JIS: The HEART Trust/NTA has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ) to provide skills training for Jamaicans who desire to work in the growing business process outsourcing (BPO) sector.

 

The signing took place in the boardroom of HEART Trust’s head office on Oxford Road in Kingston on Friday (February 2).

 

Chairman, Board of Directors, HEART, Mr. Edward Gabbidon, said he is pleased to be officially partnering with the BPIAJ, as this will provide hundreds of Jamaicans with training, skills development, qualifications and job opportunities in the BPO sector.

 

“HEART, the new entity, has a mandate to provide training that is industry-specific and training that will help us to grow our economy. Growth in our economy is dependent on our human capital, and one of the industries that offer that avenue of growth is the BPO sector,” Mr. Gabbidon said.

 

“One of the things that we expect to do from this is to create that base pyramid for entry into the BPO sector, and for training of persons to grow on the value chain to be anything they want to be in that sector,” he added.

 

Mr. Gabbidon pointed out that the training that will be provided from the MOU will not only focus on aspects of BPO but also for business in general.

 

Meanwhile, President, BPIAJ, Gloria Henry, said her organisation is also pleased to be partnering with the HEART Trust/NTA.

 

“HEART has been part of this sector since inception. Even before the BPIAJ was formally inaugurated, HEART was providing training through a partnership with the Montego Bay Free Zone Company, and has been involved in the growth and development of many of the companies that have been here in Jamaica,” she said.

 

“The BPIAJ is very keen on this partnership, because it will help us to create the kind of talent pool that we want to have for new investors who are coming to Jamaica,” Ms. Henry said.

 

She pointed out that there has been growth of the industry, in terms of the number of firms that are now operating in Jamaica, from just under 40 to nearly 60 firms.

 

“Employment (in the BPO sector) has moved from about 13,000 to about 26,000, so that’s a doubling of employment. We have about a 75 per cent increase in export and 75 per cent increase in foreign exchange earnings. We are on a growth path right now, not just to improve the existing businesses that are here but to fill the almost two million square feet of space that is being developed in Jamaica,” she added.

 

Vice President of Sales and Promotions, Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Claude Duncan, endorsed the MOU and the objective.

 

“This move by the BPIAJ and HEART puts us in a better competitive position. Numbers have been quoted as to where we see the sector going. We at JAMPRO are committed to driving those numbers. This move is demonstrative of the commitment of the Government to work with the private sector, and partner to provide solutions to achieve those numbers,” he said.

 

CAPTION: Chairman, Board of Directors, HEART Trust/NTA, Edward Gabbidon (right), addresses the ceremony for the signing of a memorandum of understanding between HEART Trust/NTA and the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ), to provide skills training for persons interested in becoming employed in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, at HEART’s head office in Kingston, on Friday (February 2). At left is President, BPIAJ, Gloria Henry.

JIS: Operators of private schools are being encouraged to further partner with the Government as it seeks to increase the placement of infants (aged zero to three) and special needs students in these institutions.

 

The call comes from Deputy Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Maxine Headlam, who noted that accommodation for these children is one of the Ministry’s priorities that private schools can take advantage of, “because the Ministry, at present, does not have the scope to meet all the needs in those areas”.

 

She was speaking at the annual general meeting of the Jamaica Independent Schools’ Association (JISA) at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on January 31.

 

Ms. Headlam noted that this aspect, along with other possible areas of collaboration, is part of ongoing discussions with JISA that are expected to be included in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) now being formulated.

 

Other areas for partnership being explored under the pending agreement include accessing furniture, text books, and educational software through the Ministry at a reduced cost.

 

The MOU is also expected to speak to the issues of waivers on shipment fees and taxes for the importation of school equipment, training opportunities, and private schools having access to regional meetings of the Ministry.

 

Ms. Headlam said the Government is fully committed to an inclusive approach to education, noting that the Ministry is always open to dialogue and suggestions from private educators.

 

She noted that the Ministry has had a long history of collaboration with independent privately owned schools, and assured that work will continue to strengthen this invaluable partnership.

 

“We are committed to the independent schools, and we are (grateful) to them for their invaluable roles in educating our children and recommit ourselves to this partnership,” she assured.

 

In the meantime, President of JISA, Karlene Bisnott, said she is looking forward to the strengthening of ongoing partnerships with the Ministry through the MOU.

 

“We are hoping that before the school year is out, things will be so structured that within the next school year we should be seeing some of these things bearing fruit,” she told JIS News, adding that the collaboration has already started regarding text books, where the Ministry has extended the deadline for orders.

 

Founded in 1969, JISA is a professional organisation of principals, vice principals and directors of registered private schools.

 

CAPTION: Deputy Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Maxine Headlam (right), and President of the Jamaica Independent Schools’ Association (JISA), Karlene Bisnott (second right), speak to Sales and Marketing Executive, Hodder Education, Frank Mark Phipps, about some of the books the company publishes and distributes. They were visiting booths mounted as part of the annual general meeting of JISA, held at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on January 31.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has reiterated that urgent steps are being taken by the Government to get schools across Jamaica, such as the St. James High School in Montego Bay, off the two-shift system.

 

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the official opening of a new three-storey block of classrooms at the St. James High School on January 30, Mr. Reid said he is proud that despite the double-shift system, the institution has been performing extremely well.

 

“I am in a hurry under my shift, to fix all of these problems. Yes, I have 42 schools still on shift and, systematically, we are going to take them off one by one,” the Minister said.

 

Senator Reid noted that the Ministry responded quickly when St. James High requested financial support for additional classroom spaces and for the construction of a perimeter wall.

 

“This will help to prepare in the transition process to a single-shift system. It is important that we do so, because we are not doing so for ourselves, we are doing it for the future and for the transformation of St. James,” the Minister said.

 

Meanwhile, Senator Reid said the Ministry will be constructing five new high schools across the island, one of which will be in St. James, which will add significantly to the number of classroom spaces available in western Jamaica.

 

“We have a lot of work to do, but, under God, we are going to get it done. I am getting full support, and I have the fiscal space to get it done,” he said.

 

The Minister also visited Anchovy High School in St. James, and the Knockalva Agricultural School and the Knockalva Technical High School in neighbouring Hanover.

 

Mr. Reid told JIS News that he was happy to have visited the institutions to get a first-hand look at their operations and make assessments and recommendations.

 

“My tour has been extremely successful, and I am very happy to be able to get out of the office to see exactly what is happening in these institutions and to give some policy direction,” he added.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (third left), is assisted by Principal of the Mt. Alvernia High School, Stacey Reynolds (second left), to cut the ribbon to mark the official opening of a new block of classrooms at the St. James High School on Tuesday, January 30. Sharing the moment are Director of Region Four, Dr. Michelle Pinnock (left); Principal of the school, Joseph Williams (right); Chairman of the school Board, Reverend Alton Thelwell (second right); and students of the institution.

JIS: Lecturer at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College, Keitha Osbourne, says students enrolled in the special education programme are acquiring a very important skill that will make them more marketable at home and abroad.

 

Addressing a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ on January 29 at the agency’s Regional Office in Montego Bay, St. James, Ms. Osbourne said the uniqueness of special education is that student-teachers are trained in specialised techniques to deal with “children with those disabilities”.

 

Ms. Osbourne said it is important to recognise that there are students who are naturally gifted, but are plagued by physical or emotional problems.

 

She noted that students who participate in the special education programme at Sam Sharpe cover “a wide variety of areas”, adding that the number of credits are a little more than in the primary programme, “because the students are exposed to the primary curriculum in addition to carrying their specialised areas”.

 

The Lecturer said “it is a win-win” situation for a person who is trained at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College in special education and is exposed to teaching students from early childhood to the secondary level.

 

“When we develop our curriculum, we are also in line with international standards. We are seeing a direct effort by the Ministry of Education to address the problem of students with special needs,” she said.

 

Ms. Osbourne noted that the graduates from Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College are in great demand in the area of special education, as “there are not sufficient graduates to fill the available jobs”.

 

“The students are trained not just to teach those with special needs, but to be able to identify them. They are taught assessment and also given diagnostic training,” she pointed out.

 

Ms. Osbourne said that at Sam Sharpe there is one course that is mandatory in special needs for all students, “because we know there are special needs students who require the specialist teachers to address their problems”.

 

“We also make the programme available to persons who can come to the college and get their undergraduate degree in special education. In addition, sometime this year we are going to open our diagnostic centre where students with special needs can be assessed,” she said.

 

CAPTION: Special Education Lecturer at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College, Keitha Osbourne, addresses JIS ‘Think Tank’, at the agency’s Regional Office in Montego Bay, St. James, on January 29.

JIS: A total of 9,100 students in 10 primary schools across the island are to benefit from the Digital Mobile Classroom project.

 

The initiative, which will also impact 30 teachers and administrators, enhancing their skills and competencies, aims to improve the quality of education through the provision of information and communications technologies (ICT) and promoting the digital learning of children in vulnerable communities.

 

It is being implemented by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information through partnership with the Organization of American States/Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (OAS/CITEL).

 

Speaking at the opening of a training seminar at the Courtyard Marriott in New Kingston on January 29, Minister of State in the Education Ministry, Hon. Floyd Green, said the initiative will assist in bridging the digital divide and transforming the education sector.

 

“We are trying to put the technology in the hands of the students and the teachers. This is what we need to close that digital divide to ensure that, at the fingertips, especially in rural communities, that we will have the technology to bring the curriculum alive and that our children will now become engaged in a different sort of way that will really give us a better outcome,” he said.

 

He described the programme, which utilises an offline platform, as a “game changer” as it will enable students and teachers without Internet connectivity to gain access.

 

Mr. Green said the Government is committed to retooling the education system to ensure that the needs of the students are catered to at all levels.

 

“That is why in 2016, we rolled out our new standards curriculum, which, in essence, puts the child at the centre of our learning model and recognises that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to education. Different children will learn differently, and you have to cater to those different needs if you want to have an effective educational system,” he said.

 

He pointed out that almost all jobs are linked to technology and, therefore, “we have to ensure that our children are au fait with the technology”.

 

“The most basic job is being replaced by a technology solution, so who is important is the man that can programme that machine. That’s the job of right now,” he said.

 

The three-day Digital Classroom Project training seminar is being hosted by the Ministry in collaboration with OAS/CITEL).

 

The sessions are being conducted by a team of experts from ProFuturo Foundation.

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (centre), is in discussion with Representative from the ProFuturo Foundation, Isabel Martinez (right), during the opening ceremony for the Digital Classroom Project training seminar at the Courtyard Marriott in New Kingston on January 29. Others (from left) are Deputy Chief Education Officer, Lena Bucke-Scott; ProFuturo Representative, Maria Isabel Lobo De Leon; and Organization of American States/Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (OAS/CITEL)Representative, Yadir Salazar.

JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) have partnered to roll out the Early College and Advanced Placement High School Programme.

 

This will enable secondary students with the requisite qualifications, who graduate at Grade 11, to pursue accredited Associate Degrees at the university.

 

It will also allow students entering grade 12 to begin an early college programme, similar to what obtains in the United States.

 

The initiative, which is being facilitated under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Ministry and UCC, is slated to get under way in September with a pilot in 50 high schools across 10 parishes and targeting 5,000-grade 11 graduates.

 

Portfolio Minister, Senator the Hon Ruel Reid, and UCC’s Group Executive Chairman, Dr. Winston Adams, signed the MOU at Thursday’s (January 25) launch, at the university’s main campus on Worthington Avenue in New Kingston.

 

Senator Reid welcomed the programme against the background of data he said indicated that only 55 per cent of students are involved in post-grade 11 academic or training programmes.

 

“A (key goal) of this programme is to reduce the cost of tertiary education. So, I am very excited about this very creative development, which is aligned with the Government’s strategy to facilitate greater access to tertiary education. I am proud to validate and launch it,” the Minister added.

 

In his remarks, Dr. Adams emphasised that tertiary education is pivotal to Jamaica’s sustainable development.

 

“That’s the only thing that will help us to make a significant impact on the country. Mass access to quality tertiary education is really Jamaica’s last chance to secure sustainable development and, indeed, create meaningful employment and career opportunities, especially for our youth at risk,” he said.

 

The Early College and Advanced Placement High School Programme will enable students to access either UCC-accredited Associate Degrees, or those accredited by the Ministry in Occupational Studies targeted to specific expanding and emerging industries.

 

These include Cybersecurity, Computer Programming, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Hospitality Management, and Business Intelligence Management.

 

The degrees are designed to guide secondary students in making informed career choices, thereby strengthening the pool of highly skilled and knowledgeable labour force for whom the cost of tertiary education may be prohibitive.

 

The programme spans two years, at the end of which graduates desirous of pursuing further studies will have the opportunity for advanced placement to either UCC’s bachelor’s degree programmes in Kingston or its regional campuses; the University of London Bachelor of Law Degree; and the Florida International University’s bachelor’s degree programmes offered through UCC.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, addresses Thursday’s (January 25) launch of the joint Ministry/University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) Early College and Advanced Placement High School Programme. The launch, which included the signing of a memorandum of understanding facilitating the partnership, was held at the UCC’s main campus on Worthington Avenue in New Kingston.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says students in Jamaica’s public school system have been performing admirably and, as a consequence, will become one of Jamaica’s finest generations of adults.

 

Speaking with JIS News during a tour of four schools in Brown’s Town, St. Ann, on January 23, Mr. Reid expressed confidence that “this generation is not lost”.

 

“The students who are currently in school are doing very well. They are getting even better prepared for school, so it is important that as Minister of Education I encourage the teachers and the leadership that for us to transform Jamaica, we have to get it right with this generation,” Senator Reid said.

 

“There is no excuse anymore. While we have to deal with some of the other issues for the unattached youth, my job now is to make sure that from zero to 18, everybody remains in school, and by the time they leave at grade 13, they are certified to transition to the world of work or higher education,” he added.

 

The schools toured are in the Ministry’s Region Three, and include Servite Primary School; and St. Hilda’s, York Castle and Brown’s Town High Schools.

 

Senator Reid explained that the visit forms part of his regular scheduled tours that see him “getting out of the office and going to different schools in the regions”.

 

The Minister, along with officials from the Ministry, including building inspectors, also did a first-hand assessment of the schools’ properties, including the canteen at the Servite Primary School, which was recently refurbished and equipped.

 

“I toured the canteen and I saw very significant improvements… including a new freezer, new fans and general improvement of the roof, and they are very happy with that,” he said.

 

Senator Reid said he is pleased with the performance of the school. “When I look at their grade-four literacy and numeracy, it is very high. They are doing very well at GSAT, and I had an opportunity to interact with their students and they are doing really well,” he told JIS News.

 

The Minister said additional work will be undertaken to improve a section of the school’s roof.

 

“I did promise also, that we will give them some more information technology (IT) support, because IT is part of the means by which we deliver our curriculum. It is far more student-friendly and teachers will certainly see that using technology enhances teaching and learning and the overall outcome for our students,” he said.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (right), addresses grade-six students at the Servite Primary School in Brown’s Town, St Ann, during his tour of the institution on January 23.

GLEANER: Pointing to bright employment prospects in various sectors of the economy, Minister of Education, Youth and Information Ruel Reid recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) to increase access to higher education and training for high-school students.

 

The agreement establishes the UCC’s Early College and Advanced Placement Credits in High Schools Programme, which will be delivered initially through clusters of 50 select high schools in 10 parishes across Jamaica. The MOU also seeks to extend the ministry’s Centre of Occupational Studies associate degrees to high schools in 10 parishes, initially through UCC subcampuses. It is envisioned than an initial maximum of 5,000 students will be able to participate in the programme each year.

 

REVOLUTIONARY APPROACH

  

Likening the launch of the programme to Emancipation Day, Reid said: “We must move away from elitism. Education must liberate our people.” He was speaking during the official launch of the programme at UCC’s head office in New Kingston on Thursday.

 

Reid said that the project was also in keeping with the education ministry’s policy goals of ensuring that all secondary-school graduates have an opportunity to earn an associate degree by the time they complete Grade 13.

 

“This is another revolutionary approach being taken,” he said, “to diversify tertiary-level education in Jamaica while providing appropriate skills training in the arts, science, and technology in response to specific industry demands and provide a pool of highly skilled and knowledgeable workers.”

 

In his remarks, UCC Executive Chancellor Dennis J. Gayle pointed out that although some 90 per cent of age-cohort students are enrolled in high schools, only 19 per cent of age cohort students (16-30 years) are enrolled in tertiary education.

 

“This UCC initiative is intended as a significant service to the community, which will help our nation to further develop its human capital resources, generating momentum towards sustainable economic growth and development,” Gayle told the gathering of largely educators from across the island.

 

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

GLEANER: As preparations continue for the implementation of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information continues to heighten public awareness of the initiative.

 

With just-concluded town hall meetings across the island, the ministry is in the process of training school administrators to allow for the smooth implementation of the programme.

 

PEP will replace the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) and should provide a better and more complete profile of students’ academic and critical-thinking capabilities at the end of primary-level education.

 

The implementation of the new curriculum in schools, from grades 1 to 9, requires new assessment instruments to measure student achievement. The PEP is one such instrument that has been designed to assess student learning from grades 4 to 6 in the National Standards Curriculum (NSC).

 

Based on the emphasis of this new curriculum, PEP will be designed not only to measure content, but it will also measure student acquisition and development of skills embedded in the NSC. These are 21st-century skills.

 

 

 

How Has Ministry Of Education, Youth And Information (MOEYI) Prepared The System So Far?

 

 

The Student Assessment Unit (SAU) has provided in-service training for several key stakeholders in the education system in how to assess the National Standards Curriculum. Workshops have been conducted with the island’s grade 4 teachers (April 2017), grade 5 teachers (November 2017), and primary school assessment coordinators (October 2017). They were trained in the following areas:

 

– How to identify evidence of the 21st-century skills in students.

 

– How to analyse the extent to which assessment tasks identified can elicit evidence of the development of these skills

 

– How to develop assessment tasks that will elicit evidence of these skills

 

The SAU has also engaged in public sensitisation for PEP through town hall meetings facilitated in all parishes in December last year. The public was given information regarding the components of the test:

 

– how it will affect students at various levels in the system now

 

– How parents can help to develop the requisite skills in their children.

 

Hundreds of brochures with information regarding PEP were disseminated at each town hall meeting. Additionally, information is available on the Ministry of Education’s website.

 

 

 

What’s Next For MOEYI?

 

 

The Student Assessment unit’s training plan will see the Unit continuing to provide in-service training for other stakeholders such as primary school principals (January-February, 2018) in leading the assessment process in their schools. Grade 6 teachers will also be trained in May 2018 in similar areas as the Grades 4 and 5 teachers, and Grades 1 to 3 teachers will be trained between October 2018 and January 2019.

 

A training programme has also been designed for further and regular training of primary school assessment coordinators as their role in schools is critical to ensuring that the quality of assessment carried out is of a high standard and one that will prepare students adequately for the national assessment.

 

Assessment procedures and practices will also be standardised and encouraged. Pre-service training for students in teachers’ colleges will also be provided.

 

The Student Assessment Unit will continue to provide schools and teachers with information and material regarding PEP as we prepare for its first full administration in June 2019. A sample item publication is set to be released to schools this month. This publication will give teachers and students a a look at the various types of items that may be used on the tests at the national level. Sample item types from each component of PEP will be provided. Additionally, a national mock trial of the Performance Tasks will be fully administered in all schools to all grade 4 and 5 students in June 2018 in an effort to familiarise students and teachers with items of this type.

 

 

 

How Can Parents And Students Prepare For PEP?

 

 

In addition to ensuring that children grasp the facts and procedures outlined in the curriculum, parents should assist in developing the four 21st-century skills in their children. It is not only about students knowing facts and procedures, but they should be able to apply this knowledge in a meaningful way. Students will now be required to demonstrate what they can do with what they know and go further than just recalling information. They will need to be able to apply knowledge of this information to solve real-world problems and use this information to make meaningful decisions.

 

Parents can help to develop these skills at home by.

 

– providing opportunities for play that encourage problem solving.

 

– asking children open-ended questions about relatable issues and allowing them to express their points of view.

 

– engaging children in meaningful discussions.

 

– helping children make connections in their everyday lives.

 

Parents should also work closely with their child’s teacher to monitor the progress of the development of these skills in their child.

 

Article courtesy Ministry of Education, Youth & Information

JIS: The Government is seeking to reach out to many of the 140,000 unattached youth through the Work to Learn, Earn, Give and Save (LEGS) programme and equip them with viable skills.

 

According to Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, data will be gathered soon to locate the youth and engage them in training opportunities that fit their passion.

 

“Heavy-duty equipment is a major demand, and we have not scaled up our education system to meet these things,” the Minister said.

 

He was delivering the keynote address at the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the HEART Trust/NTA and the Amateur Swimming Association of Jamaica on January 24 at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus in St. Andrew.

 

The agreement will facilitate the engagement of 500 youngsters at the upcoming CARIFTA Aquatics Championship 2018 in Jamaica.

 

Senator Reid said that although the opportunities to be provided for the youth may seem modest, they are a glimpse of what lies ahead for the LEGS participants if they remain committed to the initiative.

 

“Sport is another opportunity where you can have fun while you are learning discipline,” the Minister said.

 

Senator Reid argued that the MOU embodies the vision of the Government to foster a culture of positive youth development and participation in decision-making around activities that affect the lives of youth and facilitate economic development, focusing on entrepreneurship.

 

Twenty-six delegations will be in Jamaica for the Aquatics Championship from March 15 to 18 and March 31 to April 4. They will participate in disciplines such as open water swimming, artistic swimming, and water polo.

 

The HEART Trust/NTA will recruit, train, certify and transport the 500 youth volunteers.

 

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, said training young people in volunteerism is a “great opportunity for them to serve their country”.

 

“Volunteerism is an investment that has unlimited value and is one of the tenets of development and advancement in nations,” she said, in a speech delivered by Director of Sport Monitoring and Development in the Ministry, Florette Blackwood.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left), converses with three of the 500 youth volunteers for the upcoming CARIFTA Aquatics Championship 2018, in Jamaica. They are (from left) Relando Ulett, Courtnea James and Britney Williams. Occasion was the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the HEART Trust/NTA and the Amateur Swimming Association of Jamaica, on January 24,at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus in St. Andrew. The agreement will facilitate the engagement of 500 youngsters at the upcoming CARIFTA Aquatics Championship 2018, in Jamaica.