JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has reported that there has been a decrease in the rate of youth unemployment over the last year.

 

“Youth unemployment is trending down by seven per cent over the last year. More youth between 16 and 18 [years] are in education training. We’ve seen some 8,500 additional full-time students and 3,500 part-time, and that’s very good,” Mr. Reid said.

 

He was addressing the inaugural Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Leaders’ Summit and Youth Forum at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on February 20.

 

The Minister emphasised that the Ministry is determined to reduce the rate of youth unemployment further in 2018 and beyond.

 

Earlier this year, the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) announced that the unemployment rate was at 10.4 per cent, the lowest it has been since October 2008. STATIN also stated in January that the youth unemployment rate of 25.4 per cent was also the lowest since January 2008.

 

Senator Reid said he intends to build an army of skilled youth across Jamaica, because skilled workers make Jamaica more marketable

 

“We are now in the fourth industrial revolution, which is high-tech, and so we need now not to have an army of unskilled and untrained labour, but we will now need an army of fully trained and highly skilled persons,” he said.

 

The inaugural TVET Leaders’ Summit and Youth Forum is one of numerous events being held as part of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information’s National Careers Week, being recognised between February 18 and 23.

 

The Week will highlight a range of career and skill-training opportunities for youth. On Saturday and Sunday, February 17 and 18, church services were held across the island to share the National Careers Week and Skills Competition message.

 

On February 19, there was a Jamaica Library Service Expo, which consisted of displays at each of the 14 Parish Libraries of the various career paths persons can pursue.

 

Between February 20 and 21, there will be a two-day National Skills Competition at the National Arena in Kingston, with approximately 190 competitors, including 36 from secondary schools, 11 from the Career Advancement Programme (CAP) and 13 HEART Trust/NTA competitors, Skills Demonstrations, Try-a-Skill, and an Innovation in Skills (InnoSkill) Competition between 13 primary schools.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left), greets Chief Executive Officer, World Skills Americas, Professor Roberto Spada, during the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Leaders’ Summit and Youth Forum held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Tuesday (February 20).

JIS: A sum of $27.8 million has been earmarked for the ‘Support for Sustainability of Education Sector Reform’ project in the 2018/2019 Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives.

 

The objective of the project, implemented in September 2017, is to support the Government of Jamaica’s efforts to improve the performance of the education sector by assisting the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information to improve coordination across the system.

 

The funds allocated for the new fiscal year will support interventions at the early-childhood level, teachers’ colleges, and provide technical support to the Department of School Services (DSS).

 

At the early-childhood level, a consultant will be engaged to identify and develop a plan of action for the strengthening of partnership between the Early Childhood Commission and the National Parenting Support Commission, while training workshops will be conducted to benefit various stakeholders.

 

For the teachers’ collages, consultants will be hired to undertake improvements to the internal quality-assurance systems of 10 institutions.

 

Focus will be placed on building capacity for teacher education in numeracy and science, including provision of resources to support instruction and improve the ability of training institutions to screen students.

 

The support to the DSS will see experts being engaged to support the Alternate Pathway for Secondary Education (APSE), and staging of workshops to aid in the implementation of new approaches.

 

The project is being jointly funded by the Government of Jamaica and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and is slated to end in March 2020.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid. (FILE)

JIS: The Government of Jamaica has provided $461 million for continued implementation of the education transformation programme under the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

 

The allocation, which is contained in the 2018/2019 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, will provide for execution of National Standard Curriculum (NSC) workshops for grades two, three, five and six; complete the revision of the National Assessment Programme (NAP) for grades two, six and nine; and commence the transition of staff to the modernised structure.

 

It will also provide for implementation of the human resource, school management, and documentation and file management systems; and support the modernisation legislative agenda, as well as policies on special education, security and safety, school improvement and placement.

 

Started in March 2010, the programme, which is being funded by the Government in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), aims to transform and modernise the education system.

 

It will seek to provide approximately 2,100 additional secondary-school spaces in an effort to support the Ministry’s policy to expand compulsory education from ages 16 to 18, operationalise new agencies that are key to improving capacity for delivering high-quality education, and set up mechanisms to mobilise additional resources for the education sector.

 

A number of targets were achieved up to December 2017 and include roll-out of the NSC at grades one, four and seven to nine; 75 per cent completion of the National Assessment Programme (NAP) revision for grade six, five per cent at grade two and 10 per cent at grade nine; consultation on the drafted Special Education Policy; and the completion and preparation of a concept note for implementation of the ‘School to Work’ transition and APEX programme.

 

In addition, select Ministry offices were refurbished and a new system was procured to improve efficiency at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

 

The programme was originally slated to be completed in March 2014, but has since been extended to December 2018.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid. (FILE)

JIS: The Government has allocated a sum of $466 million to construct new classrooms for secondary schools and ramps for disabled students.

 

Details are outlined in the 2018/2019 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives on February 15.

 

The new classrooms will be constructed under the Education Transformation Programme (ETP) with the objective of alleviating the shift system and overcrowding in secondary schools in the 14 parishes.

 

According to the Estimates, projects will be carried forward from the 2017/2018 fiscal year at Papine High, Norman Manley High, Mount St. Joseph’s High, Cumberland High, Westwood High and Sydney Pagon High Schools, under the ETP.

 

Additionally, five schools will benefit from new projects under the Programme with the construction of new classrooms on their campuses. These institutions are Maldon High, Spanish Town High, Inswood High, Muschette High and Eltham High Schools.

 

Disabled students will also benefit, as ramps will be constructed at 25 high schools across the island.

 

The National Education Trust Limited (NET) will be responsible for the provision of the new classrooms and the ramps in schools.

 

The NET is a Government of Jamaica company, which is limited by guarantee and is a registered charitable organisation that mobilises financial and quality resources for schools in Jamaica. Since its inception in 2010, NET has developed a track record for efficiency and adherence to quality standards, to the satisfaction of both donors and beneficiaries. 

 

In addition to these projects that are to be implemented by NET, the organisation will be responsible for the installation of improved sewerage systems in 97 primary schools, renovating and creating infant schools across the island, the Solar Systems Project in Schools and the establishment of three diagnostic centres in colleges.

 

CAPTIONS: Additional classrooms constructed at the Discovery Bay All-Age School, to remove the institution from the shift system. They were built through the Jamaica Social Investment Fund’s (JSIF) Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) programme. (File)

JIS: The Government has allocated a sum of $466 million to construct new classrooms for secondary schools and ramps for disabled students.

 

Details are outlined in the 2018/2019 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives on February 15.

 

The new classrooms will be constructed under the Education Transformation Programme (ETP) with the objective of alleviating the shift system and overcrowding in secondary schools in the 14 parishes.

 

According to the Estimates, projects will be carried forward from the 2017/2018 fiscal year at Papine High, Norman Manley High, Mount St. Joseph’s High, Cumberland High, Westwood High and Sydney Pagon High Schools, under the ETP.

 

Additionally, five schools will benefit from new projects under the Programme with the construction of new classrooms on their campuses. These institutions are Maldon High, Spanish Town High, Inswood High, Muschette High and Eltham High Schools.

 

Disabled students will also benefit, as ramps will be constructed at 25 high schools across the island.

 

The National Education Trust Limited (NET) will be responsible for the provision of the new classrooms and the ramps in schools.

 

The NET is a Government of Jamaica company, which is limited by guarantee and is a registered charitable organisation that mobilises financial and quality resources for schools in Jamaica. Since its inception in 2010, NET has developed a track record for efficiency and adherence to quality standards, to the satisfaction of both donors and beneficiaries. 

 

In addition to these projects that are to be implemented by NET, the organisation will be responsible for the installation of improved sewerage systems in 97 primary schools, renovating and creating infant schools across the island, the Solar Systems Project in Schools and the establishment of three diagnostic centres in colleges.

 

CAPTIONS: Additional classrooms constructed at the Discovery Bay All-Age School, to remove the institution from the shift system. They were built through the Jamaica Social Investment Fund’s (JSIF) Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) programme. (File)

JIS: Ninety-seven primary schools are to benefit from improved sewerage systems under a Sanitary Block Project, which will be funded by the Government in the 2018/2019 fiscal year, at a cost of $30 million.

 

The project will be implemented by the National Education Trust Limited (NET), as outlined in the 2018/2019 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives on February 15.

 

The NET is a Government of Jamaica company, which is limited by guarantee and is a registered charitable organisation that mobilises financial and quality resources for schools in Jamaica. Since its inception in 2010, NET has developed a track record for efficiency and adherence to quality standards, to the satisfaction of both donors and beneficiaries. 

 

Under the Sanitary Block Project, NET will be responsible for the installation of improved sewerage systems in 97 primary schools. It will also commence and complete the installation of improved sewerage systems at an additional 11 schools across Jamaica.

 

Over the years, the Ministry has implemented numerous Sanitary Block Projects in partnership with other organisations, with the objective of reducing the number of schools that still depend on the old-fashion system of pit latrine.

 

CAPTION: Grade 4 students of Chetolah Park Primary School 

JIS: The Government will spend approximately $30 million to renovate infant schools and create infant departments in primary schools during the 2018/19 fiscal year.

 

Details of the projects, to be spearheaded by the National Education Trust (NET), are outlined in the 2018/19 Estimates of Expenditure, which were tabled in the House of Representatives on Thursday (February 15).

 

NET, which falls under the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, is the government entity that mobilises financial and quality resources for schools in Jamaica.

 

Director, Donor and Partnership Management at NET, Latoya Harris, said her organisation is ready to serve the communities that will benefit from these projects.

 

“We welcome this initiative, and we’re looking forward to providing more classrooms for our infants across Jamaica,” Ms. Harris told JIS News.

 

She said with the expansion of government-based infant schools islandwide, more youngsters, especially in rural areas, will be reached and more institutions will be able to meet the Early Childhood Commission’s Standards.

 

NET will also spearhead a Sanitary Block Project, the Education Transformation Programme, the Solar Systems Project in Schools and the establishment of diagnostic centres in colleges islandwide during the 2018/19 fiscal year.

 

CAPTION: Students of the St. Richard’s Early Childhood Education Centre perform a piece during the school expansion blessing and dedication ceremony, held at the school in Kingston. The school has been expanded through a $13.2-million donation made by the Culture, Health, Arts, Sport and Education (CHASE) Fund.

JIS: The Government has allocated approximately $80 million to renovate the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information’s head office at National Heroes Circle and its Caenwood Centre facilities on Arnold Road in Kingston during the 2018/19 fiscal year

 

Details are provided in the 2018/19 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

 

Work at the National Heroes Circle complex will entail renovation of the bathroom facilities and construction of a perimeter wall.

 

Activities at Caenwood Centre will involve improvements to Grant Hall, Allen Hall, the Georgian Building and the former CPC building, along with upgrading of the sanitary facilities and air-conditioning systems.

 

The Education Ministry has received $103 billion for recurrent expenses and $1.6 billion for capital expenditure during 2018/19, which is cumulatively the second largest allocation from this year’s Budget, totalling $773.6 billion.

 

The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service has been allocated the largest sum, with $240 billion for recurrent expenses and $155 billion for capital expenditure.

 

A total of $560 billion of the Government’s overall Budget is earmarked for recurrent (housekeeping) expenses and $213.6 billion for capital (development) projects.

 

CAPTION: The Ministry of Education’s main office, 2 National Heroes Circle.