JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is to carry out infrastructural upgrade of four St. Ann-based Primary and Infant schools.

 

Portfolio Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, told JIS News that the upgrading work forms part of the Ministry’s national infrastructure development programme, adding that the Government remains committed to tackling the infrastructural needs of schools across the country.

 

The schools to benefit are Philadelphia All-Age, Lower Buxton Primary and Infant, Keith Primary and Infant, and Hoolebury Primary and Infant. Senator Reid visited the schools on February 26.

 

“We indicated to them where we are in the process in terms of ensuring that their facilities are improved. We are looking especially at their infant/early childhood department to make sure that they are up to standard. Many schools require upgrades in terms of their grounds. So, there will be some amount of paving done,” Senator Reid said.

 

The Minister further noted that the establishment of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure is also in the pipeline for the schools.

 

“Philadelphia, for example, they have some challenges with the Internet. We have to provide ICT solutions that are offline… updating data on tablets and so on. So, that will be something that we want to look at,” he noted.

 

“Lower Buxton Primary is a large facility, but there are still some infrastructure needs there. There’s an ICT lab that needs to be established, so we will be partnering with them on that. Keith Primary as well. There is an unfinished building that needs to be completed. The grounds need upgrading, so that will be part of our programme of infrastructure improvement,” the Minister added.

 

As it relates to cost, Senator Reid said the Regional Office has been asked to update the Ministry so that the requisite allocations can be made.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon Ruel Reid (right), is greeted by Principal of Hoolebury Primary School in Runaway Bay, St. Ann, Leon Lamont, during a visit on February 26.

JIS: The Care Bear Early Childhood Development Centre on Waltham Park Road, St. Andrew, has been expanded to better serve the developmental needs of students in the community and surrounding areas.

 

Through $12 million in funding from the Government of Japan, under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project, an additional building was constructed on the school grounds to house three classrooms, a nursery, a storeroom, kitchen and two bathrooms.

 

At the official handover ceremony on Tuesday (February 26), Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, His Excellency Hiromasa Yamazaki, gave his Government’s continued commitment to providing support to Jamaica in the area of education.

 

“Investing in education at the infant, primary, secondary or tertiary level is critical for the overall development of a country and its people. Therefore, Japan’s cooperation towards grassroots interventions, I believe, has a critical role in laying the foundation for long-term sustainable development and growth within the field of education and other productive sectors of Jamaica,” he said.

 

The Ambassador said the objective is to enable the Jamaican people to enjoy greater opportunities through good quality education.

 

Deputy Chief Education Officer, Dasmine Kennedy, thanked the Japanese Government for the support to the country’s education system.

 

“There can be no development without education… . I thank the Japanese government for partnering with us to build our people and develop our country,” she said.

 

Principal of the institution, Cynthia Roach-Porter, in expressing gratitude to the Japanese Government, noted that the expansion project has assisted in alleviating overcrowding at the school.

 

She noted that it will also enable the institution to become certified by the Early Childhood Commission (ECC).

 

CAPTION: Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, His Excellency Hiromasa Yamazaki (right); Principal of Care Bear Early Childhood Development Centre, Cynthia Roach-Porter (left); and Deputy Chief Education Officer, Dasmine Kennedy, cut the ribbon to officially open a new building at the institution located on Waltham Road in St. Andrew on Tuesday (February 26). The project was undertaken through $12 million in funding from the Government of Japan.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, is reporting a successful administration of the first sitting of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination.

 

The Minister and a high-level team from the Ministry visited several schools in St. Ann on Tuesday (February 26) to get a first-hand view of the administration of the Ability component of the examination, which has replaced the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).

 

Senator Reid also offered words of encouragement to the first cohort of grade-six students to sit the examination, and also got feedback about their handling of the test.

 

“Today (February 26) is the historic first sitting of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), and so it would have been expectant of me to visit a number of schools at random to see how ready and prepared the system was for the first sitting, and how the students would have performed in this first sitting,” the Minister told journalists.

 

“I am very impressed, very proud of my team at the Ministry of Education, the principals and the teachers. All the schools have been well prepared. Students are very confident and, overall, I think Jamaica can be very proud,” Senator Reid added.

 

He reiterated that the Ministry pulled out all the stops to ensure that students and teachers were adequately prepared for the examination, with adequate resources being dispatched to primary-level institutions to boost preparedness.

 

“The Ministry went all out to ensure that all the issues, all the needs, all the fears that persons may have had, we attended to those. It speaks to how we as a people, once we have an objective to be achieved, if we just come together and work in partnership in the interest of our children and in the interest of Jamaica, the country will be a much better place,” Senator Reid said.

 

He further noted that the Ministry received no report of mishaps throughout the administration of the examination.

 

“We have received no reports of any glitches. Not on our side. We have had one or two reports of students being late in terms of getting to their centre, but it is not a system problem that we would have encountered,” the Minister informed.

 

In the meantime, Principal of the Hoolebury Primary School in Scarlett Hall, Runaway Bay, St. Ann, Leon Lamont, told JIS News that the students were adequately prepared for PEP, and reported no glitches in the administration of the examination.

Mr. Lamont, whose son also sat the examination, said his students expressed confidence in their performance in the examination.

 

“As a principal and parent, I had a concern regarding the initial staging of the examination. I was a bit worried that it would have been harder than the students could manage, but again, with the resources put in place by our Minister (Senator Ruel Reid), and with the examination coming to completion today (February 26), my son said the examination was easy and everyone who came out said it was easy or manageable,” Mr. Lamont said.

 

Over 40,000 students were registered to sit the examination at 1,104 centres across the country.

 

The performance tasks – Language Arts and Mathematics – will be administered on March 27 and 28, respectively, while the final component of the assessment – the curriculum tests, to include Language Arts, Science, Mathematics and Social Studies – are slated for April 16 and 17.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon Ruel Reid, celebrates with students of Hoolebury Primary School, Scarlett Hall, Runaway Bay, St. Ann, following their completion of the first sitting of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) Examination, during a visit to the institution on February 26.

JIS: Students, parents, principals and educators have given positive feedback about the Grade Six Ability Test, which is the first in a series of tests for the new Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination that was administered on Tuesday (February 26).

 

The Ability Test measures students’ ability to reason with words and quantities (quantitative and verbal reasoning). It represents 30 per cent of students’ profile. This test consisted of 40 single select multiple-choice items.

 

Grade-six teacher, Kingsway Prep School in St. Andrew, Mrs. Neisha Palmer-Murray, said her 29 students gave positive responses about the Ability Test after sitting the exam.

 

“They said it was relatively manageable. They said most of the questions were at their comfort level,” she told JIS News.

 

Principal, Iris Gelly Primary School, in Kingston, Mrs. Veronica Gaynor, had a similar response.

 

“Many of the students said it was manageable. They say the first part was manageable, but the last part was challenging. They were very apprehensive. We had a hard time getting them to settle down. The teachers were also apprehensive, but once they got settled, things flowed. What helped was that it was not a written exam, but a multiple choice,” Mrs. Gaynor said.

 

Principal, Jack’s Hill Primary School, Duane Forbes, said the seven students from his school, located in upper St. Andrew, found the exam manageable.

 

“My students said that the exam was not that challenging. They expected it to be more challenging. The work that they got in class [to prepare for the exam] was more challenging they said,” the principal told JIS News.

 

These students sat their examination at New Day Primary School in the inner-city community of Grants Pen, which is close to the school.

 

Principal, Mona Heights Primary School, Fabian Mahabeer, also said his students gave positive feedback after sitting the exam.

 

“For the most part, they seemed upbeat. They took it as a normal day of an exam at school,” he said.

 

Principal, St. Jude’s Primary School, Suzanna Ainsworth, told JIS News that her students had nothing but positive feedback.

 

“They said it was manageable. It was not as bad as they thought it would have been. The teachers prepared them well. They [the teachers] stuck to the curriculum. They prepared the students based on the curriculum of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information,” Ms. Ainsworth said.

 

Student, Iris Gelly Primary School, Davieon Stanley, said he is happy the first exam is over and is looking forward to the Performance Task and the Curriculum Based Tests.

 

“I felt happy because it was multiple choice. Some of the questions were very easy. I liked the exam,” Davieon told JIS News.

 

Student, St. Andrew Preparatory School, Sahara Karram, said the exam was manageable.

 

“It was okay. It was not what I expected. They gave most questions that I already studied, but I was expecting it to be very hard,” she said.

 

Students sat the Ability Test in 1,104 centres across the island. The test was administered to students born 2006, 2007 and 2008. The total number of students registered for the 2018/2019 year is 41,423 with 21,548 boys and 19,875 girls.

 

PEP is the series of tests that have replaced the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) as the national secondary school entrance examination. PEP is intended to provide a better and more complete profile of students’ academic and critical-thinking capabilities at the end of primary-level education. It comprises a Performance Task Test, Ability Task Test and a Curriculum-Based Test.

 

The upcoming exams for PEP are the Language Arts Performance Task Test on Wednesday, March 27; the Mathematics Performance Task Test on Thursday, March 28; the Language Arts and Science Curriculum Based Test on April 16 and Mathematics Curriculum Based Test on April 17.

 

CAPTION: Grade-six students at Jessie Ripoll Primary School in Kingston revising before the start of the first Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination on Tuesday (February 26).

JIS: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, is encouraging past students with the resources to contribute to the enhancement of school facilities.

 

He commended citizens like the Ashenheim family, who, “without second thought”, donated an eight-lane 400-metre synthetic track to Jamaica College (JC).

 

The Prime Minister was speaking at the official opening of the Ashenheim Stadium on the grounds of Jamaica College (JC), at its Old Hope Road location in St. Andrew on Wednesday (February 21).

 

Mr. Holness said that through the donation, the family has demonstrated that “the spirit of enterprise and the spirit of philanthropy are still alive and well in Jamaica”.

 

He pointed out that the facility, which was previously a “dust bowl”, has been transformed into a world-class state-of-the-art track facility that he anticipates will produce future top-class athletes.

 

“I am expecting that JC will be producing many great athletes who will probably be performing on the Olympic stage and gaining Jamaica more medals. (Importantly), it will reach the average student, who will now have the facilities to develop their skills,” he said.

 

Jamaica College is now the first high school in Jamaica to have its own stadium, which also features state-of-the-art lighting, an international standard football field and an initial seating capacity of about 2,000, with plans to upgrade to about 5,000.

The stadium will also have shot put and discus rings; javelin area; and long- and triple-jump pits.

 

The Government contributed a total of $30 million to the project through the Ministries of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport; and Education, Youth and Information.

 

CAPTION ONE: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (left), and Michael Ashenheim (second left), cut the ribbon to officially open the Ashenheim Stadium on the grounds of Jamaica College at its Old Hope Road location in St. Andrew on Wednesday (February 20). The Ashenheim family donated the state of-the-art facility. Also pictured in the background (from left) are Chairman, Project Committee, Dr. the Hon. R. Danny Williams; Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid; Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Fayval Williams; Chairman of JC Board of Management, Michael Bernard; and the school’s Principal, Wayne Robinson.

 

CAPTION TWO: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (right), and Michael Ashenheim (second left), unveils the sign for the new Ashenheim Stadium located on the grounds of Jamaica College. The facility was officially opened during a ceremony at the institution’s Old Hope Road campus in St. Andrew, on Wednesday (February 20). Also pictured at left is Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid. The Ashenheim family donated the state of-the-art facility.

 

 

JIS: The parish of Manchester now has a diagnostic and care centre, which will cater to the special learning needs of children with autism and cognitive challenges.

 

The Educational Assessment and Resource Centre, located on the grounds of Church Teachers’ College in Mandeville, was built by the Government at a cost of $35 million.

 

It boosts two play and learning rooms, observation room, a nurses’ station, an administrative section, as well as lunchroom, bathrooms, offices and laboratories.

 

On staff are a special educational psychologist, a clinical psychologist, and special education teachers. The spacious two-storey structure will open to the public on March 11.

 

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon Ruel Reid, said that the establishment of the centre is in keeping with Government’s focus on ensuring that the education system is inclusive and enables students to maximise their full potential.

 

“We are going to use the diagnostic centre to make sure that no child is left behind in the region,” he said, noting that it will customise learning through the use of technology.

 

He was delivering the keynote address at the official opening of the centre on February 19.

 

Senator Reid said that global figures indicate that one in every 10 students is likely to have severe special needs.

 

He noted further there are persons with mild autism, who go undetected. “Indeed, one in every 42 boys is autistic and one in every 167 girls is autistic. Autism is on a spectrum of mild to severe. Some of the challenges faced in the classroom are because this goes undetected,” he said.

 

The Education Minister said that in addition to establishing assessment and diagnostic centres, increased focus will be placed on an early stimulation/intervention strategy that addresses needs during the first 1,000 days of the child’s life.

 

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said that the period spanning between conception and one’s second birthday is when the foundations of optimum health, growth and neurodevelopment across the lifespan are established.

 

“Learning begins from conception because the first 1,000 days from conception to age two is a key age; two is the highest point of their cognitive neurological development (brain capacity)” Minister Reid added.

 

In his remarks, Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) President, Dr. Garth Anderson, said the body has been advocating for the early assessment of students entering the education system at the early-childhood level for the purpose of developing a learning profile and targeted intervention.

 

Dr. Anderson, who is also Principal of Church Teachers’ College, urged that the diagnostic centre be fully utilised to “fulfil its mission of not only assessing students but to also be effective in changing the way in which we do teaching and learning”.

 

CAPTION ONE: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (fifth right), cuts the ribbon to officially open the Educational Assessment and Resource Centre at the Church Teachers’ College in Mandeville, Manchester, on February 19. Assisting the Minister is Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) President and Principal of the college, Dr. Garth Anderson (third left), while officials from the Ministry and the college look on

 

CAPTION TWO: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, delivers the keynote address at the opening of the Educational Assessment and Resource Centre at the Church Teachers’ College in Mandeville, Manchester, on February 19.

 

 

 

 

JIS: As The Mico University College moves towards achieving full university status, new programmes will be offered that are geared towards training students for new jobs that have been surfacing globally.

 

President, Dr. Asburn Pinnock, made the announcement at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security at the institution on Tuesday (February 19).

 

“As we move towards University status, we are now diversifying our offerings to include Bachelor of Science programmes in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, as well as Bachelor of Arts programmes in Literacy, Language and Literature. We will also offer courses in animation, robotics and a wide range of short and professional developmental courses tailor-made for schools and the industry,” Dr. Pinnock said.

 

“The Mico University College recognises the impact we need to make as the leader in teacher training in Jamaica, and the Vision 2030 goals that we endeavour to make a reality,” he added.

 

In 2017, Pro-Chancellor, The Mico University College, Professor Neville Ying, announced that the institution started its plans to become a full university, and in 2018, he pointed out that the institution was far advanced in the process.

 

The MOU is geared towards enhancing the Labour Market Information System (LMIS), an Internet-based system that is operated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. It facilitates job placement, provides labour market intelligence and offers career development services.

 

The MOU will allow both organisations to begin working together to: better disseminate labour market intelligence, increase career development and populate a Skills Bank with certified persons.

 

Dr. Pinnock also announced that The Mico University College will be hosting its inaugural Mico International Mathematics Teaching Summit this year, as part of its new offerings.

 

“The inaugural staging of the Mico International Mathematics Teaching Summit will take place from March 25 to 27, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, under the theme ‘Mathematics for Sustainable Economic Growth and Job Creation’,” he said.

 

“This initiative is yet another response from The Mico to the increasing demand for more qualified and equipped mathematics teachers to supply our local market as well as the rising international needs. We believe that this event will increase our knowledge networks, create a log of relevant research and publications that will influence future policy decisions and prepare our teachers for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which will boost Jamaica’s ranking in the world,” Dr. Pinnock added.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Shahine Robinson (second right), listens to scholarship recipient, Labour Market Information System (LMIS) Adoption School Initiative, Evaughn McKenzie (left), at The Mico University College (MUC) on Tuesday (February 19). Occasion was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry and MUC. Others (from second left) are Guild President, MUC, Larey Graham; President, MUC, Dr. Asburn Pinnock and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Colette Roberts Risden.

JIS: The Education Transformation Programme has received funding of $371.5 million from the Government for the fiscal year 2019/20.

 

Details about the project are provided in the 2019/20 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

 

The targets for the 2019/20 fiscal year include the construction of additional classrooms at Papine High, Norman Manley High and Mount St. Joseph High Schools; Exchange All-Age School, Dias Infant School, Spanish Town High School, Westwood High School and Sydney Pagon High School.

 

The National Education Trust Limited (NET) is the implementing agency for the project, which started in April, 2015 and should come to an end in March, 2020.

 

The objective of the project is to provide additional classrooms to alleviate the shift system and overcrowding in schools.

 

Up to December 2018, the programme completed new classroom construction projects and renovation in 200 schools.

 

In total, 565 schools are targeted for upgrades for the duration of the project.

 

CAPTION: Managing Director at the National Education Trust, Marcia Phillips-Dawkins, addressing a JIS Think Tank

JIS: Senior Director, HEART Trust/NTA, Dr. Marcia Rowe Amonde, says that the entity welcomes all citizens who require training regardless of their qualifications.

 

“You can no longer say that training is expensive and that you cannot afford it, because the HEART Trust provides opportunities and we do not turn anyone away. No matter what (qualifications) you have, you come to the HEART Trust and we have a path for you to achieve your potential, to empower yourself and to get ready for jobs,” she said.

 

Dr. Rowe Amonde, who has responsibility for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Development and Support Systems, was speaking at a recent career and information forum and exposition staged by the HEART Trust at Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay.

She noted that the agency is ramping up the certification of Jamaicans, and invited persons to take advantage of the training available in various sectors of the job market.

 

She cited opportunities in computing, auto mechanics, hospitality, animation, agriculture, beauty and wellness, construction, among other areas.

 

“Recent data from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) indicate that Jamaica is on a good path to economic development and job creation. This means that we are creating new jobs, but there is an increase in demand for more skilled professionals; for those who are certified, to meet this demand.

 

“We are working with our investors and industry partners to create a trained and certified labour force to ensure that jobs remain in this country, and that our people are empowered and that we are achieving economic development,” Dr. Rowe Amonde pointed out.

 

She said that persons can improve on their qualifications while undergoing skills training. “You can sit Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects while you are with us. We (also) give you career counselling so you know about all the jobs that are out there and those that are coming,” she pointed out.

 

She noted that the programmes offered are aligned to industry needs.

 

“We do our research. We find out what jobs are out there, we refer to this as labour market intelligence. We work with the industry persons to ascertain what competencies are needed for these jobs and we use those standards to develop the programmes. So when you are trained, it ensures that there is a job out there for you,” she said.

 

Dr. Rowe Amonde further assured that the training programmes at the HEART Trust /NTA are in keeping with international standards.

 

“So when you get your certificate, it qualifies you not only to work in Jamaica, but to work in the international job market. You are able to go anywhere and demonstrate competencies that are aligned to international standards,” she said.

 

The exposition, held in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and the Junior Achievement Programme, was part of activities for Careers’ Week from February 9 to February 15 under the theme: ‘Paving the way through education’.

 

The day’s activities included registering persons for skills training at HEART institutions, and recruiting of potential employees by business process outsourcing company (BPO), Advanced Call Centre Technologies.

 

Organisations that participated in the event were the Social Development Commission (SDC), Citizens Security and Justice Programme (CSJP), Peace Management Initiative (PMI) Western, and Western Regional Health Authority (WHRA).

 

CAPTION ONE: Members of the public (right) complete application forms at the HEART Trust/NTA booth, while representatives of the agency look on. Occasion was a recent career and information forum and exposition staged by the HEART Trust/NTA at Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay.

 

CAPTION TWO: Senior Director, Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Development and Support Systems at the HEART Trust/NTA , Dr. Marcia Rowe Amonde, addresses a recent career and information forum and exposition staged by the entity at Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay.

JIS: Former Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr. Grace McLean, is assuring the public that adequate post-assessment procedures are in place for the Primary Exit Profile (PEP).

 

“We are now in examination mode, so we will activate our hotlines across the island,” she said while addressing a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank at the agency’s head office in Kingston on Thursday (February 14).

 

“Our regional offices, student assessment unit, the office of the deputy chief education officers and the chief education officer will provide support and respond to queries as required,” Dr. McLean added.

 

Further, she said that parents will be able to utilise the Access to Information Unit to submit their appeals, which will be vetted and handled accordingly.

 

“We pull scripts if we must, so they (parents) can see the process, and we make sure that they are satisfied at the end of the day… so we open up ourselves for any query there is that we need to sort through,” she added.

 

The former Chief Education Officer said assessment results and placement information should be provided during the third week of June.

 

She told JIS News that the placement procedure remains the same.

 

“The students would be placed based on their choices and grades. A few of our students (approximately two per cent), after we would have reviewed, may have to be placed manually,” she noted.

 

As it relates to the placement of students to schools in close proximity to their homes, Dr. McLean explained that “the Ministry has taken the decision that we would defer any implementation of zoning until they have satisfactorily implemented this new assessment”.

 

The new Primary Exit Profile (PEP) will begin on February 26 with the Ability Test.

 

The Performance Task in Language Arts and Mathematics will be done on March 27 and 28, while the Curriculum Based Test will be done on April 16 and 17. Some 41,423 students have been registered for PEP.

 

CAPTION: Former Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr. Grace McLean, speaking at a JIS Think Tank on Thursday (February 14).