one, meeting with the various agencies, just to ensure that the Ministry is functioning and properly mandated and missioned,” the Prime Minister said.

 

He reminded the leaders that the national policies put in place at the Ministry have to be focused on, and can only remain successful if the human resource elements associated with the Ministry are effective.

 

“A crucial element in the growth equation is the human resource element. There are some other elements that we have to pay attention to, and that includes violence. Education is strongly linked to behavior, and we’re seeing that violent behaviour in our society is at epidemic proportions,” Mr. Holness said.

 

The Prime Minister said as it relates to the socioemotional component of human development in Jamaica, which the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is often responsible for, quite a bit needs to be done on the socio-emotional element side of our education system.

 

“We need to be producing persons who have a higher level of reasoning, analytic ability and emotional sensitivity, so a part of my interest is to try and turn the ship of the Ministry into that direction, to spend a little more time on the socio-emotional development of our population,” he added.

 

CAPTION: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (centre), speaks to leaders in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and its agencies, at the Ministry, on Wednesday (March 27). To the Prime Minister’s left is Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Grace McLean.

JIS: The first cohort of students sitting the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) this year will also be the first to take the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) examinations in 2021.

 

Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr. Grace McLean, said that Jamaica is preparing to participate in the programme, which will facilitate the evaluation and ranking of the Jamaican education system against other countries.

 

“So, we will get to see how (our students perform) with the introduction of the new curriculum that is based on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), critical thinking, communication and collaboration. We are definitely interested in seeing how our students are going to be performing against the 90 countries that are going to be participating as well,” she said.

 

She was speaking during the opening ceremony of The Mico University College’s International Mathematics Teaching Summit on Tuesday (March 26), at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston.

 

A worldwide study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA is intended to evaluate educational systems by measuring the scholastic performance of 15-year old pupils in the subjects of mathematics, science and reading. Held every three years, it assesses how well students can apply what they learn in school to real life situations.

 

Dr. McLean said the introduction of the international assessment is part of the Government’s strategic focus on human capital development.

 

She noted that the STEM programme in schools remains a top priority and incorporation of the STEM methodology into the curriculum, from grades one to nine, is being implemented under the National Standards Curriculum (NSC).

 

She said that the Ministry has established a STEM steering committee at Mico, which, she noted, “has been doing quite a bit of research in ensuring that we align the programmes within our curriculum to growth areas”.

 

Additionally, Dr. McLean said the Ministry continues to encourage and build capacity in the teaching and instructional delivery of liberal arts subjects.

 

CAPTION: Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr. Grace McLean (centre), is flanked by National Mathematics Coordinator, Dr. Tamika Benjamin (left); and Pro Chancellor and Board Chairman, The Mico University College, Professor Neville Ying, at the opening ceremony of Mico’s International Mathematics Teaching Summit, held on March 26, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

 

 

 

CAPTION ONE: Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr. Grace McLean (right) engages students from the Eltham Park Primary School in a conversation, at the National Mathematics Week Church Service held on March 24 at the Life Centre Church of God of Prophecy, Gordon Boulevard, Spanish Town, St. Catherine. Looking on is Bishop Johnathan Hayden, Pastor Life Centre Church of God of Prophecy.

 

CAPTION TWO: Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr. Grace McLean (right) greets students from the Eltham Park Primary School, at National Mathematics Week Church Service held on March 24 at the Life Centre Church of God of Prophecy, Gordon Boulevard, Spanish Town, St. Catherine. Looking on from left are: Acting Chief Education Officer, Winnie Berry and Bishop Johnathan Hayden, Pastor Life Centre Church of God of Prophecy.

JIS: State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, says all preparations by the Ministry for the administration of the upcoming Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations have been completed.

 

Students will sit the Performance Tasks in their classroom under the supervision of a teacher.

 

The Language Arts Performance Task will be held on March 27; Mathematics Performance Task, March 28; Language Arts and Science Curriculum Based Test on April 16; and Mathematics and Social Studies Curriculum Based Test on April 17.

 

“We want to encourage them and let them know all systems are go. The papers are ready and all our staff throughout the regions are ready… and we expect the nation’s children to do very well,” he said.

 

Mr. Terrelonge was speaking with JIS News during his visit to Jessie Ripoll Primary and the St. George’s Girls Primary and Infant Schools, in Kingston, on Thursday (March 21), to encourage the students sitting the examinations next week.

 

“The Ministry wanted to meet with some of our school principals and grade-six teachers to assure them that the Ministry is excited about the examinations and that we are confident of their success,” the State Minister added.

 

Principal of Jessie Ripoll Primary, Oneil Stephens, expressed optimism about the performance of the 130 grade-six students who will be sitting the examinations.

 

“We try to ensure that they are exposed to 21st century learning skills, and we believe it is an excellent initiative, not only as it relates to their development and movement from primary to secondary school but for the type of citizens that we want for the next generation,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, Principal of St. George’s Girls Primary and Infant School, Valrie Brown, said all the necessary preparations have been made for the 80 students sitting the examinations.

 

“The teachers have been working with them assiduously. They have been giving the students practice questions, they have been doing research and collaborating with teachers from other schools to ensure that we share best practices and ensure that the girls are really prepared as best as possible,” she said.

 

CAPTION: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Alando Terrelonge (left), is greeted by Principal of St. George’s Girls Primary and Infant School, in Kingston, Valrie Brown (second left) and grade-six students (from third left) Alyssa Johnson, Elizabeth Larman, Dominique Green and Janoya Moncrieffe, during his visit to the school on Thursday (March 21), to offer words of encouragement to the students, who will be sitting the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations next week.

JIS: More than 5,000 young people participated in a community workday in the parish of Manchester on Sunday (March 17).

 

The voluntary effort was organised by the Central Jamaica Conference (CJC) of Seventh-day Adventists under its Operation Save A Youth (OSAY) programme.

 

Over 80 projects were undertaken on the day, including the painting of schools and post offices, building and repair of houses for persons in need, and repainting of medians and curbs to improve road safety and aesthetics.

 

The youngsters, from Manchester, Clarendon and St. Catherine, also participated in a blood drive supervised by the Blood Bank.

 

“Young people were all over Manchester, doing acts of kindness and issuing care packages,” Director of Youth Ministries at the CJC, Pastor Kevan Barnaby, told JIS News.

 

“They enjoyed giving of themselves, giving of their time, their resources, and just being of use to those who are less fortunate,” he added.

 

He noted that the young people “are energised and want to do something positive for humanity”.

 

Principal of Mile Gully High School, Christopher Tyme, told JIS News that he was happy that the institution had benefited from the day’s activities.

 

He said that the volunteers painted buildings on the grounds, giving the school a much-needed facelift.

 

“It really improves the look of the school and it helps with motivating our students. It is nice to know that we can find partnership with other organisations to improve our school facilities,” he said.

 

Principal of Ferguson’s Basic School in the community of French Part, Claudette Forsythe Kenton, noted that the painting of her school, as well as the planting of flowers by the volunteers, has beautified the grounds.

 

“They were so warm; they did their work, and it is well appreciated,” she said.

 

The community workday was used by the HEART Trust/NTA to carry out on-site assessment of 187 persons in various skill areas.

 

At a ceremony held to culminate the day’s activities, OSAY presented scholarships totalling $1 million to 20 students, with each person receiving $50,000.

 

Scholarship recipient, Jhanelle Johnson, who is a trainee teacher, said she would use the funds to settle tuition obligations.

 

The OSAY seeks to encourage young people to extend kindness to persons in need by volunteering to participate in uplifting activities.

 

CAPTION ONE: Scholarship recipients under the Central Jamaica Conference (CJC) of Seventh-day Adventists’ Operation Save A Youth (OSAY) programme show off their cheques, which were presented during a ceremony held in Mandeville, Manchester, on Sunday (March 17) to culminate a community workday in the parish. Sharing the moment are Director of Youth Ministries at the CJC, Pastor Kevan Barnaby (9th left); and President of the CJC, Pastor Levi Johnson (right).

CAPTION TWO: A young volunteer helps to paint Ferguson’s Basic School in Manchester, during the staging of a community workday in the parish on Sunday (March 17). The day’s activities were organised by the Central Jamaica Conference (CJC) of Seventh-day Adventists’ under its Operation Save A Youth (OSAY) programmme.

 

 

JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is working to strengthen its collaboration with training institutions and industry players to increase the talent pool of trained, competent and certified persons who are ready for employment in various sectors.

 

This is according to Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Grace McLean, who said this strong partnership is necessary, “so that our young people can obtain practical work experience”.

 

“We are encouraging and pursuing more public-private partnerships as we work collaboratively to meet the needs of industry and to support national development,” she said in a speech read by Chief Technical Director in the Ministry, Barbara Allen.

 

The speech was delivered during a forum on ‘Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Action 2019’, hosted by the Vocational Training Development Institute (VTDI), at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston, on Tuesday (March 19).

 

Dr. McLean noted that Jamaica is among the many countries that have moved to positioning TVET into the mainstream of the education system and setting it as a priority on the education agenda.

 

She said Jamaica is seeking to strengthen its policy and regulatory frameworks for TVET, while at the same time taking steps to strengthen partnerships with prospective private-sector employers

 

“By placing TVET in the mainstream of education policy, with an emphasis on practical application and extensive curriculum reform, we are effecting a significant paradigm shift,” she said.

 

The Acting Permanent Secretary noted, however, that one of the major hurdles the Ministry still faces is to re-educate the society to be more embracing of TVET as a valid career path, “and just not something that young people should fall back on in the event of underperformance in other areas”.

 

In the meantime, Managing Director, HEART Trust/NTA, Dr. Janet Dyer, stressed that TVET is the driving force for economic development.

 

“It is, therefore, very important for us to host such a function of this nature. It is expected that TVET in Action as a national imperative, will reveal the quality outcomes needed for the changing technological workforce,” she said, in a speech delivered by Senior Director, National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET), Nicole Manning.

 

Themed ‘Fostering National Development Through Partnerships’, the event aimed to promote the VTDI as the premier tertiary arm of the Heart Trust/NTA, which seeks to offer unique TVET programmes at the higher level, with a view to making a meaningful contribution to the Jamaican economy.

 

It also sought to develop greater awareness of the importance of TVET to national and regional development, promote the TVET programmes of the VTDI to a wider cross-section of employers and industries, create partnerships with employers for internships and employment opportunities for students, and strengthen students’ opportunities for employment.

 

CAPTION ONE: Fourth-year student at the Vocational Training Development Institute (VTDI), Felisha Rose (right), explains the concept behind a model for a smart house design to (from left) Chief of Party, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Advance Programme, Alejandro Paredes; Senior Director, National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET), Nicole Manning; and Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Barbara Allen. Occasion was a forum on ‘Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Action 2019’, hosted by the VTDI at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston, on Tuesday (March 19).

 

CAPTION TWO: Lecturer in the Construction and Engineering Technology Department at the Vocational Training Development Institute (VTDI), Trecha Bennett-Miller (left), provides details on the creation of a 3D model of a house design done by first-year students of the institute to (from second left) Chief of Party, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Advance Programme, Alejandro Paredes; Senior Director, National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET), Nicole Manning; and Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Barbara Allen. Occasion was a forum on ‘Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Action 2019’, hosted by the VTDI, at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston, on Tuesday (March 19).

JIS: Ninety-one unattached young people from several communities in Kingston and St. James are to benefit from skills training under a $50-million Youth Empowerment Training Initiative (YETI).

 

The initiative, being implemented by the Ministry of National Security and the Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) III, will engage the youngsters in intensive training over a 12-month period in the areas of mechatronics, heavy-duty equipment operation, and landscape design and construction.

 

The training will be carried out by the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) through its Faculty of Advanced Skills and Professional Development.

 

National Security Minister, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, who brought greetings at the orientation exercise held on Thursday (March 14) at the CMU campus in Kingston, said that the initiative is part of the Government’s crime-prevention strategy.

 

“This high-quality intervention… is in keeping with the Ministry’s strategic framework, which is pinned to crime prevention through social development,” he said.

 

He noted that the initiative will equip the participants with globally marketable skills and certification.

 

“As our logistics and port sectors expand, these young people will be able to find work in value-added businesses, nearshore operations and a variety of industrial fields,” he said.

 

President of CMU, Professor Fritz Pinnock, said that the programme is targeted at young people, aged 20 to 29, most of whom are males.

 

“It is about developing strong men… . We have chosen areas that are linked to specialised skills. These areas are skills that are in demand and we have employers who are waiting for these graduates at the end of the programme. We are integrating them into a programme that is certified and has currency globally,” he said.

 

Programme participant, Shannon Morrison, an apprentice engineer from the Waterhouse community in lower St. Andrew, told JIS News that he is hoping to matriculate to the CMU’s engineering programme following completion of the YEP.

 

“What I am looking to get out of the programme is to improve the set of skills I have now… . It is important to us young men because it opens opportunities… . There are brilliant minds in the Waterhouse community. We just need the opportunity to go out there, develop our skills and better ourselves. My advice to my peers is to take the opportunities as they come,” he encouraged.

 

YEP is a CMU certificate programme aimed at increasing the number of young people benefiting from employment and professional development.

 

Meanwhile, a sum of $60 million is being invested to procure simulation equipment for the establishment of a CMU off-campus training site in St. James.

 

This will assist in increasing training opportunities for unattached youth in the western section of the island.

 

CAPTION ONE: National Security Minister, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang (right), engages with Youth Empowerment Programme (YEP) participants (from left) Jonross Taylor, Nickeria Box, Ali-Kaye Daley and Kevin Shakes. Occasion was the opening ceremony and orientation exercise for the skills training programme on Thursday (March 14) at the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) campus, Kingston.

 

CAPTION TWO: National Security Minister, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang (seated), tries out the simulation equipment for heavy-duty machine operations at the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) campus, Kingston, on Thursday (March 14). The occasion was the opening ceremony and orientation exercise for the Youth Empowerment Programme (YEP). Looking on are Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dianne McIntosh (left); Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) Programme Manager, Simeon Robinson (centre); and President of the CMU), Professor Fritz Pinnock.

 

JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and the United States-based charity, Christel House International (CHI), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the establishment of a tuition-free school for children in St. Catherine.

 

Speaking at the signing ceremony at the Ministry’s National Heroes Circle offices in Kingston on March 18, portfolio Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, said that the agreement, once approved by Cabinet, will pave the way for the building of a Christel House School in Jamaica that will cater to students, aged three to 19, who are living below the poverty line.

 

He noted that representatives of Christel House International have been in discussion with the Ministry for some time “about adopting the concept here that they have been using in many countries. It has established schools around the world, including in the United States, India, South Africa and Mexico, through which it delivers its programmes and services”.

 

Under the terms of the agreement, the Government will provide a long-term lease for lands located in Spanish Town for the establishment of the institution, which will accommodate students from early childhood through to the secondary level (K to 12/13).

 

The Education Ministry will provide the students with the opportunity to participate in all national standardised examinations and assessments comprising the National Assessment Programme.

 

Christel House will construct facilities on the property at its own expense. Kindergarten to grade one will be accommodated in three classrooms comprising 20 students each. The other grades will have a capacity of 30 students per classroom and 60 students per grade level, for a total built capacity of 840 students. Construction will be phased to accommodate the school’s growth over time.

 

It is expected that the primary department will open no later than August 2020 and sooner, if possible, for kindergarten to grade two. An additional kindergarten class will be added with each subsequent year, until both the primary and secondary departments/campuses reach capacity.

 

The facilities and infrastructure of the school will be designed to satisfy the requirements established by the Ministry and any other competent authority for early-childhood institutions and independent schools.

 

The quality education and ancillary services provided are intended to equip the students with the knowledge and skills to become self-sufficient and productive members of the Jamaican society, in keeping with the Christel House school model.

 

Representative, Christel House International, Sally Porteous, who signed on behalf of the entity, said the agreement has been long in the making.

She noted that Christel House targets the poorest children, “and you change their lives and when you change their lives, you change the lives of people in the community around them”.

 

She said that the school will provide good nutrition, love and guidance for children in need.

 

“We will take these children from four years old and their nourishment will start with a hot breakfast, a hot lunch and an afternoon snack every day. They will be transported to and from school, and the emphasis is not just on education, but it is on love and caring,” she pointed out.

 

Mrs. Porteous told JIS News that the school will also provide a facility for students to shower and have their uniforms washed.

 

Christel House International is a charitable organization that works to transform the lives of impoverished children through a robust education and character-development programme.

 

CAPTION ONE: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (centre), hands over a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to Representative, Christel House International, Sally Porteous (left), for the establishment of a Christel House School in Jamaica. The signing took place on Monday (March 18) at the Ministry’s offices in Kingtson. Sharing the moment is Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Grace McLean.

 

CAPTION TWO: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (right), applauds after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the establishment of a Christel House School in Jamaica, at the Ministry in Kingston on Monday (March 18). Sharing the moment is Representative, Christel House International, Sally Porteous, who signed on behalf of the entity.