During the month of November, young persons will be the focus of attention as the nation celebrates Youth Month, under the theme: ‘Youth IMPACT 2024: Innovative Minds, Purposeful Action: Collective Triumphs’.

Organised by the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, through its Youth and Adolescents Policy Division, the month-long celebration will recognise the remarkable contributions of young people, while empowering them to take actionable steps toward meaningful change in their communities.

Acting Senior Director of the Division, Yanique Williams, told JIS News that Youth Month provides an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the potential of young people who continue to drive progress and innovation across all sectors of the society.

“With the focus on empowerment, leadership and collaboration, the celebration will address critical issues affecting young people and inspire them to actively contribute to shaping a brighter future,” she explained.

According to Ms. Williams, this year’s theme is a clarion call for youth to take ownership of their future and contribute to resolving pressing social, economic and environmental challenges.

“By focusing on tangible outcomes, Youth IMPACT encourages Jamaican youth to embrace their agency and work together to create lasting, positive changes in their communities,” she said. The month-long activities are guided by a theme aligned to the primary objectives of the period.

The month aims to promote digital literacy and gender parity in the context of a more dynamic and innovative world; promote health and wellbeing amongst the youth, and encourage them to practise healthy lifestyle choices.

It promotes world-class youth entrepreneurship training, coaching and employment opportunities for young people, enabling them to learn and adopt best practices to improve their businesses; expand and deepen the quantity and quality of young persons involved in decision-making processes; and identify, harness and showcase the very best of Jamaican youth products and services to the nation, the region, and the world.

Youth Month 2024 will feature a variety of activities designed to inspire action and foster leadership across Jamaica.

Key events include the 15th Sitting of the National Youth Parliament, where approximately 70 youth parliamentarians will debate and propose innovative solutions to critical development challenges.

These representatives will serve as both Government and Opposition members, demonstrating their commitment to driving change.

Another highlight is the ‘Around the Table Discussions’, a series of dialogues that bring together young people and experienced business leaders.

This initiative offers a platform for networking, knowledge exchange and mentorship, equipping youth with the skills and insights needed to thrive in various professional fields.

The ‘Pon di Corna’ initiative will target at-risk and unattached youth, providing an informal space for stakeholders to engage with these young people.

Through on-site assessments and referrals to relevant social services, this initiative aims to support youth who need it most.

Global Night will foster regional and global integration by promoting cultural understanding and highlighting opportunities for youth in Jamaica and the Diaspora.

Representatives from various embassies and consulates will lead discussions on youth-related issues, such as climate change, employment and migration.

Students will also have the chance to participate in Leadership and Governance Capacity Building Workshops, designed to strengthen their leadership skills and enhance the effectiveness of student councils and other student governance bodies.

Additionally, several National Youth Month Forums will focus on important topics like crime and violence, youth investment opportunities and the inclusion of youth with disabilities.

The Annual General Meeting of the National Youth Council of Jamaica (NYCJ) will also take place, offering an opportunity for youth leaders and organisations from across the island to come together for reporting and training.

“Youth Month 2024 is not just a celebration, it is a call to action for the young people of Jamaica to take charge of their futures and their communities. Through a focus on innovative leadership, youth entrepreneurship, and cross-sector collaboration, this year’s theme underscores the immense potential of every young person to make a significant impact,” Ms. Williams said.

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, in collaboration with the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC), will launch National Parent Month 2024 on Friday (November 1), under the theme ‘Surf Beyond the Surface’.

The theme focuses on empowering parents and guardians to embrace and responsibly utilise new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), in their parenting practices.

Chief Executive Officer of the NPSC, Kaysia Kerr, said with AI becoming increasingly integral in person’s daily engagements, the Commission recognises that many parents feel apprehensive about its implications.

“We recognise that while concerns around AI are valid, the technology presents unique opportunities to enhance parenting and support children’s learning. This year’s Parent Month is geared towards creating a space for learning, so [addressing] apprehensions, some of which prevent parents from encouraging positive and ethical use of technology,” she pointed out.

Ms. Kerr added that the theme will be bolstered by the three Pillars of National Parent Month 2024. These are ‘Click: Get with It’, ‘Connect: Go with It’ and ‘Collaborate: Grow with It’.

Under the Click: Get with It pillar, parents are encouraged to start learning about AI tools through online resources and search engines.

The Connect: Go with It pillar focuses on new AI tools emerging daily that can enhance communication between parents and children, which adults are being encouraged to embrace to enrich the parenting experience.

Collaborate: Grow with It underscores the importance of ongoing knowledge acquisition to effective parenting.

Parents are encouraged to participate in AI sessions organised by the NPSC, schools and community partners.

Collaboration with schools ensures that sessions are tailored to the specific needs and interests of parents.

To further engage parents, the NPSC will host two national town hall events in collaboration with ‘Talk Up Yout’.

They will be held in Montego Bay, St. James, on November 26 and in Kingston, November 27.

Ms. Kerr said these events will feature dynamic speakers and informative AI demonstrations, providing participants with cutting-edge insights into utilising technology for effective parenting.

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, in collaboration with the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC), on Friday (November 1), launched National Parent Month 2024 under the theme: ‘Surf Beyond the Surface’.

This theme focuses on empowering parents and guardians to embrace and responsibly utilise new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), in their parenting practices.

The theme is bolstered by the three pillars of National Parent Month 2024. These are: ‘Click: Get With It’, ‘Connect: Go With It’, and ‘Collaborate: Grow with It’.

Addressing the launch at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Kasan Troupe, commended the NPSC for recognising the impact of AI and formulating discussions around this important topic.

“We understand the changing times, and we have to get with it. I salute you as we celebrate this month of recognising the profound value of parenting and the invaluable support you bring to the learning process,” she added.

Chief Executive Officer of the NPSC, Kaysia Kerr, said Parent Month puts a spotlight on those parents who are contributing to the education sector, and highlights topical areas impacting parenting.

“At the NPSC, one of the things that we are supposed to do is lead the discourse on parenting; and we believe, having listened to many discussions over the years, that this year we had to talk about parenting and artificial intelligence,” she said.

The month of activities will commence with the National Parent Month Church Service on November 3.

The NPSC will be hosting several parenting education sessions and community sensitisation meetings throughout the month, highlighting the needs of some 245 schools. These sessions are intended to engage parents and encourage them to actively support the schools.

“[We will seek to] sensitise communities about what we will be doing in these schools and how they can use this technological era to drive the transformation and change in their schools,” Ms. Kerr said.

Parents are encouraged to participate in AI sessions organised by the NPSC, schools and community partners. Collaboration with schools ensures that sessions are tailored to the specific needs and interests of parents.

To further engage parents, the NPSC will host two national town hall events on ‘Parenting and AI’.  They will be held in Montego Bay, St. James, on November 26, and in Kingston on November 27.

Activities for the month will culminate with the National Parent Month awards ceremony on November 29.

The Ministry of Education and Youth is undertaking measures to strengthen schools’ infrastructure to make them more climate resilient, says Portfolio Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams.

“We are revising the Building Standards under the Green Building Strategy. So far, stakeholder consultations have taken place and we are in the process of implementing rainwater harvesting, exploring renewable energy sources such as the use of solar power and examining ways to enhance energy efficiency,” she said.

The Green Building Strategy aims to enhance the sustainability of school buildings by implementing eco-friendly practices, such as solar energy utilisation and water conservation systems.

These measures also encourage environmental stewardship, promoting a more sustainable future.

Minister Williams made the disclosure while addressing the opening ceremony for the inaugural International Climate Change Conference at the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) in Papine, St. Andrew, on Thursday (October 17).

She also advised that climate change education is included in the National Standards Curriculum as early as grade three, with a focus on the physical environment.

“This continues, and by the time students get to grade six, they are being introduced to climate change in more explicit ways, learning about its causes and consequences,” the Minister pointed out.

Mrs. Williams said that as these students move into upper secondary education, they have the option to pursue subjects like Green Engineering and Renewable Energy at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) level.

This, the Minister informed, is “designed to empower our young people with the knowledge and skills they need to understand climate science, embrace sustainability practices and think critically about the solutions required to address these challenges”.

Mrs. Williams said research indicates that when students are equipped with knowledge about climate science and sustainability, they are more likely to make informed decisions, adapt green practices and contribute to a more resilient society.

She maintained that “climate change, as we know, cannot be tackled in isolation, but must take place collaboratively”.

“It is for those reasons that I am encouraged when I see our own education stakeholders participating in international activities like the Climate Action Project now under way, with millions of other teachers and students from across the globe taking action, relying on creativity, empathy and critical thinking in synchronous and asynchronous ways over the course of six weeks, to work through real-world problems,” the Minister said.

Mrs. Williams emphasised that addressing climate change will not yield overnight solutions, pointing out that it requires sustained time and effort.

“The fight against climate change is akin to a marathon, not a sprint; and while it may take time, every action counts and every effort matters,” she added.

In this regard, Minister Williams commended UTech for hosting the conference and creating a space where leaders, students and educators can come together to share ideas, strategies and solutions.

Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams has extended gratitude to principals and vice principals of schools affected by the passage of Hurricane Beryl in July for their work in aiding the recovery of the institutions.

“I want to thank all the principals and vice-principals from the hurricane-impacted schools for the extraordinary work that you did during the eight weeks leading up to the reopening of schools. You could have said, ‘It’s my holiday; I’m out of here’, [and] you did not,” she said.

Mrs. Williams was bringing greetings during the Association of Principals and Vice Principals’ 32nd Annual Conference and General Meeting, which was held at the Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny, on October 18.

She lauded the school leaders for their care and concern during such a challenging time for their institutions.

“You showed care, concern and leadership. You modelled the behaviour and values we expect from others. You demonstrated empathy, integrity, and compassion, and I implore you to continue this in your daily lives, going way into the future,” the Minister said.

Mrs. Williams argued that the leadership of principals is about empowering the island’s teachers who are “the backbone” of the education system and should be trusted and supported to make decisions, innovate and grow professionally.

She encouraged principals to foster a positive culture in their schools, despite challenges.

“Every school has a culture; whether we believe it or not, it matters. So, let’s cultivate collaboration, respect, and open communication among students, teachers and parents,” Mrs. Williams said.

“I know it’s not easy. Some days you wake up, and it might be a great day because the parents you want to speak with come, and you sit down, and you have a good conversation. There are other days when there’s a fight in the press, and your school is on the news. Despite all of that, I know that you will wake up, and you will try to do the very best that you can do,” she added.

The conference was held under the theme ‘Enhancing the TREND (Transforming Education for National Development) through effective leadership’.

The Jamaica National (JN) Foundation has awarded scholarships to 47 students who excelled in the recent sitting of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP).

Of the 47 scholarships, 37 will be five-year awards while the remaining 10 awards will be one-time grants.

The students were celebrated during a scholarship reception held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston on Sunday (October 6), under the theme ‘Nourish Your Spark’.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Dr. Kasan Troupe, who delivered the keynote address, charged the recipients to believe in their capacity to shine and become their best selves, irrespective of their circumstances.

“I am standing here as an example of that. With my circumstances, I ought not to be here. I grew up in an inner-city community, Greenwich Town, where gunshots barked like dogs. I missed death several times. People beside me drop dead, gun shot in the head back and I ran the other way and survived,” she shared.

Dr. Troupe grew up in a single parent household, did not pass her Common Entrance examination and struggled with self-doubt.

Her enrolment in a rehabilitation programme changed the trajectory of her life.

“I met people who talked about potential and spark and promise and then they got me to believe that was in me. It doesn’t matter where you have started, it matters where you are going,” she said.

Dr. Troupe further encouraged the recipients not to focus on what they lack.

“We have a lack culture in Jamaica – if I don’t have this I can’t be. You are going to blossom where you are planted. You are going to bloom with what you have. Excellence is a habit. What you feed grows. Feed your self-belief, feed your discipline and feed a culture of appreciation,” she said.

For his part, JN Foundation Chairman, Parris Lyew-Ayee, said the event was a tribute to the hard work, dedication and brilliance of each student present.

“Your accomplishments are a testament to your commitment to education and to making a positive impact in your communities,” Mr. Lyew-Ayee said.

He noted that JN believes that investing in education is an investment in the future.

Mr. Lyew-Ayee further noted that JN has enhanced the scholarship programme to include mentorship through parent and child empowerment sessions.

“We understand the challenges that come with pursuing higher education and we hope that this support will help to ease some of those burdens, while motivating you to maintain excellence as you focus on your studies and personal growth throughout your journey,” he stated.

Students at the 100-year-old Morant Bay Primary School in St. Thomas, can now better navigate the digital age, following the handover of a fully equipped Smart Lab by the Digicel Foundation.

On Monday (October 7), the school marked its centennial with a Homecoming Day, when the lab was officially opened.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Digicel Foundation and proud past student of the institution, Charmaine Daniels, noted that the initiative is part of the organisation’s 20th anniversary main project, where it intends to hand over smart labs to 21 schools by December.

Ms. Daniels said it is hoped that the facility will engage students in hands-on learning and immerse them in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum.

“Teachers… embrace the technology; utilise it to make learning exciting for the kids. Parents, we crave your support in making sure that your children take care of the room,” the CEO said.

For her part, Principal, Fay Lindsay, welcomed the “cutting edge facility”, which she said will propel the school into the future by equipping students with the skills to succeed in an ever-changing world.

“To ensure the longevity and effectiveness of this lab, our dedicated teachers will provide comprehensive training for students on lab usage and safety protocols, establish clear rules and guidelines for lab use, supervise students during lab sessions, encourage responsible behaviour and accountability among students, and regularly inspect and maintain lab equipment,” the Principal said.

“We trust that our students will take pride in this incredible resource and treat it with care and respect,” she added.

Joining in the ribbon-cutting exercise to mark the handover of the room were Custos of St. Thomas, Hon. Marcia Bennett; Member of Parliament for St. Thomas Eastern, Dr. Michelle Charles; and the school’s Chairman, Winston Downie.

This was followed by a sensitisation session where the features of the room were outlined. Students were also observed using an array of tablets, laptops and headsets inside the room.

Several staff members at the St. Catherine-based Innswood High School have been recognised for dedicated service over the last academic year.

During a function held on Tuesday (October 15) at the institution’s campus, under the theme ‘Raising the Standard Through Improved Morale’, awards were presented to outstanding teachers across various departments and support staff.

Acting Vice Principal of the school, Camella Mullings-Wilson, told JIS News that the awards ceremony, which was being held for the third year, is a means of motivating every category of staff “from the security to the person that cleans the grounds”.

It is organised by the school’s Stakeholder Morale Improvement Committee (SMIC).

“We have seen where people have come together, people are more enthused to work and students are now involved in the programme, and their morale has also improved,” she noted.

This year’s awards ceremony included a sip and paint segment, which Mrs. Mullings-Wilson said was “a nice twist. We really enjoyed ourselves”.

Language Teacher of the Year, Sarafina Bailey, was pleased to receive the award for the second year in a row.

“I put in the work. The children and I have a very beautiful relationship, and I’m happy that my hard work has paid off. It is a great feeling and Innswood is the place to be,” she told JIS News.

Mathematics Teacher of the Year, Jhavel Senior, said, “To be acknowledged in this way is a good feeling. I worked in many other professions, but the acknowledgement raises the morale. The job is fun and it (award) goes a far way.”

Senior Secretary, Janiel Gordon, who was named Ancillary Staff of the Year, told JIS News that this was the first year that she was eligible for an award as she previously served on the organising committee.

She expressed gratitude.

“Knowing that your hard work and dedication are appreciated and have not gone unnoticed will push me to do more,” she said.

Meanwhile, Coordinator of the event and conceptualiser of the award scheme, Angela Easy-Brown said it is a “God-mandated task”.

She noted that the award programme has grown from rewarding exceptional effort with tokens like phone credit to the staging of the annual awards ceremony as sponsors came on board.

“If we improve morale, we will get the standard to be high. Innswood has talent, the staff are just great, and if we get the resources we will go far,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Acting Vice Principal told JIS News that students did well in the 2024 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).

“Our head boy got all his nine subjects and our head girl copped all eight subjects. Both are at The Mico University College studying to become teachers. We have other students who got seven subjects and we are making our mark and we intend to make this academic year, even better,” she said.

Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, has informed that almost 400 schools now have ramps installed, as efforts are made to accommodate students with physical challenges who use wheelchairs to access classes.

“Additionally, we are beginning, for those schools with multiple levels, to put in lifts so that our students have access. We’re not there yet in terms of seeing that 100 per cent of our schools have ramps, but we have a pathway to getting there and every year there’s budget for installation of ramps in schools,” Mrs. Williams said.

She was speaking in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (October 1), at Gordon House.

Regarding the provision of shadows, Mrs. Williams informed that currently almost 350 shadows are in the system, who receive a stipend, to assist those children in classes who need the help.

“We consider this a significant benefit that we are able to provide to our students.

In the school system, we do have some institutions that are dedicated to children with special needs, and so of course those classrooms and bathrooms will be so fitted out for those students,” she said.

“Where we have students with special needs that are fully integrated or mainstreamed into other classes, of course we make provisions as well for those students if they have to use wheelchair or they have other special requirements. We have an entire unit at the Ministry of Education dedicated to dealing with and ensuring that the needs of our special needs students are attended to,” Mrs. Williams added.

The Minister also informed that the Ministry uses private persons and private institutions with specialty in this area as well.

“The Ministry will pay the full fee for those students to access private schools. So, we are ensuring that special needs students have the focus that they deserve in the education system. I will admit there is always more that can be done, but so far, I think you know there is good work that we’ve been doing in that area,” Mrs. Williams said.

Students of the Seaward Primary and Infant School display their project, ‘Farm and Solar’, during the Scientific Research Council’s Annual Science Fair at Hope Zoo in Kingston on Thursday, September 26, 2024.