The Buff Bay Primary School in Portland is using farming technologies to generate the interest of students in agriculture and to boost food production for their canteen and for the market.

Vice Principal at the institution, Keisha Braimbridge, told JIS News that last year they won a school garden prize at a 4-H Clubs event in the parish, and from that they upgraded their semi-greenhouse with the installation of tanks and irrigation drippers, to automate the operation.

“We are promoting sustainable agriculture, using hydroponic and aeroponic methods, and those are the technologies that we are teaching,” she said.

Ms. Braimbridge pointed out that the aim is for the students to take the technology into their homes and communities and promote sustainable framing.

The Vice Principal noted that the school is very competitive in 4-H Clubs competitions, and over the years they have won a number of medals.

She said they teach the students, from early in their schooling, the love of agriculture, with many of them making careers in farming.

“It is important for them to know that agriculture is not the old man riding a donkey and the various sustainable ways that they can do agriculture within their own environs,” Ms. Braimbridge said.

“The things that we grow, we use them in the canteen, and when we have a surplus, parents support the 4-H Clubs by buying the produce,” she said.

Meanwhile, Principal of the school, Jacqueline Edwards, said an objective of the enterprise is to use it to train students from other schools.

“They would come in, look at what we are doing, and model whatever we are doing at their schools,” she said.

Students at the Swallowfield Primary and Infant School now have access to a therapeutic space at their institution, where they can also learn ways to promote peace, well-being, and conflict resolution.

A peace garden was formally handed over at a ceremony at the school, located at 11 Whitehall Avenue in Kingston, on September 13.

Nineteen entities collaborated with the National Education Trust (NET) to create the peace garden, which is designed as the space where students can manage emotions, de-escalate conflicts and develop critical conflict-resolution skills.

The project, valued at more than $1.7 million, not only provides a safe space for students but also enhances the school infrastructure. The reinforced perimeter fence has been decorated with an inspiring mural.

The new concrete drain will divert rainwater runoff from flooding neighbouring classrooms, and the calming resources, including water fountain, a wellness bench and landscaping will enhance the practical use and aesthetics of the peace garden, which the school will also use for training peace ambassadors.

In a message read by Director, Donor and Partnership Management, National Education Trust (NET), Keisha Johnson, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Executive Director, NET, Latoya Harris Ghartey, said the peace garden is not just a physical space but also a sanctuary, a place where students can manage their emotions, practise mindfulness and work through conflicts in a safe and supportive environment.

She said it is designed to help them find the tools within themselves to resolve their differences, calm their minds and build stronger emotional resilience.

Mrs. Harris Ghartey added that the garden offers them a space to express their feelings, work through their frustrations and develop their conflict resolution skills that will serve them not only at school but in life.

“Use it to find peace, to calm your mind, to work through your problems. Know that you are surrounded by the invested village of us here and so many others who care about your well-being and your success. Let us all continue to work together to create more space like this – spaces where every child can thrive emotionally, mentally and academically,” she said.

For her part, Guidance Counsellor at the institution, Kathandra Reid, said the concept for the space was launched during the school’s Peace Day initiative, which was held in March.

She noted, too, that the institution had projected one year for the completion of the project and lauded the partners for collaborating with the school for the undertaking.

“This has been a dream for a very long time… our schoolwide behaviour modification programme has been struggling to get our behaviour modification on the road and we had so many challenges with conflict resolution,” she said.

Other speakers included Brigade Executive Officer, Jamaica Defence Force, Lt. Col. Alicia Cooper Nelson; Programme Administrator, NCB Foundation, Jamilia Crooks-Brown; Director of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr. Judith Leiba; President, Rotary Club of New Kingston, Dorett Campbell; and District Governor, Rotary International, District 7020, Dominique Bazin.

The handover marked the culmination of a Labour Day project, aimed at reducing conflict among students.

Leading up to Labour Day in May 2024, NET partnered with the Jamaica Defence Force to lay the groundwork and bring the design to life.

The JDF constructed the drainage system and created a paved walkway and ramp and reinforced the perimeter fence to ensure the long-term durability of the garden.

All building materials for the project were donated as well as the landscaping elements. NCB Foundation sponsored the water fountain, and the Rotary Club of New Kingston contributed the shades, mural, punching bags and garden gate to the space.

There is considerable prestige that institutions can potentially derive from being named after notable figures in society.

Additionally, there are great expectations of those institutions associated with these names.

Such is the case for the Louise Bennett-Coverley Primary School, located in the hills of St. Andrew East Rural, which was named after one of Jamaica’s foremost cultural icons.

The school, which encountered several challenges during its formative years, is on a renewal journey as the administration navigates the teaching and learning experience with the dynamic approach being led by new Principal, Sheena Taylor Morgan.

Mrs. Taylor Morgan, an educator with more than 10 years’ experience, hit the ground running when she arrived at the institution in May 2023, promoting the vision of excellence and success to the teachers, students, support staff and parents.

“When I came, I observed that we had a rich legacy in terms of culture, and teachers [who] are hard-working. But I said to myself, ‘there are a few things that need to change to effect even greater development and growth for the school’,” she tells JIS News.

Among these were changes in policies regarding accountability and operations.

“The policies were geared towards a holistic approach for parents, teachers, students, all stakeholders that we encounter here daily,” Mrs. Taylor Morgan says, citing the school’s Customer Service Policy as an example.

She notes, however, that some parents still harboured lingering concerns about the extent to and level at which they were engaged when they visited the school.

The Principal points out that steps taken to ensure these concerns were addressed were pivotal in forging a symbiotic relationship between the administration and parents.

“I assured [those parents] that we will, over time, be able to serve them in a manner that is uplifting… thereby [highlighting] the school’s [focus on] customer service excellence. To [that end], we created a Customer Service Charter [which has been] placed in our offices, including the staff room, and Vice Principal and Principal’s offices,” Mrs. Taylor Morgan informs.

With this in place, the educator says interventions were also pursued for students sitting the 2024 Primary Exit Profile (PEP).

“In grade five, there were 49 ‘beginning’ profiles across the four subjects. However, when we got them to grade six, because of the interventions and the hard work from the teachers, as well as parents who were also on board, the results showed that only four beginnings were accounted for, and those were three in mathematics and one in science… that is a 91 per cent improvement,” Mrs. Taylor Morgan informs.

A ‘beginning’ on the PEP profile means the student demonstrates limited or no evidence of the required competence necessary at that grade level, as specified in the National Standards Curriculum, and requires intensive ongoing academic support in grade seven.

Consequently, the Principal initiated a literacy programme in September 2023 that catered to students in grades one to three, which was subsequently extended to youngsters in grades four to six, on the advice of her teachers.

Mrs. Taylor Morgan says additional intervention was also provided through support extended by the Ministry of Education and Youth, noting that the beneficiary students were the last batch impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, she says teachers at the school were afforded the opportunity to participate in workshops organised by the Ministry, with the aim of ensuring that parents and all other stakeholders partnered to help the students.

“I would say that is one of the main things that assisted the students… that intervention programme… just the buy-in that we got from the parents,” the Principal states.

She highlights work undertaken by Grades Four to Six Coordinator, senior teacher, Michelle Barrett Cain, who worked with the students, pointing out that “even when it was break or lunch, she worked with them; so, I believe that’s why we had the success in PEP this year”.

Mrs. Barrett Cain, an educator with over 20 years’ experience, outlines the engagements undertaken with the students.

“We had an intervention programme where we pulled them into different groups, and we adjusted the needs according to what they were, then we brought them back together as a whole class and we continued to reinforce what was needed,” the educator says, adding that “we did videos, music and drama”.

She further advises: “We collaborated with all the teachers in the Grades Four to Six Departments, allowing [them] to give their input and, together, we worked as a team.”

A woman of resolute faith, Mrs. Barrett Cain says she always places God at the helm of preparations for her students.

“God and prayers every morning, and continuous practice,” the distinguished educator adds.

The hard work paid off, as the institution placed second in PEP this year out of 16 primary schools in the area.

Former Head Boy, Shamar Coley, received an award from Speaker of the House of Representatives and Member of Parliament for St. Andrew East Rural, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, for emerging the second highest-placed student in the constituency.

Eleven-year-old Shamar, who is now in grade seven at Wolmer’s Boys’ School, expresses gratitude for the support provided by his former teachers at Louise Bennett-Coverley Primary.

“I would say thank you for nurturing and disciplining me. You have been the guiding light of my educational journey, and I am eternally thankful. For other children like me, I also want to tell them to work hard, study harder and stay focused on their own life goals,” he says.

Shamar’s proud mother, Nadine Johnson Coley, says the change in the school’s focus definitely helped her son.

“I am so proud of Shamar, because he got his first choice [high school selected], he did exceptionally well. The changes at the school… created a better environment… [which] helped him to focus and be more disciplined,” she tells JIS News.

The winds of change at the institution also captivated the support staff. Night watchman, Odean Williams, says he is inspired by the students’ progress.

“I am impressed with the improvement of the school. The teachers worked together, and put so many things in place so that the students can get a better education. Our motto is ‘Aim High’, and we are definitely aiming high because the students see what the teachers are doing and are inspired,” he says.

Mrs. Taylor Morgan says she is working with her team to make the institution a primary school of choice.

“Even though the school is located where it is… they are rearing for success; they just want somebody to motivate and inspire them,” she points out.

“We are also hoping that some corporate businesses can come on board and help our students because sometimes the parents are not able to… even though they do as much as they can. We want to highlight what the students are doing here so that the school can become [an institution] of choice,” Mrs. Taylor Morgan says.

Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, says repairs are ongoing at the 300-plus schools damaged during the passage of Hurricane Beryl, to ensure their readiness for the start of the 2024/25 academic year on September 2.

“We have been meeting with our Regional Directors, with all our building officers, and if there’s a situation that they believe may not be totally ready for September 2, they’ve already put contingency plans in place, which have been discussed with Principals,” Mrs. Williams outlined.

She was addressing the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) 60th Annual Conference held recently at Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny.

The Minister assured that most of the damaged schools will be ready for reopening in the new academic year.

“There are not too many of those situations. I [can] think of one school in which the timber building that they were using collapsed, and it is impossible to put up a replacement building in eight weeks. [The] Regional Director [in that area] has already had conversations with the Principal, with parents and a church that has a hall that’s right across the street to accommodate those students. So, when I talk about contingency plans, that’s an example of what would allow schools to carry on,” Mrs. Williams stated.

She said while the Ministry is not neglecting any of the schools sustaining damage, those most adversely impacted will be prioritised.

“We are focused on priority-one schools to get those back up and running, and we commit to priority two and three schools, that your damage will also be repaired, but it will be done during the school year. So, on September 2, you can open,” Mrs. Williams said.

She reiterated that schools categorised in priority two include those where a tree may have fallen on boundary fence or where a wall might need repairs

“But will it stop your school from operating come September 2? No, it won’t… it shouldn’t. So, we’re asking for understanding as we lay out our approach to this, so that schools don’t feel as if they’ve been neglected or victimised. It’s just a reality of prioritising the severely damaged schools versus those that are moderately damaged versus those with minor damage,” the Minister explained.

Mrs. Williams also advised that previous infrastructural damage to schools that were long overdue for repairs are also being addressed.

“Hurricane Beryl accelerated some of the work that needed to have been done decades ago. Some roofs that used to leak will leak no more, because they have been replaced as a result of the work that we did to rectify the hurricane damage. But I don’t want to depend on a hurricane to do what we ought to be doing in and out of season,” she stated.

The Ministry of Education and Youth will be redoubling its efforts to curb violence in schools, using a multiplicity of strategies.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, said these interventions will be guided by the Safety and Security Policy.

“The Safety and Security Policy that is designed to prevent violence in schools spells out how to implement physical security measures, such as searches of students’ school bags and organising training programmes for school personnel to recognise warning signs and intervene effectively,” Mrs. Williams said.

She was speaking during the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) 60th Annual Conference, held recently at Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny.

The Safety and Security Policy also addresses several other areas, including counselling at-risk individuals; developing crisis and emergency plans; assigning roles for students, parents and the community; and addressing and resolving conflicts in a constructive manner.

“I know that the support that we give includes coordination of searches upon request; regular school visits; motorised patrols in the general school environment, before and after school hours; regular patrols in the transport and town centres to prevent students loitering during school hours, and safety audits and reports, upon request,” Mrs. Williams said.

The Ministry also provides additional support in the investigation of critical incidents, training session for staff and students, motivational talks, gang-prevention interventions, summer camps and mentorship programmes.

Mrs. Williams informed that another initiative being implemented is the Restorative Practice Training Programme, through the Ministry of Justice.

Under the programme, 500 schools were targeted, with more than 12,000 students participating.

“Restorative justice is an important tool in reducing violence by enabling individuals to have access to a dispute resolution process at the early stage of conflict, to avoid escalation to violent reactions,” Minister Wiliams said.

The Ministry of Education and Youth is reporting that 902 of the island’s 1,009 schools will be ready for the start of the 2024/25 academic year on September 2, in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, made the disclosure during a press briefing at the Ministry’s National Heroes Circle offices in Kingston on Monday (August 26).

“For the ones that are in priority one, that would have gotten their roof damage, that’s 107, and we have been monitoring the progress there. As of Friday, I think we’re confident on about… 90 of those, given where the work is; and for those for which we are seeing there might be delay, we’re asking our Principals to help us with the contingency plan,” Mrs. Williams said.

She noted that a contingency plan could include the use of temporary tents or church halls.

Mrs. Williams further stated that due to the magnitude of the destruction of some of the institutions, work will continue while schools are in session.

“Things will not be picture perfect. [But I] also want persons to remember that there are 139 schools on the priority-two list that suffered damage; but it was determined that those schools can operate while the work is going on,” she added.

“If there is a situation in which you can’t use the building, there will be contingency plans in place. We will have to communicate on a school-by-school basis to our parents directly, so that they know exactly what to expect come September 2,” the Minister further stated.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Williams said electricity is being restored to schools across the island, adding that progress is being made at those requiring electrical repairs.

“We will make the rounds with our Principals to find out about electricity, water, internet connectivity and any other issue. All schools are [now] mobilised to do clean-up and prepare… for September 2,” she added.

The Ministry of Education and Youth is reporting that students across Jamaica maintained a high level of performance in the May/June 2024 sitting of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, said Unit 1 had 31,783 subject entries of which 30,136 were sat, with a pass rate of 90 per cent.

For Unit 2, of those who sat, there was a pass rate of 91 per cent.

“The CAPE Unit 1 and 2 results for 2024 did not show significant percentage variations from those of 2023, only a difference of about 0.1 per cent in 2024 when compared to the results in 2023 for Unit 1 and for Unit 2, a difference of 0.8 per cent when compared to the results of 2023. However, we did see improvements in 13 subject areas in Unit 1 and 16 subject areas in Unit 2,” Minister Williams explained.

She was addressing Monday’s (August 26) press conference to provide a report on Jamaica’s performance in the May/June 2024 CSEC and CAPE examinations, at the Ministry’s offices in Kingston.

The following CAPE Unit 1 subjects had pass rates of 90 per cent and above: Caribbean Studies – 94 %, Computer Science – 91%, Entrepreneurship – 93%, Environmental Science – 94%, French – 92%, Geography – 99%, Green Engineering – 97%, History – 92%, Information Technology – 91%, Law – 92%, Literatures In English – 95%, Performing Arts –100%, Physical Education and Sport – 96%, Physics – 96%, Sociology – 93%, Spanish – 91% and Tourism –95%.

Meanwhile, pass rates of 90 per cent and above were achieved in the following Unit 2 subjects: Chemistry – 95%, Computer Science – 98%, Digital Media – 96%, Environmental Science – 96%, Food and Nutrition – 95%, French –100%, Geography – 99%, Performing Arts (Dance) –100%, Performing Arts (Drama) –100%, Performing Arts (Music) –100%, Physical Education and Sport – 100%, Physics – 97%, Sociology –97%, Spanish – 100%, and Tourism – 96%.

“I want to say congratulations to all our students who sat their CAPE subjects, and we wish you all the best as you transition to the next stage of your life,” Minister Williams said.

The Ministry of Education and Youth has commenced repairs at schools severely damaged during the passage of Hurricane Beryl.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, made the disclosure during a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday (July 31).

A total of 94 schools, which are classified as priority one, are deemed to have been severely damaged due to the hurricane’s impact.

“Almost 44,000 students attend these 94 schools, and we really want to ensure that they are able to access face-to-face school come September 2 [when the 2024/25 academic year starts],” Mrs. Williams stated.

The Minister said schools sustaining moderate damage have been classified as priority two.

“They will require significant repairs, but the scope of that damage suggests that schools can operate while the repairs are being done, and we have 126 of those schools. In priority three [we have institutions with] minor damage, and [those] schools can also operate while the repairs are being done… and we have 109 of those schools,” Mrs. Williams said.

“So, I am taking the time to go through this because we know, come September 2, certainly the press will be out there to see how well we’ve done. I just want to say [that]… for priority two and priority three schools, you may go to those schools and the work has not been done, and that’s because we’re saying that work can go on while schools operate during the course of the school year,” she added.

Mrs. Williams said the Ministry will be utilising the emergency procurement process to effect repairs to schools, adding that meetings have been held with the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service on the matter.

“It is important to do this because emergency procurement is not a process that we have employed at the Ministry, at least not since I’ve been there, and so we want it to be guided. We are relying on the emergency procurement guidelines, as detailed in the Handbook of Public Sector Procurement Procedures and in particular the section on procedures for the procurement of goods, general services and works,” she indicated.

“We are guided by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service that this policy is a good policy on which we can stand. So, it allows us to do the emergency procurement for goods, services or works in any circumstance in which the national interest and our national security considerations demand that the procurement be undertaken immediately,” the Minister further stated.

Mrs. Williams noted that where an emergency situation exists, the procuring entity may engage a contractor by means of direct contracting, adding that contractors must be registered, possess a valid tax compliance certificate prior to their award, and the head of the procuring entity shall give approval for the issuing of emergency contracts up to a maximum value of $100 million.

“This approval shall be in writing and shall form part of the procurement record to be kept by the entity; and just [to] note [that] contracts awarded under emergency circumstances shall commence immediately. Failure to execute such contracts within one month of approval will result in automatic reversion to the general procurement provisions. So, you can see we are under significant time pressures here,” she stated.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry also assessed schools for the status of electricity, water and telecommunication services.

To date, a total of 223 schools have not yet been reconnected to the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) system, representing approximately 22 per cent of the institutions.

Mrs. Williams said the Ministry has compiled and sent the information within the last two days to Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz, to bring to the attention of JPS.

She informed that these schools are located in Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James, Manchester and St. Elizabeth.

“We will be meeting with our Board Chairs and Principals again this week because we want our schools to begin to clean up early. We’re asking our Principals to begin no later than Monday, August 12, just in case in the process of the clean-up, items are discovered and need to be replaced or restored; and so, we are asking for this earlier deployment,” Mrs. Williams said.

She assured that the Ministry is committed to working with school Boards and Principals to enable the reopening of schools on Monday, September 2, for the new school year.

Meanwhile, Minister Williams expressed gratitude “to the many teachers and Principals who have been working assiduously already in the restoration efforts at the schools”.

The Ministry of Education and Youth is targeting 193 primary and 55 high schools, which have been identified as underperforming by the National Education Inspectorate (NEI), for special intervention.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Kasan Troupe, in making the disclosure, said that the institutions will receive focused support through the National Summer Academy, which aims to improve literacy and numeracy.

She was speaking at a Transforming Education for National Development (TREND) teacher engagement session held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St. James, on Thursday (June 6).

The summer programme forms part of the Ministry’s effort to provide extended learning opportunities for students requiring additional support to recover from the impact of disruptions to their learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is delivered by a team of technical officers, including numeracy and literacy coaches/specialists.

Targets have been set to increase the grade-four literacy rate from 64.7 per cent last year to 68 per cent this year and 72 per cent in 2025.

For numeracy, the aim is to go from 63.4 per cent last year to 64 per cent this year and 64.5 per cent in 2025.

“I want you on board with us,” Dr. Troupe told the educators at the TREND session.

“We cannot do this without you; it’s not about what you do; it’s about how you make our students feel. We are all in this as a team and we need the team approach to make this work,” she pointed out.

Dr. Troupe, in her address to the teachers, noted the Government’s commitment to addressing their concerns and providing them with the necessary resources to enhance learning outcomes for students.

She cited the Ministry’s response to challenges with lesson planning by developing more than 700 localised lesson plans, which are available on the Ministry’s website.

Moreover, Dr. Troupe indicated that more than $2 billion was invested to provide laptops for teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and significant funding has been provided for educational materials, with some $2 billion spent last year on teaching and learning supplies for schools and another $1 billion allocated this year.

Additionally, she said the Ministry has provided Microsoft Office 365 software licences for teachers at a cost of $89 million per year and 40,000 annually for licences for the Learning Hub platform for grade-four students, thus providing more essential digital education resources in schools.

“This Jamaica education system has never been so resourced,” Dr. Troupe declared.

“We believe in knowledge and the power of knowledge. There is no secret in education; what we know, we want you to know. So, colleagues you are going to TREND with me this year,” she told the educators.

For her part, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Hon. Marsha Smith, called on educators to see themselves as an integral part of the transformation process.

“I want us to personalise TREND for ourselves. We have been saying ‘transforming education for national development’; however, I want us all to take this session today as transforming educators for national development,” Ms. Smith said.

The sensitisation session involved educators from Region three (St. Ann and Trelawny) and Region four (St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland), and included the launch of the social media #HowWeTREND initiative.

President of the Jamaica Independent Schools Association, Tamar McKenzie (second left) and Registrar, Independent Schools Unit in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Sharon Hunt (second right), are joined by various stakeholders at the launch of the Jamaica Independent Schools  Association Preparatory School Champs on Friday, May 31, at the Ministry in Kingston. From left are General Manager of GraceKennedy Insurance, Chaluk Richards; Sts Peter and Paul Preparatory School representatives – students Anya Johnson, Coach Jerome Kirby and student Donovan James; and General Manager of GraceKennedy Mutual Funds, Daniel Thompson.