CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, takes a selfie with (from left) United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Education Specialist, Rebecca Tortello, Principal of The Queen’s School, Jennifer Williams, and students. The occasion was the observance of The World’s Largest Lesson on Wednesday (November 14) at the school’s Constant Spring Road address in Kingston. The Minister made a special presentation to the students as part of the activities to observe the day. The World’s Largest Lesson is part of a global effort to promote the Global Goals for Sustainable Development. These goals are designed to tackle a range of development challenges and keep the planet fair, healthy and sustainable.

JIS: The Government will be assisting with the funeral expenses of the three John Rollins Success Primary School students who were killed in a motor-vehicle accident along the Rose Hall Main Road in St. James on Tuesday (November 13).

 

The three students, six-year-old Latisha Williams and sisters eight-year-old Tiara and 10-year-old Tianna Thompson, as well as the driver of the vehicle in which they were travelling, died in the tragic crash, which happened a few metres away from the school.

 

Two other students of the institution, who were in the vehicle, remain hospitalised.

 

Speaking with journalists following a visit to the school on Thursday (November 15), Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon Ruel Reid, said the Government will ensure that the necessary assistance is given to the families of the deceased students.

 

“The Ministry will be partnering with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, and other stakeholders, I am sure, will join in. I will make sure that whatever the needs are, a mechanism will be found to offer support,” he said.

 

Senator Reid and a contingent from the Ministry visited the school to offer comfort and support to the students and staff at the institution.

 

He met with Principal, Yvonne Miller Wisdom, who expressed that the students and staff have been deeply saddened by the tragic loss of the three students.

 

The Minister also visited the classroom of each of the students killed in the accident, where he offered words of condolence and comfort to the students and teachers.

 

“I am just here to say, first of all, how sorry I am that one of your friends is no longer here with us, and I just want to say how sorry we are, on behalf of the Government.

 

“I pray that those who are still in hospital will be restored to full health. I just pray, overall, that all our children will keep safe at school, safe in travelling to and from school, and safe at home. You are our precious little ones, the future of Jamaica and the world,” the Minister told students and the teacher of Latisha’s grade-one class.

 

Grade-three teacher, Pelechia Reynolds-Vernon broke down in tears, as she informed Senator Reid of Tiara’s fondness of him.

 

The Minister, who was moved with emotion, embraced Mrs. Vernon as she struggled to share the information with him.

 

The empty desks, which once belonged to the deceased students, were adorned with flowers and tributes inscribed on paper.

 

Meanwhile, in an interview with JIS News, Mrs. Miller Wisdom expressed gratitude to Senator Reid for visiting the institution to offer condolences to the students and staff.

 

She said that the school has been receiving “tremendous support” from a number of stakeholders, including Custos Rotulorum of St. James, Bishop Conrod Pitkin, the church, and the Peace Management Initiative (PMI).

 

“I am impressed with the overwhelming support of the stakeholders. Representatives from the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) region four was here as well, different church groups, the (Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA)… . I cannot express how grateful I am to all the stakeholders,” Mrs. Miller Wisdom expressed.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator, the Hon Ruel Reid, offers words of comfort to students of the John Rollins Success Primary in St. James during a visit to the school on Thursday (November 15) to offer support to the students and staff following the tragic loss of three students of the institution in a motor vehicle crash on Tuesday (November 13).

JIS: Three youth groups across the island will receive funding for the renovation of three basic schools under the Volunteer Project Competition.

 

The 2018 staging of the competition, part of activities to mark Youth Month, was officially launched on Tuesday (November 13), on the grounds of Jamaica House Basic School in St. Andrew.

 

It involves the joint collaboration of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Early Childhood Commission (ECC) and HEART Trust/NTA.

 

The competition is open to all youth groups across the island, which are required to submit a two-minute video proposal highlighting an early-childhood institution that is in need of refurbishing and repairs. Videos can be submitted via email to [email protected].

 

Submissions opened on November 8 and close on November 23. The works on the three schools selected will be undertaken on November 30.

 

Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Hon. Floyd Green, in his remarks at the launch, said that the project aims to promote a culture of volunteerism among young people.

 

“It is the epitome of what we want to do for Youth Month and the messages that we want to send. We are clear and sure that the competition will help us throughout Jamaica to get our young people to do better, get our communities to do better and our country to do better,” he noted.

 

He said the undertaking represents an investment in early childhood education. “It is tremendous, and we recognise that one of the things that is clear across Jamaica [and] across our education system, [is that] no level has a greater uptake than our early-childhood system. We have basically 100 per cent enrolment of our children in early-childhood institutions,” he pointed out.

 

ECC Chairman, Tricia Williams Singh, for her part, noted that the project will assist the basic schools selected in achieving the standards required for certification from the entity.

 

“The outcome of the children will improve, and that is substance,” she noted.

 

She called on youth groups to volunteer their services outside of the competition, to assist basic schools.

 

“I’m asking Jamaicans, I am asking more young people, select more schools. When you go into these institutions and you help to bring about the change… what do you think happens? [There will be a] better Jamaica and better communities,” she said.

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (left), greets Chairman, Early Childhood Commission, Tricia Williams Singh, during the launch of the Volunteer Project Competition on the grounds of Jamaica House Basic School on Tuesday (November 13).

JIS: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has hailed Northern Caribbean University’s (NCU) Restoring Every Student’s Confidence Using Education (RESCUE) programme as something worthy of emulation throughout the entire sector.

 

He was delivering the main address at NCU’s Alumni Homecoming Fundraising Banquet, held at Golf View Hotel in Mandeville, Manchester, on November 11.

 

“From a Christian perspective, if we know and appreciate that education is so important and the poor cannot afford it, to the extent that God has prospered us, we should give to those who can’t afford it,” Senator Reid said.

 

Close to US$80,000.00 was pledged by members of the alumni association during the banquet for the RESCUE programme, which targets students who have the desire to get a university education but lack the financial resources to do so.

 

Senator Reid said that NCU’s programme to ‘RESCUE’ students is commendable, adding that educators want to impact the lives of everyone.

 

“From a spiritual point of view, the Lord has said to us, those whom he has prospered are to give of what they have to others, so they can be developed to become wholesome and productive citizens,” the Minister said.

 

Senator Reid said that for many years, on average, only 30 per cent of the population was able to get beyond all-age school, and that between 55 and 67 per cent of the current workforce of 1.3 million do not have the equivalent of secondary certification or higher, largely because they did not get to complete their education.

 

“The economy has changed, so there has to be a correspondent shift in how the workforce is prepared, and the Christian community has to understand that reality also. For the economy to function effectively, we need more trained and certified individuals,” the Minister said.

 

Senator Reid said the church has a part to play because if many of the persons waiting to be educated are allowed to fall through the cracks, they will become uneducated and unskilled people who will turn to crime.

 

“As a Christian community, if we can’t solve the social problems, nobody else can,” the Minister said.

 

Meanwhile, President of NCU, Dr. Lincoln Edwards, said the university wants to keep the RESCUE agenda uppermost in everyone’s mind, through a three-year campaign aimed at raising funds for scholarships for needy students, and to construct a well-needed dental hygiene and community outreach centre to treat the needs of the region and to finance special NCU initiatives in at-risk communities.

 

He said another critical element of the RESCUE initiative is to help reduce crime and violence in Jamaica, as the more students that are enrolled at NCU, the less will be available to be influenced by criminal elements.

 

CAPTION: “From a Christian perspective, if we know and appreciate that education is so important and the poor cannot afford it, to the extent that God has prospered us, we should give to those who can’t afford it,” Senator Reid said.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says that the Government’s early-stimulation/intervention strategy, which will be introduced in early-childhood institutions across the island, is aimed at ensuring that children “get the best start in life”.

 

He said that the strategy, which borrows from best practices in Canada, Cuba, Finland, Trinidad and Tobago and parts of the United States, is based on research about needs in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.

 

It addresses areas such as health, nutrition, development, stimulation, social protection, child protection and early intervention needs.

 

“This strategy was developed based on an analysis of the strengths and challenges of the current early-childhood development programme in Jamaica,” Senator Reid said.

 

“It will ensure that all early-childhood institutions in the country are registered with the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), and that they are certified, therefore meeting the 12 operational standards of early-childhood institutions,” he added.

 

Part of the strategy includes the introduction of special ECIs, known as Brain Builder centres, which will have trained early-childhood teachers and caregivers; upgraded facilities as needed; and are fully equipped with furniture and resource materials.

 

The Education Minister was addressing the annual meeting of the International Task Force on Teachers for Education and 11th Policy Dialogue Forum at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James, on November 6.

 

Representatives from 84 countries are participating in the five-day forum from November 5 to 9 under the theme ‘Strengthening teacher education: A prerequisite for quality teaching, training and learning’.

 

It is being hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) through partnership with the Education Ministry.

 

The International Task Force on Teachers for Education is an international alliance coordinating efforts to provide qualified motivated teachers to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 – to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

 

The Education Minister, during his presentation, urged the educators to embrace the use of information and communications technology (ICT) to enhance professional development and training.

 

He noted that UNESCO’s ICT Competency Framework for Teachers, provides an important guideline to pursue such training.

 

The guideline is aimed at helping countries to develop “comprehensive national teacher ICT competency policies and standards, and to harness digital facilities for professional learning”.

 

Senator Reid said it will soon become necessary to address teacher education within “a broad and clear teacher policy framework”.

 

“This is why teacher policy development was introduced as an effective move to support countries to refrain from tackling teacher education as a stand-alone step,” he added.

 

He noted that the teacher policy development guide published by the Teachers’ Task Force (2015) seeks to analyse other dimensions of the teaching profession that intertwine and affect teacher education.

 

The Minister hailed the task force’s annual policy dialogue, noting that the forum provides a platform to promote a holistic approach to teacher policy reforms and share countries’ experiences.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, addresses yesterday’s (September 26) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

JIS: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has allocated US$625,000 to the youth component of its Partnership for Improved Safety and Security in Schools Programme, in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MOEYI).

 

The two-year programme, which began in July 2017 and is slated to end in July 2019, is valued at US$3 million.

 

Project Manager, USAID/MOEYI Partnership for Improved Safety and Security in Schools Programme, Yvonne Brown, tells JIS News that the USAID believes that early intervention is critical for a safe and secure environment.

 

She adds that this intervention is not only important in schools but should be extended to communities.

 

“We recognise that if you don’t have a safe and secure environment for students and young people, you will be channelling funds to prisons, so it is better to help correct the issues and problems early. Therefore, interventions are being applied through alternatives such as community youth clubs and uniformed groups,” Ms. Brown says.

 

Meanwhile, State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Floyd Green, says young people are looking for a sense of association, belonging and worth, and the Government is committed to ensuring that positive alternatives are provided, especially for at-risk youth.

 

He commended the USAID for supporting these initiatives within the Ministrythat seek to engage, empower and provide entrepreneurial support and resources to young people.

 

And, as Jamaica observes Youth Month in November, under the theme ‘Level Up’, the Ministry/USAID, through the Youth Division, is placing special emphasis on several initiatives targeting at-risk youth.

 

One such is the Community Marching Band Movement, which is receiving well-needed support.

 

Addressing a recent JIS ‘Think Tank’, Senior Programme Specialist in the Youth and Adolescent Policy Unit, Youth Division, in the Ministry, Kevon Campbell, said Marching bands play a key role in strengthening community safety and security and in bolstering resilience among young people who are at risk of participating in delinquent activities.

 

With support from the USAID, the Youth Division has been able to generate a database of marching bands, host consultations and workshops geared towards resource mobilisation to put these bands on a path of sustainability.

 

According to Mr. Campbell, it is not about just learning to play musical instruments, which is important, but it is also about personal development, life skills, training and the support they provide to young people islandwide.

 

On Sunday, November 25, marching bands from across Jamaica will showcase their talents at an exposition scheduled to be held at the Youth Innovation Centre (YIC) located at the Santa Cruz Community Centre in St. Elizabeth.

 

A new initiative, which is also getting extensive support from the USAID is the building out of mobile YICs.

 

Mr. Campbell explained that while there are the block and steel YICs where youth can go, it is important to reach the ones who live far from these centres that are usually located in town centres.

 

The USAID is providing resources such as laptops, projectors and screens for the officers who go into these communities to facilitate the engagement with young persons who are not able to find a way to get to a YIC. Mobile YICs have been rolled out in Clarendon, St. James, Hanover, Westmoreland, St. Catherine and Portland, with plans to expand to all parishes.

 

Meanwhile, young persons residing in and around St. Catherine now have access to a fully equipped recording studio, which was constructed under the USAID/MOEYI partnership.

 

Mr. Campbell said that the studio, which is located at the St. Catherine YIC, 42 Young Street in Spanish Town, is not just a place for young persons to go and record their song but also seeks to promote income-generating activities while actively promoting the development of musical entrepreneurs.

 

Several training workshops have been conducted to expose the youth to areas such as song writing, audio recording and vocal control.

 

“The youth have been putting out their material, and we are looking to see how we can utilise this kind of intervention to support their community development effort, while also supporting their capacity to generate income for themselves and sustain themselves in a meaningful way,” Mr. Campbell said. Revitalisation of community youth clubs across the island is also receiving support under the programme.

 

With assistance from the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development through the Social Development Commission (SDC), the MOEYI has been working assiduously in reviving community youth clubs islandwide.

 

The USAID is supporting the Youth Division with the launch of a Youth Club Tool Kit in November. This kit will include a website and a mobile app.

 

Mr Campbell pointed out that the initial tool kit was a handbook; however, based on feedback, the youth have indicated that they want something more innovative to which they could readily attached themselves.

 

Integrated into this app will be features that support youth with their community development, and promote community safety and security to enable young persons, through youth clubs islandwide, to play an active role in peace-building efforts in their communities.

 

Persons are being encouraged to contact the Youth Division at the Ministry if there is a youth club in their community that needs support; if there is one that is dormant and they want it to be revitalised; or they want to form a youth club where there is a group of young people who may want to come together. For further information on these and other youth programmes within the Ministry, persons can telephone 876-618-5109 or send email to [email protected].

 

CAPTION: Project Manager, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Partnership for Improved Safety and Security in Schools Programme, Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MOEYI), Yvonne Brown, addresses recent JIS ‘Think Tank’.

JIS: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, says that the Government is committed to making it easier to treat with the abuse and protection of the nation’s children.

 

According to the State Minister, deliberate efforts have been made to remove some of the bureaucracies that are in the system.

 

One major step, he said, was the merger of the Office of the Children’s Registry and the Child Development Agency to form the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA).

 

Mr. Green was addressing approximately 300 students, representing 28 secondary schools, who attended the National Child Month Committee (NCMC) Youth Forum, held on November 2 at the St. Andrew Parish Church Hall in St. Andrew

 

According to the State Minister, progress has been made, as the backlog of cases that were not investigated have been reduced from 5,000 to 400.

 

He also reported that there is a Joint Select Committee of Parliament that will review laws and penalties in relation to the abuse of children and women.

 

“We need more strident and stringent penalties to send a clear message that we are serious about protecting our children and our women. The aim is to make special provision for when a crime is committed against the most vulnerable groups, which include the elderly, children and women, that the penalty is more severe,” he said.

 

The forum forms part of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information’s activities for Youth Month which is being observed in November.

 

It provides a space for students attending secondary school to discuss issues, air concerns and seek solutions among themselves, while getting support from adults.

 

Meanwhile, Executive Director of the GraceKennedy Foundation, Caroline Mahfood, noted that focus should be placed on restoring safe spaces for youth, where they can be acknowledged, influenced and given the support to grow and develop.

 

“They occupy a large part of our society and must be seen as keen resources who will contribute significantly to national development and this is why GraceKennedy is committed to supporting education,” she said. Several presentations were made by the students focusing on the NCMC Child Month theme for the year ‘A.F.F.I.R.M. Me!” – Acknowledge me! (Be)Friend me! Favour me!Positively Influence me! Respect me! Motivate me!

 

CAPTION: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, addressing participants at the National Child Month Committee (NCMC) annual youth forum held on November 2, at the St. Andrew Parish Church Hall, in Half Way Tree, St. Andrew.

JIS: Two wellness fairs will be staged this November that will focus on mental issues affecting young people.

 

Minster of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, said that the fairs, which are part of activities for Youth Month, will be held in Hanover and St. Elizabeth, in partnership with a bipolar foundation.

 

He said there is urgent need to tackle mental health issues and reduce the stigma associated with mental disorders.

 

“Too many of our young people are suffering in silence, and too many of us have perpetuated the stigma around mental illness. When people are having real mental illness, they fail to share it,” Mr. Green pointed out.

 

He was speaking at the launch of Youth Month on Friday (November 2) at Victoria Pier, downtown Kingston.

 

Youth Month is being observed under the theme ‘Level Up Youth’, and the State Minister said he wants all youth to use the period “to do more, to do better, go harder, not for self only but for communities”.

 

He said that the month-long activities will include revival of the National Youth Council and election of members. A website will also be launched for the group, nationalyouthcounciljamaical.com, which will later be available as an app.

 

The National Youth Parliament will meet on November 24. Earlier in the year, members undertook three major projects – back-to-school activities, engagement with girls in State care, and a job and career exposition.

 

Providing further details about Youth Month activities, Programme Development Specialist in the Ministry, Yanique Williams, told JIS News that there will be 14 round-table discussions, which will provide a platform for young people “to meet with some of our specialists in the field of entrepreneurship”.

 

The fora, she said, will help youth to look at starting their own businesses.

 

“Youth Month 2018 is a call for action. We are calling on our young persons to rise, partner with the Ministry and its agencies, and grow,” Ms. Williams noted.

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (left), addresses the launch of Youth Month 2018, at Victoria Pier, downtown Kingston, on (November 2).

JIS: In an effort to boost the morale of its more than 60 per cent male population for higher academic performance, the Enid Bennett High School in St. Catherine has embarked on a series of motivational initiatives.

 

On Tuesday (October 30), the institution celebrated Boys’ Day, with several presenters taking the students through sessions looking at growing from boys to men, and making education a priority. 

 

Senior Advisor in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Robert Miller, encouraged the students to always aspire to be high achievers. “Let us not lose our place in society,” he said.

 

He pointed to the unhealthy habit of young men wearing their pants very tight, and implored them to make themselves ready for the job market, or to set up their own businesses.

 

Mr. Miller said all the students should assert that they are at school to “obtain my education”. 

 

Student, Orlando Sterling, who was recently recognised by the school for discipline, said he had idled with his schoolwork, and when he had to repeat grade 8, “it was the wake-up call that I needed to set my priorities straight”.

 

He noted that he changed his attitude towards school, and last semester he collected four awards and two certificates. “At the end of fifth form, I was able to pass eight subjects,” he said.

 

 For his part, Senior Technical Director in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Marlon Morgan, said students can achieve great things if they apply themselves in a responsible way.

 

The school has instituted an initiative called Triple B (The Bennett Boys’ Big-Up), where students are recognised for exemplary conduct.

 

“The initiative is quite timely; one that is relevant, and we look forward to it growing,” Mr. Morgan told the audience. 

 

Pointing out the benefits of youngsters surrounding themselves with “positive people,” Mr. Morgan said they will get encouragement and guidance to go in the right direction.

 

“Your future is in education. When you come to school, don’t waste time, as it is time that can never be regained,” he emphasised.

 

Meanwhile, Guidance Counsellor at the school, Sheldon Huntley, told JIS News that the event, which will be held annually, is one of the many programmes that will be used to “teach the boys how to become good men”.

 

“The message has reached them, and they will make good use of what was said. We want to invest in our boys, and highlight the good-behaving boys, so that they can be models to the other students,” he said.

 

CAPTION: Senior Advisor in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Robert Miller, addresses the audience at the St. Catherine-based Enid Bennett High School on Boys’ Day, held at the institution on October 30.