Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, says the specialised laboratories being build out at technical high schools is just a start, noting that all secondary-level institutions will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.

“We start this year with the 15 technical high schools and then every year [after], we’re going to be doing more of these state-of-the-art labs.

“It’s not normal things we’re doing, because we’re thinking bigger for our children. The world is changing and we believe our children should be there,” the Minister said.

She was addressing a Primary Exit Profile (PEP) awards dinner hosted by Member of Parliament for St. Andrew East Rural, Most Hon. Juliet Holness, at the Hillside City Centre in Lower Halls Delight on Thursday (July 31).

The labs being provided at the technical high schools will equip students in specialised areas such as digital construction, mechatronics, green technology and robotics.

Minister Morris Dixon said that the Government is undertaking the expansion and upgrade of laboratory facilities in the selected institutions to prepare young people for a technologically-driven future.

Providing details about the labs that some of the institutions will receive, she informed that Dunoon Technical High in Kingston will be equipped with a facility focused on digital construction.

“We’re talking about the future of construction. All the latest technology will be in that lab in that school,” she said.

In addition, Herbert Morrison Technical High School in St. James will receive a mechatronics lab.

Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field that combines mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering to design and develop smart, automated systems such as those used in manufacturing processes.

The Education Minister pointed out that “in the future, many of our manufacturing companies are going to be using robots and automation, and so our children need to understand it.”

In recognition of future trends and technology, Marcus Garvey Technical High School in St. Ann will be equipped with a lab that is focused on renewables and green technology.

“So, they’re going to be looking at solar technology, they’re going to be looking at rainwater harvesting. All those new areas are what you’re going to have at Marcus Garvey Technical,” the Minister outlined.

She noted further that at St. Mary Technical High School, students will have access to a full robotics lab. “That is going to focus on industrial controls, which is about automation,” she pointed out.

Dr. Morris Dixon emphasised that the Government is doing the work required to raise the standard of every school in Jamaica.

The Jamaica Library Service (JLS) summer programme is now under way with hundreds of students across the island being engaged under the theme ‘Keep Reading Alive in 2025’.

This initiative, which is being held during the months of July and August, aims to foster a love for reading, creativity, and critical thinking among children.

It involves collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information.

The Education Ministry, in a bulletin, said that the summer programme, which aligns with its literacy objectives, offers a variety of interactive, educational, and creative activities for children at the JLS’s parish or branch libraries. These include reading circles, authors’ corner, sports day, music sessions, art and craft workshops, think and draw, and much more.

The activities are carefully curated to promote literacy, creativity, and social engagement, making summer both meaningful and enjoyable for young learners, the Ministry said.

Parents, guardians, and school communities are encouraged to support children’s participation in this exciting programme. Interested patrons can contact their nearest parish library or the JLS headquarters at 1-876 926 3310-2 for more information on registration and participation.

The schedule for the JLS summer programme is July 14 to 25 – Kingston and St. Andrew, Clarendon, St. James, Manchester, St. Elizabeth, Trelawny, Portland, St. Thomas, Hanover, and Westmoreland; July 21 to 31 – St. Ann Parish Library; and August 11 to 22, St. Catherine Parish Library.

The JLS summer programme offers an engaging and educational environment for children aged four to 14 years.

Beginning in 2026, grade-six students taking the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams will face fewer testing days with Mathematics and Language Arts assessments, as they will be condensed into single-day sittings under new changes.

This was announced by Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, during a Back-to-School Conference for Principals and Vice-principals from Region 2 (Portland, St. Thomas and St. Mary), held at Hideaway at Royalton Blue Water in Falmouth, Trelawny, on July 15.

“For the grade-six PEP, we’re going to collapse the exams together. So, this means you do all of your Mathematics on one day and all of your Language Arts on one day,” Dr. Morris Dixon outlined.

Moreover, the exam timeline is being shifted from February to the months of April and May to give educators more time to deliver the curriculum to students ahead of the exams, said the Minister.

She noted that these changes are not a complete overhaul of the PEP structure but are immediate, manageable “low hanging” adjustments that aim to reduce stress, while improving the learning and teaching experience for students and teachers, respectively.

In addition to the scheduling changes, Dr. Morris Dixon pointed out that the Ministry is to introduce new literacy and numeracy questions within the grade-six PEP papers. This is to help the Ministry gauge and assess the numeracy and literacy levels of students at the end of primary school, she noted.

“It’s just some questions that we’ve added that give us a touchpoint on numeracy and literacy [because] currently we do not test literacy and numeracy at PEP.  PEP is testing the extent to which you’ve mastered the curriculum. It’s a curriculum-based test,” Dr. Morris Dixon said.

In the meantime, the Minister indicated that for grade five, the Ministry is considering discontinuing the PEP exam, but has deferred a final decision pending further consultations with the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) and other stakeholders.

She argued that the idea is for the grade-five examination papers to be provided to schools for use as end-of-year school assessments.

“So, the only decision we’ve made, so far, is to collapse the exams, move them later for grade six, and add the touchpoint questions, so we can know numeracy and literacy numbers at grade six,” she added.

Dr. Morris Dixon said that these actions stem from a wider review of the PEP system that she initiated upon taking office, pointing out that the review focuses on two main questions – how to reduce the administrative and emotional burden of the exams and whether PEP is achieving its intended outcomes.

She indicated that the feedback collected through formal and informal consultations, as well as a recently distributed questionnaire, revealed a shared concern over the extended exam period and the pressure on students over the three-year testing in grades four, five and six.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, has commended private sector and community stakeholders for their growing role in supporting Jamaica’s education system.

Addressing a School Leadership Conference for principals, vice principals and senior educators from Clarendon, held at Bahia Principe Resort in St. Ann on Tuesday (July 15), Senator Morris Dixon praised the contributions of private-sector entities for supporting the conference and ongoing initiatives possible, including the donation of laptop computers to high schools.

“That was amazing for them (high schools), and they continue to support. We’re now moving to… get devices and more smart boards to all of our primary schools. One of the things we really want to do in the Ministry is to have more tangible areas of support to you, principals, the senior teachers, as you do your work,” she told the educators.

Senator Morris Dixon also acknowledged the valuable contributions of government agencies and corporate sponsors, noting that the growing collaboration between the public and private sectors reflects a shared national responsibility.

“[This] says to me that corporate [entities] understand that they have a role to play now. We believe that all of Jamaica has to be a part of this effort we are on to improve our education system,” she stated.

Senator Morris Dixon said the Ministry plans to expand its reward framework with support from the business community.

“We want to celebrate you in bigger ways, financially and otherwise. We’ve already started through the PSOJ (Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica), and we’re going to continue… because we believe we need to… truly celebrate you and to reward you for that work,” she told the educators.

Parents are being urged to support their children through prayer, praise and presence.

The appeal was made by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dr. Kasan Troupe, at Ardenne Preparatory and Extension High School’s Annual School-Leaving Ceremony, held at Ardenne High School in Kingston, on Wednesday (July 2).

Speaking on the theme, ‘Communication: Road Map to Success’, Dr. Troupe said: “When we pray, it’s communication with God. You must pray for them, with them on their behalf. You must talk to God about them.”

She reasoned that life is not a smooth path, noting that they will face persecution, difficulties and trials, which require them to communicate with God.

Dr. Troupe encouraged parents to praise their children and affirm them with encouraging words.

“Don’t tell them that they cannot make it. Don’t tell them about their limitations, because we are all different. There is no one path to success,” she said.

The Permanent Secretary shared that some parents may not be happy with the school their child was placed in following the release of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) results but assured them that their children can bloom where they are planted, because “there are fruits in all of us”.

Meanwhile, she said parents must communicate through their presence and not just their presents.

“You communicate by being there. You turn up, you come to school, you turn up with them and you talk to them. You turn up at home – too many of our boys and our girls are parenting themselves. They are on the telephone, they are on the device, there is no physical presence, there is no touch, there is no love, there is no hug, there is no forgiveness in each other, there is no crying in each other. You have got to turn up. That’s communication,” Dr. Troupe said.

She pointed out that the presence of parents is a critical ingredient on the road to success, as children need to see their parents and receive emotional, financial and physical support.

“For every good school that we have in the country, it is good because the parents turn up. The parents hold the Ministry accountable. The parents hold the school accountable. For every woman, for every champion, it is the parents’ presence that makes the difference,” Dr. Troupe said.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, visited two high-achieving primary schools in St. Ann on Wednesday (July 2), to celebrate their outstanding performance in this year’s Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations.

Senator Morris Dixon met with the students and staff of Philadelphia Primary and Infant School as well as Clydesdale Primary to personally commend their exceptional achievements.

These institutions, located in Region Three of the Education Ministry, were among 10 schools previously flagged for underperformance, but have since elevated their students to proficiency levels.

At Philadelphia Primary, all five grade- six students who sat PEP secured placements in high schools, including Brown’s Town High, Discovery Bay High, Ferncourt High, and Ocho Rios High.

The school reportedly achieved 90 per cent proficiency in language arts and social studies, 60 per cent in mathematics, and 80 per cent in science.

Meanwhile, Clydesdale Primary’s two PEP candidates earned placements at Knox College and Aabuthnott Gallimore High – an achievement credited to targeted intervention programmes that begin with diagnostic testing from Grade One.

“We are very excited to see this development. I am here… because I wanted the teachers, I wanted the principals, I wanted the parents, and I wanted the students to know that your hard work is recognised. You would have all worked really hard,” Dr. Morris Dixon stated.

“When you see these rural schools having the kind of results that they have, it says to all of Jamaica that all our children can do it. It says that we have good teachers and good principals who are trying new things, being innovative, and that’s what we want to celebrate,” she added.

Minister Morris Dixon noted that the schools had fully leveraged Ministry-led workshops and innovative teaching methods to enhance student learning outcomes.

Principal of Philadelphia Primary, Nicholas Wisdom, said the school focused on literacy strategies like read-aloud sessions, strong teacher dedication, and sustained parental involvement.

He emphasised that a solid academic foundation is key to the school’s success, and encouraged other institutions to adopt similar initiatives.

Clydesdale Primary Principal, Teresa Brown, attributed the school’s success to teacher collaboration, extra lessons, and holiday PEP marathons, among other innovative strategies.

“So we want to say congratulations to [our] two students, to the teachers, to their parents. We are so proud of them. The entire community is elated with the results that we have for these two students,” she added.

On the day, additional support came from the Jamaica Independent Schools Association (JISA), which partnered with the Ministry to provide celebratory tokens to the institutions.

Corporate sponsors, including Sunshine Snacks, National, and the Wisynco Group, also contributed gifts, reflecting a shared national pride in the achievements of these rural institutions.

The National Children’s Registry (NCR) received 13,918 reports in 2024 relating to 25,005 incidents of abuse and other care and protection concerns.

This reflects a decrease of 212 reports compared to the corresponding period in the previous year, as outlined in the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) Economic and Social Survey Jamaica (ESSJ) 2024.

The document explained that the total number of reports by incident type was significantly higher than the total number of reports received, as multiple forms of abuse may have been reported for each victim.

The most frequent reports involved behavioural problems (6,181 incidents: 3,252 females and 2,929 males), neglect (5,497 incidents: 2,944 females and 2,553 males) and need for care and protection (4,467 incidents: 2,614 females and 1,853 males).

“Of the reports received, 13,896 were processed (assessed and referred). The majority, 12,061 was referred to the Investigation Services Unit (ISU) after being processed,” the Survey indicated.

The remaining reports were referred to partner agencies, including the Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA), the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA), the Criminal Investigations Branch (CIB), and the Counter- Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch (C-TOC).

Data from the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) indicate that the largest proportions of abuse reports referred for investigation occurred in the parishes of Kingston, St Catherine and St Ann, which accounted for 20 per cent, 16 per cent and 11 per cent, respectively.

Meanwhile, the ISU completed investigations of 12,769 cases, including those brought forward from previous periods. This reflects a decrease of 295 cases compared to the prior year.

Additionally, 12,000 updates were submitted to the NCR outlining the outcomes of completed investigations.

As at December 31, 2024, the ISU had a caseload of 1,917, reflecting a decrease of 602 matters (23.9 per cent) compared to the previous period.

Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Jamaica, Her Excellency Dr. Erja Eskola (fourth right), presents a chaque for $8,345,000 to the Creative Language-Based Learning Foundation in support of summer literacy camps during a handover ceremony on June 26. The funds were raised through the EU JA 5K and 10K Run/Walk, which held in March in downtown Kingston, in partnership with the Jamaican Government and Running Events Jamaica. The presentation was made at the EU Delegation office in Kingston. Also participating (from left) are Edward Seaga Primary School student, Kashae Matthews; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information, Dr. Kasan Troupe; Greenwich Primary student, Rajaun Drummonds; Cockburn Gardens Primary student, tyeisha Lindsay; Whitfield Primary student, Devana Thomas; Calabar Primary student, Carlan Malcolm, and Cockburn Gardens Primary student; Jayden Hemmings.

Primary schools in St. Elizabeth are celebrating a wave of success following the release of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination results for the 2024/25 academic year.

The grade-six students have earned placements at prestigious secondary institutions throughout the breadbasket parish and beyond, driven by exceptional performance and a determination to overcome adversity.

Principal of Schoolfield Primary and Infant School, Okeshue Bigby, told JIS News that of the 10 grade-six students who sat the PEP exams, seven earned placements in Pathway One – the highest performance category.

The remaining three students, however, were placed in Pathway Two, according to Mr. Bigby.

He noted that students earned placements at prominent institutions, including Sydney Pagon STEM Academy, Munro College, Manchester High School, Black River High, Roger Clarke High, Maggotty High, and St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS).

“The students have performed very well this year, given that most of these students would have started school at grade one when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. So, a portion of their learning would have been online throughout the duration of the pandemic,” Mr. Bigby explained.

He added that, despite early disruptions, the students adapted well – benefiting from a strong support system led by the institution’s dedicated team of teachers, who helped them to “perform at a very high standard”.

The Principal indicated that the school’s improved performance over the previous year was the result of several targeted interventions.

“We recognised pretty early that reading and comprehension are a major part of the programme. So, we would focus on reading comprehension pretty early, looking at the data from internal and external assessments to treat with those deficiencies,” Mr. Bigby outlined.

The Principal expressed confidence in the students’ continued success as they transition to the secondary level.

Meanwhile, Santa Cruz Primary and Infant School has also recorded remarkable success, with students earning placements at secondary institutions across St. Elizabeth and Manchester.

These include Hampton School, Manchester High, Bishop Gibson High, STETHS, Black River High, Belair High, Maggotty High, Newell High, Lacovia High, Roger Clarke High, Sydney Pagon STEM Academy, BB Coke High, and Christiana High.

“I want to celebrate with our parents and the teachers who would have worked assiduously in helping the students to accomplish their goals at the primary level,” said Principal, Karen Smith-Whyte.

She pointed out that the school community is now eagerly anticipating the students’ continued success as they transition to their respective high schools for the 2025/26 academic year.

Sudbury Primary and Infant School in St. James now has a new, fully equipped playground providing students with a space for physical activity and social development.

The facility boasts four swings, two seesaws, and a jungle gym.

It was established at a cost of approximately $800,000 through donation from owner of All Seasons Vacations in Pennsylvania, United States, Wanda Keefer, which was facilitated by Sandals Foundation.

Addressing the recent opening ceremony, Principal of the school, Susan Davis, noted that the new playground is a timely addition to the school’s efforts to promote an active lifestyle among students.

She underscored the importance of play in fostering the holistic development of the pupils.

“Play helps our children develop socially, physically, and educationally. They need to play and interact with one another so that true learning can take place. This dedicated play area will encourage students to continue learning beyond the classroom, fostering cognitive development and essential life skills such as socialisation and teamwork,” she said.

In addition to the new recreational space, students at the institution received three large boxes of school supplies.

Principal Davis expressed gratitude to the donors, noting that the contributions will leave a lasting impression.

“You’re making a profound impact on Jamaica’s future,” she said.

Ms. Keefer said that the idea for the playground was borne five years ago when she visited the school and donated more than 300 backpacks filled with supplies.

Despite facing challenges, including delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the vision endured. With the help of her team and the Sandals Foundation, the idea bore fruit.

“Reaching this point feels like a miracle, and I am forever thankful to my team, my family and, of course, the Sandals Foundation for all the support and logistics that made this dream a reality,” she shared.

Ms. Keefer was touched that the school named the facility ‘Terry’s Playground,’ in honour of her late husband, Terry Kershner, who passed away from cancer 14 years ago.

For her part, Regional Public Relations Manager at Sandals Resorts, Rochelle Forbes-Reid, told JIS News that the project reflects the Foundation’s commitment to education and creating safe, nurturing environments for children.

“At the Foundation, we believe that every child deserves access to quality learning spaces so that they can be inspired to grow, to be creative and really to have a lot of fun while they’re at school,” she said.

“It’s not just about building a structure; it’s about building hope, joy, and a sense of community. For us, working with our travel partners is very, very important,” Mrs. Forbes-Reid added.