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.

JIS: The Ministries of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport; and Education, Youth and Information, have reaffirmed their commitment to the national policy for the Reintegration of School-Age Mothers into the Formal School System.

 

Gender Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange; and State Minister for Education, Hon. Floyd Green, signed documents signalling continued support for the policy during a Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation (WCJF) stakeholders’ forum on Thursday (November 1) at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston.

 

The policy, which was accepted by Cabinet in 2013, ensures the right of adolescent mothers to return to secondary school following the birth to their babies, and facilitates smooth reintegration. It has since been subjected to at least two evaluations.

 

Ms. Grange pointed out that prior to the policy, it was the remit of the WCJF to negotiate space within the schools for the teen mothers, adding that quite often, the process was time-consuming and tedious.

 

“Thankfully, there is now a policy, which facilitates a collaborative process between the WCJF and the regional offices of the Education Ministry,” she said, noting that over the past five years, 2,002 girls have been reintegrated into the formal system.

 

Ms. Grange said that while the vast majority of the girls do complete their secondary education, a number of them drop out of school a second time.

 

This is largely due to factors such as inadequate preparation to return to school; insufficient post-placement monitoring; inadequate coping skills; financial constraints; little or no family support; domestic challenges; and a second pregnancy.

 

It is against this background that the Advancing Secondary, Tertiary, Remedial Education for Adolescent Mothers (A-STREAM) programme was launched in May to provide the adolescent mothers with psychosocial support that would enable them to complete their secondary schooling.

 

Ms. Grange noted that the programme is being delivered in collaboration with AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and, to date, a total of $672,040 has been disbursed to 14 adolescent mothers, three adolescent fathers, and three alumnae, who have matriculated to tertiary-level studies.

 

“Other requests are being processed, particularly as fees for the external examinations are to be paid during the course of this month,” she indicated.

 

Ms. Grange said that the Ministry is committed to providing the WCJF with the resources needed to deliver on its mandate to have the girls complete their secondary education.

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Green noted that the Education Ministry is a strong partner in the reintegration of school-aged mothers into the education system.

 

“However, more needs to be done. We still have to continue to change the mindset of a number of our administrators across the system, who seem to be more concerned about protecting the brand and image of their institutions than protecting our children,” he pointed out.

 

“Schools weren’t designed just to be names; schools were designed for a specific purpose to serve our children. So a lot of work will have to be done across the education system, and I commit that [my Ministry] will continue to champion to our school leaders and administrators, the need to understand why this is important,” Mr. Green added.

 

The WCJF is a government agency under the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

 

The core of the work of the foundation is providing adolescent mothers, 17 years and under, with continued education during their pregnancy, and having them reintegrated into the formal school system after the birth of their babies.

 

CAPTION: Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange (front left); and State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (front right), display signed documents signalling both Ministries’ continued support for the Policy for the Reintegration of School-Age Mothers into the Formal School System, during the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation (WCJF) stakeholders’ forum at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, on November 1. Standing (in back from left) are: Consultant, Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Ministry, Barbara Blake Hannah; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Denzil Thorpe; Executive Director, WCJF, Dr. Zoe Simpson; United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund Representative, Mariko Kagoshima; Deputy Chief Education Officer (Acting) Schools Operations, Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Mrs. Dasmine Kennedy; and Chairperson, Board of Directors, WCJF, Debby-Ann Brown-Salmon.

JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will undertake several activities in observance of November as Youth Month, under the theme ‘Level Up’.

 

Addressing a JIS Think Tank on November 1, State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Floyd Green, said that this year’s theme is a call to action for young people from across the length and breadth of Jamaica “to use the month to do some introspection and reflection, regardless of where they are in life, and strive to make things better”.

 

He said that a major area of focus this year is mental health.

 

“We will be addressing the mental health concerns in a frontal manner through a health and wellness fair, where a number of experts will provide a space where young people can speak about their realities with mental illness,” he indicated.

 

The month of activities will be launched on Friday, November 2 at Victoria Pier, Ocean Boulevard, downtown Kingston, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

 

This will be followed by a church service at Sunday, November 4 at the New Testament Church of God, 52 West Street, Port Antonio, Portland, starting at 10:00 a.m.

 

Other scheduled activities include 14 ‘Around the Table’ discussions, one in each parish, starting November 5 in St. James; Youth Parliament on November 12; a Visions of 2030 Workshop in Kingston on November 16; the Prime Minister’s Youth Awards ceremony on November 24; a Marching Band Expo and Youth Sport Day in St. Elizabeth on November 25; and a health and wellness symposium in Hanover on November 30

 

Senior Programme Specialist in the Youth and Adolescent Unit of the Youth Division at the Ministry, Kevon Campbell, for his part, commended the USAID for its partnership in activities for the month, including the staging of the marching band expo.

 

Bands from across the island will converge in St. Elizabeth for an exposition and showcase.

 

The focus will not only be on teaching young people to play a musical instrument but also on personal development, skills training and the holistic environment that being in a band provides.

 

Mr. Campbell noted that marching bands play a key role in strengthening safety, security and resilience amongst young persons who are at risk of participating in delinquent activities.

 

With support from the USAID, a youth club toolkit will also be launched in November.

 

The toolkit, in the form of a mobile app, will provide young people with information, resources and features to promote safety and security and enhance peace-building efforts in their communities.

 

 CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (right), addressing a JIS Think Tank today, November 1. Looking on is Senior Programme Specialist in the Ministry’s Youth and Adolescent Policy Unit, Youth Division, Kevon Campbell.

JIS: A new phase of the Tablets in Schools Project is slated to get under way soon, following the signing of two contracts totalling US$30 million.

 

Of the sum, US$16 million has been awarded to GeoTech Vision Limited, while US$14 million goes to Innovative Corporate Solutions Limited for the supply and delivery of tablet carts and services.

 

The contracts were signed today (October 30) at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St. Andrew by Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid; Chief Executive Officer (CEO), GeoTechVision, Valerie Grant; CEO, Innovative Corporate Solutions, Neil Abrahams; Principal Financial Officer, Ministry of Science and Technology, Richard Fonseca; and Acting CEO, e-Learning Jamaica Company Limited, Izett McCalla.

 

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is collaborating with e-Learning Jamaica Company Limited and the Universal Service Fund to implement the project in selected public educational institutions over the next 11 years. A total of 1,106 institutions will benefit over the period.

 

In his address, Senator Reid said the Government will continue to provide students, teachers and other stakeholders with the necessary facilities to access technology.

 

“We cannot advance and take our place among the leading nations of the world if we do not continue to increase access to technology,” he said.

 

The Minister said this new phase of the programme will be more effective, especially since it will give the nation’s teachers additional help to administer several aspects of the National Standards Curriculum.

 

Senator Reid pointed out that new safeguards have been installed on the devices to prevent access to inappropriate content.

 

“As we prepare for the demands of this 21st century, online teaching and learning in a digital ecosystem will become a norm,” he said.

 

He explained that monitoring and reporting activities will be carried out jointly and separately by personnel from the Ministry and e-Learning Jamaica throughout the operation of each phase.

 

The Minister said the reports from these monitoring and evaluation activities will be presented to the Boards, Ministers and Executives of the partner organisations in order to provide them with an independent and balanced assessment of the project.

 

He added, too, that formal project phase close-out reports will be prepared for each phase and eventually at the end of the project.

 

Project Manager, Tablets in Schools, e-Learning Jamaica, Manley Haye, said individual tablets will be provided to the teachers, while students will be sharing the devices. “The schools are more comfortable with that model than they were with the individual tablets, because it allows greater control, and they can plan better,” he said.

 

He noted that 12,500 teachers will be trained; and 91,000 tablets; 2,200 interactive whiteboards; multimedia projectors, laptops as well as educational content and classroom management software will be provided.

 

Principal, Cross Primary and Junior High in Clarendon, Henry Mullings, expressed gratitude that his institution was selected to benefit under the initiative.

 

“It is an opportunity for our teachers and students to get on board, as far as technology is concerned. They have been trying to use what little we had, but with the tablets coming, I think we will be able to do more, and teachers are very much prepared to start what they have to do and face the challenge that is ahead of us,” he said.

 

Under the pilot, which began in 2014, tablet computers were distributed to some 24,000 students and 1,200 teachers in six pre-primary, 13 primary, five all-age and junior high, and 12 high schools; one teachers’ college, and one special education institution.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (centre), shakes hands with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Innovative Corporate Solutions, Neil Abrahams (second right), following the signing of a contract for a new phase of the Tablets in Schools Project at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St. Andrew on October 30. Sharing the occasion (from left) are Acting CEO, e-Learning Jamaica Company Limited, Izett McCalla; CEO, GeoTechVision, Valerie Grant; and Principal Financial Officer, Ministry of Science and Technology, Richard Fonseca. Contracts totalling US$30 million were signed with GeoTechVision and Innovative Corporate Solutions.-

JIS: The National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) will observe National Parent Month 2018 in November, under the theme ‘Be the Influence’.

 

This is the continuation of a three-year campaign that was launched in 2017 as a call to action for parents to strive to be positive role models in their children’s lives. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NPSC, Kaysia Kerr, told JIS News that during the month, emphasis will be placed on three pillars – planned parenthood, substance abuse and corporal punishment.

 

She explained that each pillar will be supported by a slogan that will guide national discourse during the month. Under planned parenthood, it will be ‘prepare, partner plan’; for substance abuse – ‘explain, encourage, support’; and for corporal punishment, the slogan will be ‘strike a conversation: not your child’.

 

According to Miss Kerr, the NPSC is concerned about the number of parents who are showing low coping skills and are consciously opting out, not wanting to continue the duties associated with parenting.

 

The month of activities will start with a media launch on Thursday, November 1, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston. This will be followed by a series of presentations targeting select schools in Regions One, Two and Six. These will be held on November 5, 6 and 12, respectively.

 

On November 7, 14 and 20, the NPSC will host several parenting workshops in Regions 3, 4 and 5, in collaboration with the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ).

 

Parent villages will also be set up in St. Ann on November 10; St. James, November 17; and St. Elizabeth and Manchester on November 24. At these villages, parents will have the opportunity to access information on positive parenting from agencies such as the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), Early Childhood Commission (ECC), Office of the Children’s Advocate, National Children’s Registry, National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) and the NPTAJ. The month’s activities will culminate with a Parent Awards Banquet on November 30. This will be hosted in partnership the Jamaica Spanish Foundation.

 

CAPTION: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC), Kaysia Kerr, addresses JIS ‘Think Tank’ recently, where she outlined activities for Parent Month, which will be observed in November.

JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information will be providing approximately 300 tablet computers to teachers in primary schools as part of efforts to assist them with lesson plan preparations.

 

This was disclosed by Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean, who indicated that the teachers will soon be able to go online and download a whole series of lesson plans.

 

Additionally, she said they will be able to submit these plans to principals and administrators electronically.

 

“Integration training will be held for teachers, and integration specialists will be provided to assist you to use a lesson plan template on a tablet,” the Chief Education Officer further stated.

 

Dr. Mclean was speaking at the Ministry’s Region Five Parent Sensitisation Session at Bishop Gibson High School in Mandeville, Manchester, on Tuesday (October 23), which was addressed by Portfolio Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid.

 

Meanwhile, Senator Reid reiterated plans by the Ministry to push back the date for the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) performance task to March 2019, in response to concerns regarding teacher and student readiness for its roll-out.

 

Additionally, he said test items have been adjusted, and a committee comprising teachers from all regions established to review those concerns.

 

“The items that will be used for the curriculum-based test would be subject to review by those representatives. I don’t expect there to be any items in the [system] that we all don’t feel are fair, valid or that will test students outside their depth of knowledge,” Senator Reid stated.

 

In the meantime, the Minister urged educators and other key stakeholders to ensure they devote adequate time to the development of students deemed slow learners, particularly youngsters with special needs.

 

He said it is imperative that the education system cater to children with “classic special needs” in a manner that ensures they are afforded opportunities to fully realise their potential.

 

Senator Reid said children with cognitive challenges are not all likely to function at similar levels or even attain certain achievements at the same age or timeline as their colleagues who do not have these issues.

 

He emphasised that in such cases, the solution cannot and should not be to deprive them of quality time in school, but rather to increase it.

 

The Minister also underscored the need for parents, teachers and other stakeholders to understand the importance of the early stimulation of children during the first 1,000 days of their lives.

 

“Early identification and intervention of developmental challenges are key. We need to find opportunities [to provide interventions, as obtains at] the Mico Care Centre… in all regions, to offer universal access to special care,” the Minister stated.

 

Dr. McLean encouraged teachers to capitalise on the “natural tendencies” of Jamaican children to perform, by using aspects of local culture, such as drama and music, to enhance their lessons.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (second right), converses with Assistant Chief Education Officer, Dasmine Kennedy (left), and Regional Director, Dr. Nadine Leachman (second left), during the Ministry’s Region Five Parent Sensitisation Session at Bishop Gibson High School in Mandeville, Manchester, on Tuesday (October 23). Also listening is Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says a Jamaican diaspora organisation in the United States is to donate more than 10,000 information and communications and technology (ICT) devices to the education sector.

 

The items will include computer servers, laptops and desktop computers, the Minister noted.

 

Senator Reid was speaking to JIS News at the opening of a new classroom for grade one at the Mona Heights Primary School in Kingston on Thursday (October 25).

 

The Minister pointed out that the offer was made when he attended the Enactus World Cup 2018, held from October 9 to 11 in Silicon Valley, California, in the United States.

 

Senator Reid said following talks with representatives of the organisation, the California-based non-profit organisation will donate an estimated 10,000 computer items annually.

 

“We are hoping that by June, if not before, we can get all those devices and have them distributed across our schools,” the Minister said.

 

Senator Reid pointed out that the additional equipment will help to address the challenges in technical subject areas such as mathematics and science.

 

“We have to get our students and teachers to recognise that the Internet is a tremendous asset in terms of teaching and learning, but we have to provide the equipment,” he said.

 

The Minister said the collaboration is timely, as the Ministry is encouraging more computer-aided teaching in the classroom.

 

“We will make sure that we provide support in terms of Internet connectivity or offline solutions by having information backed up on servers, so that this can be used.

 

We have to prepare our schools and students for the imperatives of the future, and we are very happy for this contribution from the diaspora,” he added.

 

He also noted that the United Kingdom-based diaspora charity, Angel Foundation, has indicated an interest in supporting the Ministry’s ICT thrust.

 

The new classroom was constructed, furnished and outfitted with a state-of-the-art multimedia projector, flat-screen television and a reading corner, at a cost of $3.5 million provided through the school’s fundraising activities and stakeholder contribution.

 

In 2017, the Ministry provided $4 million to construct bathroom facilities for the grade-one block.

 

Also attending the ceremony were Member of Parliament for St. Andrew Eastern and Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Fayval Williams; and Councillor for the Mona Division, Andrew Bellamy.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (right), assists a grade-one Mona Heights Primary School student with her lesson. The Minister was taking part in the opening of a new grade-one classroom at the school’s Aralia Drive address in Kingston on Thursday (October 25).