JIS: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, has charged teachers to listen to their students and tailor lessons to meet their various needs.

 

He noted that “oftentimes they (students) are able to tell you what would work, what won’t work, and, as such, we have to organise our system around some of their wants and their needs”.

 

“Yes, we do have the technical expertise, but the critical part of our education system and education reform has to be that the student is at the centre of what we do,” he added.

 

Mr. Green was addressing a ‘Boys and Girls’ Speed Networking Career Day’ at The Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston on May 3.

 

Professionals from various organisations engaged the youngsters in one-on-one sessions aimed at steering them towards achievable goals, engendering more confidence in their ability to contribute responsibly to society, while creating a safe space for dialogue and sharing new ideas.

 

The Minister welcomed the networking session, noting that “it will go a far way in helping the young people to explore some of the real avenues that are out there”.

 

“I think the concept of having our youth engage with us in relation to careers is something that we need to do right across the length and breadth of Jamaica. We do still have a deficit in relation to adequate career counselling, and that is why we are still having a mismatch in our society between the areas in which our young people are being trained and what we really need in relation to the growth agenda,” Mr. Green said.

 

The networking day was organised by the British Council as part of its ‘Boys in Education Week’ from April 30 to May 3 under the theme ‘Supporting a Nation of Champions’. The week involved support from the Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC).

 

“I am very happy that the British Council has taken on board and elevated the issue of boys in education, especially to this level,” Mr. Green said.

 

The week included an empowerment session for educators, an empowering parents’ seminar, and a mentoring session for boys.

 

Boys in Education Week, now in its second year, is a precursor to a three-year programme that the British Council will be implementing in collaboration with the JTC.

 

The Council will be launching a mentoring programme in September under the initiative.

 

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. It operates in 110 countries around the world.

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green

JIS: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, is imploring parents engaged in the practice of withholding their children from school on some weekdays, to involve them in economic activities to generate household income, to desist from doing so.

 

“You’re not doing the child a favour (and) you’re certainly not supporting their full potential development by depriving them of one or two days of education,” Mr. Holness said as he launched activities for Workers’ Week and Labour Day at the Office of the Prime Minister on Tuesday (May 1).

 

While noting that “there is nothing wrong with parents ensuring that children understand the value of work”, he contended that when this interrupts the youngsters’ education, and goes further to involve them in illicit activities, such as scamming, the illegal sex trade and human trafficking, “then that is not (something) any country can be proud of”.

 

Mr. Holness pointed out that the Administration has provided the resources necessary to ensure that children can remain in school for the full five days per week, “and I encourage all parents, no matter how you are struggling, to take advantage of the support that the Government gives through the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) and other means”.

 

“There is no excuse for parents to take their children out of school to support them in any form of economic activity during the school period. We need to now step up on our campaign (to mandate that) every child must be in school when school is in,” he emphasised.

 

Workers’ Week and Labour Day 2018 are being observed under the theme ‘Ramp it Up… Fix it Up’.

 

Activities will focus on constructing ramps in schools to enable physically challenged persons to access these buildings, and installing additional facilities at health centres to enhance the environment for medical staff and clients.

 

Labour Day will be observed on Wednesday, May 23.

 

 CAPTION: The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, ON., MP., Prime Minister

JIS: President of The Mico University College, Dr. Asburn Pinnock, has called for increased private-sector support for education through the provision of scholarships and bursaries to benefit young people from financially challenged backgrounds.

 

He said that education is expensive but is key in breaking the cycle of poverty in many families across the island.

 

Dr. Pinnock, who was speaking at a donor appreciation reception at Mico’s Marescaux Road campus in Kingston on Monday (April 30), said increased involvement of the private sector can add to a more prosperous and stable society.

 

“Businesses rely on the stability of a country, and results have shown that a stable nation is a much more prosperous country. We believe that education can help to solve some of the issues of crime,” he said.

 

“So, by investing in education and creating more opportunities for persons… we reduce the likelihood of persons moving into deviant and antisocial behaviour,” he added.

 

Dr. Pinnock told the donors that students at the institutions who benefit from grants and other financial support are giving back to their communities by volunteering at early-childhood educational institutions and participating in other efforts.

 

“They become leaders; so the multiplier effect is worth it. They are first to help; any event you have, they will be there,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, scholarship recipient, Britonny Haye, told the donors that their contribution is “immeasurable”.

 

“Hope had been restored to me, motivating me to work harder, driving me to do my utmost best and steering me down the narrow path of success,” she said.

 

The reception was held to say thanks to the alumni and corporate companies that have provided support to Mico over the years, and to hear the testimonies of those that have benefited and continue to benefit from the contributions.

 

Mico receives $4 million each year in scholarships, which is credited to the accounts of second- to fourth-year students to complete their degrees.

 

CAPTION: The Mico University College student and beneficiary of the Desmond Gascoigne Memorial Scholarship, Britonny Haye (left), exchanges warm greetings with Director of the scholarshp fund, Gloria Gascoigne (second right). Occasion was a reception for scholarship donors held on Monday (April 30), at Mico’s campus on Marescaux Road in Kingston. Sharing the moment are Director of the James Lee and Clarice May Gore Memorial Scholarship, Christine Gore (second left); and Director of Alumni and Development at Mico, Sharon Wolfe.

GLEANER: President of The Mico University College, Dr. Asburn Pinnock, has called for increased private-sector support for education through the provision of scholarships and bursaries to benefit young people from financially challenged backgrounds.

 

He said that education is expensive but is key in breaking the cycle of poverty in many families across the island.

 

Dr. Pinnock, who was speaking at a donor appreciation reception at Mico’s Marescaux Road campus in Kingston on Monday (April 30), said increased involvement of the private sector can add to a more prosperous and stable society.

 

“Businesses rely on the stability of a country, and results have shown that a stable nation is a much more prosperous country. We believe that education can help to solve some of the issues of crime,” he said.

 

“So, by investing in education and creating more opportunities for persons… we reduce the likelihood of persons moving into deviant and antisocial behaviour,” he added.

 

Dr. Pinnock told the donors that students at the institutions who benefit from grants and other financial support are giving back to their communities by volunteering at early-childhood educational institutions and participating in other efforts.

 

“They become leaders; so the multiplier effect is worth it. They are first to help; any event you have, they will be there,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, scholarship recipient, Britonny Haye, told the donors that their contribution is “immeasurable”.

 

“Hope had been restored to me, motivating me to work harder, driving me to do my utmost best and steering me down the narrow path of success,” she said.

 

The reception was held to say thanks to the alumni and corporate companies that have provided support to Mico over the years, and to hear the testimonies of those that have benefited and continue to benefit from the contributions.

 

Mico receives $4 million each year in scholarships, which is credited to the accounts of second- to fourth-year students to complete their degrees.

 

CAPTION: The Mico University College student and beneficiary of the Desmond Gascoigne Memorial Scholarship, Britonny Haye (left), exchanges warm greetings with Director of the scholarshp fund, Gloria Gascoigne (second right). Occasion was a reception for scholarship donors held on Monday (April 30), at Mico’s campus on Marescaux Road in Kingston. Sharing the moment are Director of the James Lee and Clarice May Gore Memorial Scholarship, Christine Gore (second left); and Director of Alumni and Development at Mico, Sharon Wolfe.

As we celebrate World Press Freedom Day 2018 we must pause to examine and appreciate the role played by journalists both here and abroad, in ensuring that countries have fully functional democracies.

 

A free, fair and independent press is one of the strongest tools to safeguard the process that works to hold public officials accountable for decisions made and policy directives pursued that impacts a country. Through journalism, citizens are given a voice that calls for transparency in the way that their business is being conducted. This voice has been further energized with the advent of social media.

 

No more do people have to depend solely on traditional media by waiting on the publication of letters to newspaper editors or calling in to a talk show, to express dissatisfaction, instead with the touch of a button on a smart phone there is immediate contact with your elected official.

 

World Press Freedom Day is also where we pause to honour the lives of journalists all over the world, who have been killed for their unearthing of the truth and love for their profession, these brave men and women relentlessly probed matters of national importance that they believed was in the public’s interest. 

 

Muzzling the press should never be the objective of any administration; in contrast no truer commitment can be seen to open and honest governance than a thriving and free press.

 

Journalism flourishes in Jamaica. This is witnessed in our recently improved ranking on the 2018 World Press Freedom Index. This is a noteworthy achievement. In their 2018 report, France based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, RSF, ranked Jamaica as sixth in the world for press freedom, moving up two places from the eighth place finish in 2017.

 

In its report, RSF stated that ‘Jamaica ranks among the countries that most respect freedom of information. The law decriminalizing defamation passed by the House of Representatives in 2013 was a step in the right direction.’

 

Jamaica and by extension journalists should be proud of the country’s standing, as we have outperformed great nations such as the United States of America and Canada having also ranked higher than any other Caribbean nation.

 

This Government remains committed to the principles of accountability, a process which is maintained through the efforts of the Fourth Estate. Through deepened partnerships with journalists and media owners, this administration will ensure that the country remains the ‘Pearl of the Caribbean’ for press freedom.  

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Honourable Ruel Reid

 

JIS: Young persons are being encouraged to pursue studies that will enable them to take advantage of the myriad career options in the geosciences.

 

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Mining, Dr. Alwin Hales, said career prospects are strong in this field, which has the potential for further growth and innovation.

 

“There are many careers involved in the mining industry, including scientists, engineers, geologists, surveyors, drillers, material specialists, information and communications technology professionals, power plant operators and management teams,” he said.

 

Dr. Hales was speaking at the launch of the Mines and Geology Division’s Geoscience School Tour, on Monday (April 30) at its Hope Gardens location in St. Andrew.

 

The Permanent Secretary noted that there is a great demand for geologists in particular, given the current shortage of such professionals in the exploration industry globally.

 

“A current demographic profile of senior geologists shows that there will be opportunities to attain senior positions for those entering the industry in the near future,” he said.

 

In the meantime, the Permanent Secretary said the school tour will encourage youth to “dig up” a career in the industry that researches, studies, extracts and transforms natural resources into energy sources and the materials needed for the manufacturing industries.

 

“The (Mining) Ministry, through the Mines and Geology Division, wants to bring to the forefront of young minds, the possibilities that exist in pursuing a career in the minerals industry,” he said.

 

He noted that the mining sector directly creates more than 2,000 jobs across the country in mineral extraction, production and manufacturing, and indirectly employs over 8,750 persons.

 

For her part, Country Coordinator for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ruth Clarke, also encouraged the pursuit of a career in the mining industry, pointing to areas of mineral management and mineral studies.

 

“Statistics show that in 50 years’ time, in 2068, we would’ve used five times more mineral resources than we would’ve used since 2000. People want resources and so you will need persons who are skilled and trained who can help you to manage the resources,” she said.

 

Ms. Clarke, who noted that she has been in the field for more than 30 years, called on girls in particular to get involved in the industry, lamenting that there is only 12 per cent of women in mining.

 

“Most people feel that it’s a profession for men…but we are seeing changes, and we have a number of geologists who are female,” she said.

 

The Geoscience School Tour, which is the second in the series, will get under way in Portland today (May 1).

 

Through the tour, the Mines and Geology Division provides information to schools on the island’s geology, and makes presentations on careers in the geosciences field.

 

The Division, which is part of the Ministry, has the statutory responsibility under the Mining Act and the Quarries Control Act to exercise general supervision over all prospecting, mining and quarrying operations throughout the island. It also manages the investigation, characterisation, documentation and release information on all aspects of the geology of Jamaica.

 

CAPTION: Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Mining, Dr. Alwin Hales (left), listens to a point being raised by Senior Geologist, Mines and Geology Division, Rockey Wood (right), at the launch of the Mines and Geology Division’s Geoscience School Tour on Monday (April 30) at its Hope Gardens location in St. Andrew. Also listening (from second left) are Student of Wolmer’s Girls’ School, Iyanla Reid; Acting Commissioner of Mines, Leighton Williams; Country Coordinator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ruth Clarke; and Student of Papine High School, Daniel Knight.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has called on students who intend to pursue tertiary-level education at universities in Jamaica to plan for their tuition fees and to enrol in the Jamaica Values and Attitudes (JAMVAT) programme for tertiary students.

 

Responding to a recent press release from the Guild of Students, University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, which called for support from the Ministry for students who currently have outstanding fees to be granted permission to sit their final examinations in May, Senator Reid said many of these students have not taken advantage of the opportunity presented by JAMVAT.

 

The Minister was speaking at a press briefing at the Ministry on April 30 when he addressed the issue.

 

“The JAMVAT programme is ‘voluntary/supported’, where as part of contributing 200 hours of voluntary service, the Government will commit to fund up to $350,000 in tuition fees. What happened (in 2017) is that those students who were challenged in finalising, did not apply for any of these particular facilities. Nonetheless, the Government, last year, did indicate it would intervene in the matter, which we did, and we had robust discussions with all the universities and we came to an agreement,” he noted.

 

Senator Reid said the Ministry committed to pay a maximum of $45 million for tuition fees on behalf of 329 students, and a Service Level Agreement (SLA) was signed by the Ministry, the UWI and the Students’ Loan Bureau.

 

In addition to this, based on a Cabinet Decision, students who benefited from $100,000 or less were required to perform community service, which was administered through JAMVAT.

 

Approximately 225 students fell in this category, of which $9 million was paid.

 

Senator Reid said that a team from the Ministry will be meeting with the students and the UWI administration to review the agreement signed last year.

 

He said while the Ministry is willing to assist the students in whatever way it can, “we must all be mindful that students have a personal responsibility to create a plan towards paying for the completion of their degree… and that the UWI has its responsibilities and obligations to meet as well”.

 

“We were in Barbados on Friday (April 27) dealing with matters relating to the University Council, of which the finances of the University of the West Indies were high on the agenda. The matter is so critical that we will have to reconvene and have a special meeting dealing with the overall funding of the University of the West Indies and a revision of its funding policy,” he added.

 

He further noted that all the Governments of the region are at one with the current funding model being revised.

 

“What we are committed to is to ensure that students across the region are not disenfranchised. The Government will do all it can to assist the students who wish to pursue higher education,” the Minister said.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, addresses a press conference at the Ministry on Monday (April 30).

JIS: Boys at the Bog Walk High School in St. Catherine are being impacted positively by the ‘Boys Big-Up Programme’, which awards them for displaying good deportment at all times.

 

Conceptualiser of the initiative, Head of the Language Department at the school, Elaine Reid, tells JIS News that Bog Walk High currently has more boys than girls.

 

“We found that we had a number of boys with challenges, whether it’s reading, or everyday issues that boys face, some of them more than the others. I was thinking what we could do to help these boys, those who are conforming and those who are not,” she says.

 

“The idea came from what I saw. The Mayor in Florida, she was awarding 1,000 young men who are having challenges, and it just came to me that maybe we could do that at Bog Walk. So, I came up with the 100 boys being awarded for good behaviour, conduct and that sort of thing,” Ms. Reid adds.

 

The programme was started in February, when some 100 boys were presented with medals for good behaviour. They were then treated to brunch at a restaurant in the community. The students were recommended by their teachers.

 

“Since then, some of the boys have been saying, Miss, I have been keeping my pants on my waist, [so] when am I going to be awarded? So, it has served its purpose; the boys are doing very well,” Ms. Reid says.

 

She informs JIS News that the programme has two main aims – to have the boys who are conforming feel good about what they are doing; and to encourage the boys who are not, to do better.

 

Ms. Reid notes that the institution is seeking to improve on the programme for the 2018/19 school year.

 

“We want to, maybe, award scholarships, not necessarily to all the boys, but certainly a top boy. It’s like a brotherhood we have started, as these boys begin to work with other boys. In addition, we are looking at having ‘Focus Tuesdays’, where we look at issues that boys have and have them talking during the first half hour of lunch time. Also incentives… . We want to start with a dinner for a boy and his parents to just keep the momentum going,” she says.

 

Principal of Bog Walk High School, Patrick Phillips, says the initiative seeks to create a culture of excellence at the institution, especially among boys.

 

“When we look at our society, a lot of the misdemeanour is alleged to be perpetuated by our males. And so we want to say to our boys, you are valuable, you can be positive, and you can make something of yourselves,” he tells JIS News.

 

He adds that sometimes, bad behaviour is “rewarded” in the education system, due to the focus being placed on it.

 

“So, a boy who is giving problems is called on all the while and is focused on. The ones who are doing well are not noticed, so we are saying that not only are we going to try to have our intervention programme for the ones who are not doing well, Recipient of a medal, Tyrone Blake, says he feels very pleased to have been awarded.

 

“It is like a motivator, it drives us to continue the hard work,” Tyrone tells JIS News.

 

For his part, Head Boy at Bog Walk High School, Dewayne White, says that being an awardee of the programme has resulted in a great deal of personal improvement.

 

“It serves as a motivational factor among the boys at school, and being an awardee allows me to have an impact on them, so they would look up to me as an example,” Dewayne adds.

 

As part of their reward, the boys were able to meet Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, during a courtesy call on April 25 at Jamaica House.

 

At the event, he encouraged the boys to be disciplined, while encouraging them to see themselves as leaders.

 

“I am very happy to see that Bog Walk is doing its part to ensure that its male population is graduating the education system with a certain level of refinement and a certain level of understanding of the importance of values that make the society work,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, says that, normally, focus is placed on negative behaviour, “not recognising when you award positive behaviour, you influence others to do well”.

 

“I think you are on to something very good at Bog Walk High, and it ties in with some of the messages that we have been sending across the education system,” Mr. Green notes.

 

CAPTION: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (front, centre); Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (second right); State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Floyd Green (second left) and Principal of Bog Walk High School, Patrick Phillips (third left), with students and administrators of the Bog Walk High School in St. Catherine who are participants in the institution’s ‘Boys Big-Up Programme’, at Jamaica House on April 25.

JIS: The Spanish-Jamaican Foundation has provided $1,491,375 to cover the cost for 1,025 students to sit their upcoming Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Spanish oral examinations.

 

The students are from schools in regions three and four of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

 

Portfolio Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, who accepted the cheque from Spanish Ambassador, Josep Bosch Bessa, at the Ministry’s National Heroes Circle offices on Monday (April 30), expressed gratitude to the Spanish-Jamaican Foundation for sponsoring students for a fourth consecutive year.

 

“The Spanish-Jamaican Foundation, certainly, has been an organisation that has been extremely supportive of our foreign-language programmes,” he said.

 

“The overall support for the country has been outstanding. This is another demonstration of that commitment,” he added.

 

Minister Reid noted that the students who will benefit reside in communities that are in proximity to Spanish-owned hotels, which serve a large number of the tourists who visit Jamaica annually.

 

As potential future employees of these hotels, he said it is important for the students to have competencies in both English and Spanish.

 

Additionally, he pointed out that Jamaica is surrounded by numerous Spanish-speaking countries that are open to trade, and interpreters are needed to make the connections.

 

“It is important, I believe, that we are competent and fluent in the speaking of the Spanish language, because there are so many trade opportunities with Latin America and Spain,” he said.

 

“This, what you are doing here, is an investment in Jamaica’s long-term development, ensuring that Jamaica can participate in this globalised economy. This is an outstanding contribution and investment in the education and empowerment and people of Jamaica,” he added.

 

In his remarks, Ambassador Bessa said that if more Jamaicans become competent in Spanish, this could boost the country’s tourism sector.

 

“Spanish language is very important. If you look at the tourism industry, Spanish is a leading partner. For many of the Jamaicans trying to get a better opportunity with jobs in the sector, Spanish will become, more and more, an important tool, because the tourists will have to move from one destination to another [and there will be the need for communication],” Mr. Bessa said.

 

“There are many economic and trade [opportunities] depending on your ability. Spanish means jobs, Spanish means opportunities, business, and I think it’s a very wise decision to become a bilingual country,” he said.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (second right), accepts a cheque for $1,491,375 from Spanish Ambassador to Jamaica, Josep Bosch Bessa (second left), to cover the cost for 1,025 students to sit their upcoming Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Spanish oral examination. The presentation was made on Monday (April 30), at the Ministry’s National Heroes Circle offices in Kingston. Looking on are Project Manager, Spanish-Jamaican Foundation, Vanessa Meggoe (left) and Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean

JIS: Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr. Grace McLean, has reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to reducing violence within schools.

 

Speaking at the opening ceremony for a Parent Place located at Emmanuel Chapel in Mt. Salem, St. James, on Friday, April 27, Dr. McLean said a multipronged approach is being used to tackle and reduce violence among youth.

 

This is among the strategies being implemented to stem violence in schools, and adds to the Ministry’s Change from Within programme, Peace and Love in Society (PALS), and the Violence Prevention programme.

 

Dr. McLean said the launch of the facility is in full alignment with the broad strategic objectives of the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) to offer proactive and reactive parenting education and support.

 

“While it is true that there are many contributing factors to teenage delinquency and other forms of social dysfunction, the role of parents in shaping the values and attitudes of our children cannot be ignored,” she emphasised.

 

She lauded the efforts of the National Education Trust (NET) and the NPSC for conceptualising the initiative.

 

For her part, Attorney General, Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte, who is also Member of Parliament for West Central St. James, said she is pleased with the initiative, which is a move in the right direction.

 

“A lot of the challenges that we face across the island find their root causes in parenting issues. Children who have been taught well, who have been inculcated with good values, who learn good manners at an early stage, show up in life behaving better, and many times are outside of the criminal justice system,” she said.

 

The Attorney General said the centre will provide that physical space where parents can learn from each other and accomplish the work that needs to be done.

 

In 2017, the NET secured a US$3-million grant to fund initiatives aimed at violence reduction among youth. The project forms part of the USAID/Ministry of Education partnership for improved safety and security in schools, which is intended to reduce antisocial behaviour among youth and reduce the ability of criminal elements gaining access to school premises.

 

The Parent Place in Mt. Salem is the first of 12 to be launched across the island and will operate as a hub for community care groups to make parenting information and training available. Through these groups, the NPSC will ensure early detection of parental issues and facilitate referrals for families deemed at-risk.

 

CAPTION: Attorney General, Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte (fourth left), at the unveiling of a sign at the opening of Parent Place at the Emmanuel Chapel in Mt. Salem, St. James, on Friday, April 27. Also at the ceremony were (from left): Chief Executive Officer, National Parenting Support Commission, Kaysia Kerr; His Worship the Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Homer Davis; Acting Mission Director, USAID, Andrew Colburn; Managing Director, National Education Trust, Marcia Phillips-Dawkins; Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean; and Councillor of the Mount Salem Division, Kerry Thomas.