JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information has partnered with the Rockhouse Foundation to establish Jamaica’s first public educational institution that will cater to students with and without disabilities.

 

The Savanna-la-Mar Inclusive Infant Academy, based in Westmoreland, was formally opened by Portfolio Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, on Wednesday (November 28).

 

Senator Reid said the institution’s opening is timely, as it will meet the growing demand for the delivery of quality education to children with special needs

 

“The inclusive model is in keeping with international standards and is a welcome addition to the education landscape in western Jamaica, especially here in Westmoreland, Savanna-la-Mar in particular, where service for children with special needs is extremely limited,” he stated.

 

Senator Reid also underscored the importance of public-private partnerships that are aligned with the Ministry’s mandate, particularly in improving special education.

 

“We believe that the Savanna-la-Mar Inclusive Infant Academy fits well with the aims and objectives of [the Ministry]. We know that not only will you cater to the academic development of children but [will] also provide related services, such as speech therapy, and physical therapy,” he said.

 

The Minister explained that the inclusive model is designed to ensure that the needs of every child are catered to through a collaborative approach.

 

“All children receive appropriate educational programmes [and] curricula relevant to their needs… . All children participate in co-curricular and extracurricular activities and benefit from cooperation, [and] collaboration among home, schools, and community,” he shared.

 

In this regard, Senator Reid reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the early childhood sector to provide all children, whatever their background, with a good foundation for their mental, physical and emotional development.

 

For his part, Rockhouse Foundation President, Peter Rose, reiterated his commitment to continue working with the Ministry to develop other similar educational institutions across the island.

 

“Our goal and aspiration… is for this to not be a one-of-a-kind institution in Jamaica, but to see others [established] across the island. Our goal is to be helpful to the Ministry in any way that we can.

 

This kind of place sends such a strong signal, not just to the children and parents who are a part of this school family but to the wider community, the parish, [and] the region,” he said.

 

Since its inception, the Foundation has spent close to US$5 million on educational endeavours in Jamaica.

 

It has, to date, transformed and modernised five other institutions. They include the Moreland High, Primary and Infant Schools; Negril All-Age School; Negril Basic School; Little Bay All-Age and Infant School; and the Bunch of Stars Early Childhood institution.

 

Additionally, the Foundation has renovated and expanded the Negril community library.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (third right), cuts the ribbon to officially open the Savanna-la-Mar Inclusive Infant Academy in Westmoreland on Wednesday (November 28). Sharing the moment (from fifth right) are Rockhouse Foundation Chairman, Paul Salmon; Rockhouse Foundation Board President, Peter Rose; Opposition Spokesperson on Education and Training, Rev. Ronald Thwaites; and staff and students of the institution.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has announced plans by the Ministry to boost Internet access in primary schools and early-childhood institutions.

 

This, he notes, will serve to enhance the scope of education through greater integration of technological strategies in the classrooms.

 

“All high schools already have computer labs and access to Internet, generally… but not all our primary schools and not all our early-childhood institutions do. So we now have a task to make sure information and communications technology (ICT) is universally accessible,” he underscored.

 

The Minister was speaking at the Accessible Americas V: Information and Communication Technologies for All Conference, at the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay, St. James, on Wednesday (November 28).

 

Noting that ICT remains a key and powerful driver for enhancing Jamaica’s sustainable development, Senator Reid said the education sector must become an exemplar in the use of technological applications.

 

“We are moving to online learning… flipping the classroom. So, again, both teachers and students will now have to begin to recognise that ICT is now going to be a modality of the delivery of content, in the teaching and learning process… and experience,” he stated.

 

Against this background, Senator Reid said the Government will continue to expand the rollout and utilisation of ICT across the educational system, to further strengthen its effectiveness.

 

“The National Standards Curriculum was articulated to be on top of an ICT ecosystem. So the whole idea was to deliver content electronically through digital devices, USB drives, [and] on all the other devices… that’s how it was predicated,” the Minister stated.

 

Meanwhile, Senator Reid reiterated the Government’s commitment to removing all barriers to ICT access and utilisation, “by enabling persons with disabilities, as well as the vulnerable in our society, to have equal opportunities [to do so]”.

 

Additionally, he said the Government anticipates positive outcomes from stakeholder deliberations at the conference on the measures necessary to promote digital inclusion.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator, the Hon Ruel Reid, addressing the Accessible Americas V: Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for All at the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay, St. James Wednesday (November 28).

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) Bill is far advanced and will be taken to Cabinet shortly for its consideration.

 

The Bill seeks to establish a governing body for the teaching profession and a licensing and registration regime for all government-paid teachers. The licensing regime is expected to take effect when the Bill is passed.

 

Senator Reid said Cabinet’s deliberations on the Bill is being awaited before certain “consequential amendments”, related to the Education Act which it will complement, are concluded.

 

He was responding to questions during a stakeholder consultation for school administrators in Regions One and Two, at the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium, Jamaica College, St. Andrew, on Tuesday (November 27).

 

Senator Reid said areas under the Act being considered for review include matters related to student discipline and sanctions for infractions.

 

“So I’m expecting the JTC Bill will go through before March and then afterwards, we can see if we can get the Act and Regulations equally amended,” he added.

 

The Government’s move to implement a regime for the licensing and registration of teachers is aimed at ensuring greater levels of accountability and professionalism.

 

The Jamaica Teaching Council was established in 2008 as a part of the Education Transformation Strategy to improve the quality and coverage of education.

 

The Council’s mandate is focused on achieving its ultimate goal of repositioning teaching as the profession of choice.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid.

JIS: Employees of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information are now able to access tertiary training through the Ministry’s First Degree Upskilling Initiative.

 

The engagement will enable employees to attain a bachelor’s degree relevant to their fields, through partnerships forged with established tertiary institutions offering University Council of Jamaica (UCJ)-accredited programmes.

 

The Ministry will offset 50 per cent of the tuition for each employee, which will be treated as a staff scholarship, while partner institutions are being asked to fund the remaining cost.

 

The initiative, which was formally launched on Tuesday (November 27) at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, is already being offered through a collaboration the Ministry has forged with its first stakeholder partner, Excelsior Community College,

 

Sixty-seven staff members are currently pursuing bachelor’s degrees in business studies.

 

Other programmes offered under this partnership include Human Resource Management, Business Administration, and Management Information Systems.

 

Discussions are under way between the Ministry and other institutions that have been approached to partner on the initiative.

 

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dean-Roy Bernard, who brought greetings on behalf of Portfolio Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, said upskilling is imperative in ensuring that Jamaica capitalises on the growth in investments and jobs being generated in traditional and non-traditional sectors.

 

“It does not make sense to have the jobs and the capital investment but you do not have the labour to use those faculties of production to create and expand economic activity. The people resources are critical,” he stated.

 

Mr. Bernard contended that consequent on the prevailing rapid technological advancements, what was considered best practices in some areas three years ago is now outdated.

 

“Therefore, we have to quickly upskill and retool our workers and workplaces… if we are to take full advantage of growth in mining, tourism, business process outsourcing, animation, logistics and shipping, agriculture, robotics and other non-traditional sectors. We must employ skilled workers to be able to take advantage of this surge,” he underscored.

 

Meanwhile, the Ministry’s Senior Director for Human Resource Management and Development, Iolyn Donald, said a recent survey of the Ministry’s more than 3,000 employees showed that just over 350 or 11 per cent do not have a first degree.

 

“There is no lack of desire to pursue further studies. However, many have stressed that financial struggles are the biggest obstacles to completing their degrees. It is against this background that we introduced the First Degree Upskilling Initiative,” she said.

 

The National Labour Market Survey (2017) cites financing as the main obstacle to employees gaining the requisite skills and certification to fill vacancies and be appointed in their posts.

 

CAPTION: Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dean-Roy Bernard, speaking at the official launch of the Ministry’s First Degree Upskilling Initiative at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, on Tuesday (November 27). The programme provides assistance to the Ministry’s staff to attain a bachelor’s degree related to their field through partnerships forged with established tertiary institutions offering University Council of Jamaica (UCJ)-accredited programmes.

JIS: Her Excellency, the Most Hon. Lady Allen, has called on the nation’s youth to adopt the attitude of care and love that is hinged on the principle of being “our brother’s keeper”.

 

“No longer do we seem to care about the welfare of our fellow citizens. I refuse to believe that we all have become cold and uncaring. It is up to all of us to ensure the safety of our communities, and by extension our country. Our future depends on it,” she said.

 

Lady Allen was delivering a motivational speech to students at Immaculate Conception High School in St. Andrew on Monday (November 26).

 

She encouraged the girls to focus on their studies and avoid distractions, noting that the choices they make now could have a direct impact on their future.

 

“Ensure that their educational foundation is solid. The social scene will always be around. You’ll have time later to explore the glitz and glamour and city lights. Maintain your focus now, and later on in life you’ll never ever regret that decision,” she said.

 

Lady Allen further urged the students to “always strive to be the best version of themselves” and live by the mantra of the Governor-General’s ‘I Believe Initiative’, which states that “there is nothing wrong with Jamaica that cannot be fixed by what is right”.

 

“Most importantly, seek out areas in which you can be of service. Give of your time, your youth and your talent to the development of your communities, your parish and your nation at large,” she said.

 

She noted that as a student, she was an ardent member of the 4-H Clubs, where she learnt skills such as cooking, baking, agriculture and horticulture.

 

“The skills I garnered and the competitions I entered helped to shape my life, boost my confidence, and prepared me for life… . I made the right decisions at the right time,” she said.

 

Lady Cooke encouraged the students to develop a spirit of positivity, never listen to negativity and believe in themselves.

 

CAPTION: Her Excellency, the Most. Hon. Lady Allen (centre), exchanges high-fives with students of Immaculate Conception High School, after addressing a motivational session at the institution in St. Andrew on Monday (November 26).

GLEANER: Chief Education officer in the Ministry of Education, Dr Grace McLean, has said the development of the education system in Jamaica is currently “at a good place,” as she recently tracked the country’s preparedness to meet global standards.

 

Dr McLean was representing Minister of Education, Youth and Information Senator Ruel Reid recently at the third in a series of conversations about education at The Mico University College in Kingston, which was organised with support from The Jamaica National Group. The conversation was centred on the theme ‘Education and Training: Key Drivers for Economic Growth and Job Creation’.

 

“I have been in the ministry for nine years plus, and I would say that given all the strategies we have developed; the number of activities which we have undertaken; and, all the papers that we have put together, I can now say that the ship has turned around and is moving in the right direction,” Dr McLean stated, extolling several initiatives the Government has undertaken, and will implement, to strengthen education and training to bring it in line with global and local demands.

 

Dr McLean said the education of Jamaican children now begins from as early as three months old and continues until 18 years old. It formerly began at age three.

 

To underscore her point, she said the Government is fully supporting 126 early-childhood institutions, now called ‘brain builder’ institutions, through tuition, nutrition and salaries for trained teachers, among other areas, to better cater to the development of children.

 

“The data show that the first 1,000 days are the most critical in terms of the development of a child’s life,” she posited. “It’s not when they get to age seven, it is the first 1,000 days; and the first 1,000 days actually begins in the womb.”

 

She adds that the ministry is also moving to increase its investment in kindergartens which cater to children three to five years old. Dr Mclean further stated that the Government currently supports 400 of some 2,800 of these institutions but should, in another six years, take control of about 70 per cent of these facilities.

 

 Public Debate About PEP Good

 

Addressing the implementation of the National Standards Curriculum and the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), which has replaced the Grade Six Achievement Test, the chief education officer expressed that she was happy about the current debate surrounding the readiness of the new school-leaving assessment.

 

She argued that the implementation of PEP was necessary to support the introduction of the curriculum standard.

 

“If we introduced the National Standards Curriculum and we never had a commensurate assessment to wake up the Jamaican people; and to wake up our parents, to see how important it is for our students to learn 21st century skills of collaboration, critical thinking, creativity and communication, then perhaps we would not have seen a groundswell,” she maintained.

 

Dr McLean said children are being taught to examine, assess, think and develop ideas to meet higher standards of thinking and functioning.

 

Reducing The Cost Of Tertiary Education

 

At the secondary level, she noted that the Government’s plan to mandate seven years of high school attendance will allow students to be better psychologically prepared for tertiary education, and also reduce the number of years spent in tertiary institutions, thereby decreasing the cost for tertiary education.

 

She also noted that there were many students who were leaving high school young and psychologically unprepared for tertiary studies; therefore, the additional two years at secondary school should provide more development.

 

“So we will allow our students seven years up to the secondary level, up to age 18 or grade 13, at no cost, because education is fully funded by the Government. We allow them to leave with an associate degree, and this associate degree will allow them to attend university and complete two more years for their bachelor’s degree,” Dr McLean explained.

 

The general associate’s degree is in addition to an occupational associate’s degree, which incorporates 16 practical areas, to allow students to move seamlessly into areas such as engineering at one of the major universities.

 

She said that the Caribbean Examination Council was asked to reconfigure the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination to allow students to achieve at least 60 credits, as is required by the University Council of Jamaica.

 

“So if you can do your occupational associate degree, or general associate degree, and move into tertiary, what it means is that you’re moving through faster, [and] we [will] have more persons accessing tertiary education; hence, We are preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” Dr McLean opined.

 

 GLOBAL STANDARDS

 

Education system to be benchmarked against global standards.

 

She reiterated that, as part of the preparation, the country would, for the first time, seek a global review of the education system through an assessment by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). That review will be conducted in 2021 to determine how well Jamaicans are meeting the global standard in mathematics, literacy and science education.

 

PISA is a global study, which is conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, of education systems.

 

“The last review of the education system was about 2004. For us to be a competitive country, we must know where our children stand,” Dr Mclean informed.

 

CAPTION: Chief Education Officer Dr Grace McLean speaking during a dialogue, titled ‘Conversations III,’ at The Mico University College in Kingston recently.

 

JIS: Fifty-seven of the nation’s youth, who have made invaluable contributions in various areas of national life, were presented with the Prime Minister’s Youth Awards for Excellence during a ceremony held on the lawns of Jamaica House on Saturday (Nov. 24).

 

The award recipients, which include 2017 Miss Jamaica Universe, Davina Bennett; Olympic Gold Medalist, Omar McLeod; and Reggae Girl, Kadijah Shaw, were selected from 200 nominees in 12 categories.

 

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, praised the young people for their exemplary work, noting that their success required selflessness, hard work, sacrifice and tenacity.

 

“It is therefore only fitting that your country should single you out not only as encouragement and recognition for your perseverance, but as an example to others that they can start where they are, use what they have, harness their talents and aptitude to create something far-reaching and deeply impactful,” he said.

 

The Prime Minister said it is indisputable that Jamaica’s young people “have been blazing a trail of greatness across many platforms,” noting that the Government will continue to facilitate an environment where all youth can flourish.

 

“We want you to be your best selves and to live your best lives. We want you to take pleasure in living, working and contributing to the progress and prosperity of your country,” he added.

 

Mr. Holness said the Government values the input of young people in nation building, and would continue to draw on the expertise of the youth in the Governance of the country.

 

“We want to work with you. We consider your views and ideas important. We want to involve you in charting the direction of our country,” he noted.

 

Awards were presented in the categories of Academics, Agriculture, Arts and Culture, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Protection, Innovation in Science and Technology, International Achievement, Journalism, Leadership, Sports, Youth Development and Nation Builder.

 

The Nation Builder category, which was added this year, recognises youth, who have dedicated unwavering service to volunteerism and the development of communities.

 

A total of 224 individuals have received the Prime Minister’s Youth Awards for Excellence since the programme was introduced in 1998.

 

It is open to persons ages 15 to 29, who are living in Jamaica and the diaspora, who have attained excellence and world-class achievement.

The awards form part of Youth Month 2018 celebrations under the theme: ‘Level Up’.

 

CAPTION: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, addresses the Youth Awards for Excellence ceremony held on Saturday (Nov. 24), on the lawns of Jamaica House.

JIS: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, says the Parenting Education Project will be expanded to reach more parents across the island.

 

The initiative, which is currently in six parishes, aims to promote positive parenting practices and family management skills among parents and caregivers of children, ages two to six, who are beneficiaries under the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH).

 

Mr. Green, in a speech delivered by Education Officer for Region Four, Patricia Mumby Lalor, at the graduation ceremony for project participants in St. James on November 22, said that “come 2019 we will be expanding the intervention into seven new parishes.”

 

“We will continue to work with our stakeholders to provide information and support to parents including those with children with special needs,” he noted.

 

Mr. Green hailed the initiative, being undertaken through funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), for putting the spotlight on the need for good parenting in the nation’s homes.

 

He encouraged the beneficiaries to use the training to instill positive habits in their children and “spread the learning you have gained to your communities.”

 

“You now have the social skills to help others to be better parents. If you spread the word, all the children in the communities will be helped and the communities will be transformed,” he pointed out.

 

“You have been given this opportunity to participate in a very worthwhile initiative. The home is the first place where children learn good values, attitudes and behaviour. Parents play a vital role in their children’s development and we encourage you to use the knowledge gained from the parenting education programme to guide how you raise and care for your children,” he added.

 

Mr. Green further appealed for more fathers to participate in their children’s lives, noting that the quality of interaction will go a long way in making the home a safer and happier place.

 

“What is important is to build strong bonds with our children…even something as simple as changing a diaper. Simple acts like these can develop a great relationship between child and parents,” he said.

 

Approximately 96 households in 10 communities in St. James were engaged under the Parenting Education Project, which involved collaboration with the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC).

 

Graduates hailed from Anchovy, Garlands, Glendevon, Hopeton, Roehampton, Rose Heights, Sunderland, Norwood, Montpelier and Lottery.

 

Over the six-month training period the participants attended workshops focused on nutrition, discipline, safety, learning, and health needs. The information shared at the workshops will be reinforced through home visits.

 

More than 900 families across the six targeted parishes have benefited from the intervention, which started in 2016.

 

CAPTION: Parents in St. James, who participated in the Parenting Education Project, at the graduation ceremony held recently at Fresh Bread Ministries, Montego Bay.

JIS: Come January 2019, the Government will be introducing specialist science teachers in primary schools under a pilot programme.

 

This was announced by State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, who said this is being done to address the challenges of teaching the sciences in a way children can readily grasp.

 

“We are putting in our school system specialist teachers to focus on science…because we believe it needs the specific skills sets to ensure that our children get that (tutoring),” he said.

 

Mr. Green was speaking at the opening of a forum organised by the High Commission of South Africa to Jamaica in collaboration with the National Commission on Science and Technology (NCST) at the Eden Gardens Wellness Resort and Spa in Kingston on Friday (Nov. 23).

 

The State Minister opined that the inability of many students to fully embrace the sciences is partly because they have a fear of the subject area, as is the case with Mathematics.

 

This is the reason why, he said, the Education Ministry has revamped the curriculum to place greater focus on these subjects thereby opening up the minds of young people to think critically.

 

“Science is more about a way of thinking…it forces you to think in a particular manner; it forces you to identify a problem and to start coming up with a solution. We have started the process of shifting our curriculum in schools to focus much more on that type of thinking because if you are going to survive in this modern world, you have to think that way,” he said.

 

“The foundations of our new curriculum are critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication because that is what is important and all of those are based on scientific principles,” he added.

 

In the meantime, the High Commissioner of South Africa to Jamaica, His Excellency Ambassador Tyrone Gunnie said both countries have been benefiting from mutual agreements in areas such as science, technology and innovation.

 

“It is by far the best functioning agreement that we have and what we have been able to achieve as two Governments is phenomenal,” he said.

He noted that the three-day forum, targeting 100 youth, ages 15 to 17 is in keeping with ongoing collaboration in this area.

 

Under the theme: “See.Touch.Innovate”, the forum sought to engage youth in conversation, practical observations and provide a hands-on approach to innovation.

 

The youngsters had the opportunity of interacting with South African and Jamaican practitioners, who are utilising science technology and innovation to solve challenges facing both countries.

 

CAPTION: State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (second right), along with High Commissioner of South Africa to Jamaica, His Excellency Ambassador Tyrone Gunnie (right); and Director General, National Commission on Science and Technology (NCST), Professor Errol Morrison (third left), interact with students at a  youth forum focusing on science technology and innovation. The event, which was held at the Eden Gardens Wellness Resort and Spa in Kingston on Friday (Nov. 23), was organised by the High Commission of South Africa in collaboration with the NCST.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the Government is working towards having 300 fully certified early-childhood institutions by 2019.

 

He said that the Ministry is working closely with the Early Childhood Commission (ECC) “to make this a reality”.

 

“We have 12 operating standards… . We are taking on infant schools, we are adding infant departments to existing primary schools, and we are asking the private early-childhood institutions to come sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to become part of the Government’s public early-childhood system,” Minister Reid said.

 

He was speaking at a ceremony for the presentation of stimulation resources from Japan for the Brain Builders programme at the offices of the ECC in Kingston on Wednesday (November 21).

 

Minister Reid said the Government recognises that early-childhood education “is the nucleus of the entire education system” and is committed to improving standards at this level.

 

He noted that the work of the ECC has already resulted in the certification of 134 institutions.

 

“I want to laud the work of the ECC. The certification and standardisation are top priorities of your programme of capacity-building,” he said.

 

Ten early-childhood institutions will benefit from the donation of stimulation items, which were provided at the cost of approximately US$17,000 under the Government of Japan-funded Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Technical Cooperation Grant Programme.

 

These well-needed resources are for students up to three years old and include stacking toys, soft blocks, storage bins, activity mats, shelves, bookstands, soft dolls, washable sensory balls, baby band rhythm sets, sorting bucket shapes, mirrors and rattles.

 

Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, His Excellency Hiromasa Yamazaki, said his county is pleased to partner with the Jamaican Government on this initiative.

 

“My Government holds dear, the philosophy that investing in education at the early-childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary levels are extremely vital for the overall development of the country and its people. Indeed, children are the future of every progressive country. I hope that (the institutions) will make the best use of the resources to make steady progress every day,” he said.

 

The Brain Builders programme, launched on July 6, is a framework for action in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, which is from conception to age two.

 

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

 

The main objective of the programme is to ensure that all Jamaican children get the best start in life by attending to their health, nutrition, stimulation, social protection, child protection and early-intervention needs.

 

This project forms part of efforts by the Government to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 16, which, respectively, relate to: no poverty; zero hunger; good health and well-being; quality education; and peace, justice and strong institutions.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left); and Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, His Excellency Hiromasa Yamazaki (2nd left), observe as children from the Elim Early Childhood Development Centre, engage with baby Tehila Gordon, who is being held by her mother Salome Bourne-Gordon (second right). Occasion was a ceremony for the presentation of stimulation items for the Brain Builders programme at the Early Childhood Commission (ECC) in Kingston on Wednesday (November 21). At right is Tehila’s father, Talbert Gordon.