JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), scheduled to commence in the 2018/2019 academic year, will help to tailor learning to meet the needs of all students, particularly those with special requirements.

 

“The profile [PEP] will allow us to identify the strengths and weaknesses of our students, and so we can customise our teaching and learning strategies… . So it’s going to be a very holistic, inclusive-type education system dealing with special needs as well as exceptional students. We can take care of those at the very top and those who are in need of support at the bottom,” Mr. Reid said.

 

“Our intention in this reform of the exit exam, coming out of the primary system, is largely to ensure that we are better preparing our students for the next level of the education system, which is the secondary system. We want every student to have the opportunity to go right up to grade 13 and forward to university,” he added.

 

Senator Reid was speaking at the final PEP town hall for the year held on December 19 at the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium at Jamaica College in St. Andrew.

 

PEP, which will replace the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) as the national secondary school entrance test, is intended to provide a better and more complete profile of students’ academic and critical-thinking capabilities at the end of primary-level education.

 

It comprises a Performance Task Test, Ability Task Test and a Curriculum-Based Test.

 

PEP will be rolled out on a phased basis beginning in September 2018, with students who are now in grade five to be the first cohort. They will do only the Grade Six components in 2019.

 

Students who are currently in grade four will do their Grade Five Performance Task in 2019, and in 2020 they will do the Grade Six components.

 

Students who are currently in grade three will be the first cohort that will have a complete profile generated. This means that they will do the Grade Four Performance Task section in 2019, Grade Five Performance Task in 2020 and all Grade Six components in 2021.

 

PEP grades will be made available to schools in the third week of June every year.

 

Minister Reid said PEP will prepare the nation’s children to be critical thinkers with good analytical and problem-solving skills.

 

He said the profile will better align with the objectives of the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

 

Minister Reid expressed confidence “in the ability of the Ministry based on the systems that we’ve put in place for us to be able to complete all the work (that) we have to do in terms of the final assessments and the final profile.”

 

“I expect a very smooth landing as we commence the roll-out of PEP in 2019,” he said.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, addressing parents, teachers and other stakeholders at the Primary Exit Profile [PEP] town hall held at Jamaica College in St. Andrew on Tuesday, December 19.

JIS: Cabinet has given approval for the establishment of a law school at the University of Technology (UTech).

 

This was disclosed by Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, at the official opening of a shared facility building at UTech’s Old Hope Road Campus in St. Andrew on December 14.

 

“I am quite aware of the agreement with CARICOM for the establishment of the Norman Manley Law School and its particular and special relationship with the University of the West Indies (UWI), so for us to change that arrangement to allow equity in access to the Norman Manley Law School, we will have to go back and have some amendments to the Treaty of Chaguaramas. That’s one option,” the Minister noted.

 

“So, although Cabinet is minded to pursue that option, the University of Technology has said that they are not necessarily pursuing that. What they would prefer is to have their own law school, and to that Cabinet has expressed its affirmative position. That is why I am able to indicate that the Government, by policy, is supportive of this particular development,” he added.

 

The Minister said this will allow for more trained and certified persons in the profession and can position the country to becoming a hub in providing services in knowledge process outsourcing and legal process outsourcing.

 

Senator Reid pointed out that this forms part of the Government’s position of expanding opportunities for education and training of the workforce.

 

He said the Norman Manley Law School is unable to accommodate all the students who have been pursuing law degrees.

 

In an interview with JIS News, President, UTech, Professor Stephen Vasciannie, said steps will be taken immediately to introduce the law school.

 

“We hope that we can begin in September of the coming year to take our first batch of law school students,” he said.

 

Professor Vasciannie noted that the school will allow graduates of the faculty of law at the university to proceed with their lifelong dream of becoming attorneys-at-law.

 

“I am elated. It is something that I have pushed for quite some time, and members of the Faculty of Law and of the University, generally, are very happy to hear this news,” he said.

 

UWI graduates with a Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree gain automatic entry into the programme at Norman Manley Law School. This is facilitated by Article Three of the Treaty of Chaguaramas.

 

Students earning LLB degrees from other institutions must sit an entrance test and earn a passing grade, which does not guarantee admission.

 

Turning to the significance of the state-of-the-art shared facility, the Minister said it will contribute to improved teaching and learning at the institution.

 

“This has been the single largest infrastructure development for the University of Technology since it transitioned from CAST (College of Arts, Science and Technology), so the Government is very happy about that and it is again consistent with our commitment to continue to invest in education,” he said.

 

The Minister added that the Government will continue to partner with UTech to further expand their capacity to welcome more students.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left), cuts the ribbon to officially open the shared facility building at the University of Technology (UTech), Old Hope Road, St. Andrew, on December 14. Others (from second left) are President, UTech, Professor Stephen Vasciannie; Director General, Planning Institute of Jamaica, Dr. Wayne Henry; and Chancellor, UTech, the Most Hon. Edward Seaga.

JIS: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, is lauding the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ) for making quality higher education accessible to all Jamaicans.

 

He said the entity is making an invaluable contribution to national development by ensuring the integrity of the range of certificate, associate and bachelor degree programmes offered at community colleges across the island.

 

“So relevant are these programmes that three Caribbean islands – Turks and Caicos, Anguilla, and The Bahamas – have begun to offer the CCCJ programmes,” he noted.

 

Minister Reid was delivering the keynote address at the CCCJ’s 15th anniversary banquet at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on December 14.

 

Noting that community colleges have become a vital part of the post-secondary and higher-education systems, Mr. Reid said the accessibility, flexibility and affordability of these institutions provide options for students who otherwise might not pursue tertiary studies.

 

“As you maintain the high standards expected of local tertiary institutions, you have been developing new programmes, sometimes in collaboration with the HEART Trust/NTA, to respond to the demands of the business sector,” he said.

 

The Education Minister said there is great value in working within the existing capacity of the community colleges, based on the programmes offered and the need to quickly train and certify the country’s workforce.

 

Community colleges offer University Council of Jamaica (UCJ) accredited programmes in areas such as engineering, technology, business, hospitality and tourism management, agriculture, education (trainers of primary-school teachers), and the humanities – criminal justice, social work, logistics, business process outsourcing and management.

 

The CCCJ’s 15th anniversary banquet was the culmination of year-long celebrations showcasing the work of local community and multidisciplinary colleges.

 

The function featured the presentation of awards of excellence to 29 former chairpersons, executive directors and principals/presidents of colleges; and faculty, administrative and support staff who have made significant contributions.

 

Awards for academic excellence were also presented to students as well as the longest serving member of staff.

 

The CCCJ supervises and coordinates the work of community colleges in Jamaica. Through its regulatory function, it seeks to determine and implement common standards in colleges to ensure the integrity of programmes.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left) is presented with a painting by Human Resource Coordinator for the Council of Community Colleges Jamaica (CCCJ), Pricilla Chambers, during the CCCJ’s 15th Anniversary Banquet on December 14 at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston.

JIS: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says he supports the concept of occupational degrees, where persons can reach that level as a butcher, a chef or as a cosmetologist.

 

He argued that the country has suffered over the years as a result of society’s prejudice towards jobs and occupations that were deemed inferior.

 

Addressing graduates of the Ministry of Education Career Advancement Programme (CAP) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James, on December 7, Mr. Holness said that many young persons have fallen by the wayside as a result, and that the Government now has to do something to bring them back into the mainstream.

 

“Previously, we did not consider these areas of vocational endeavours as occupation. The society didn’t accord the respect to these areas. So, our young people were exposed to only a very narrow range of what could be considered acceptable vocational or professional endeavours,” he added.

 

Mr. Holness said that what the society was actually doing was locking out “our young people” from the respect that a job gives them and forcing many to resort to wrongdoing.

 

“We, therefore, ended up with a situation where we would have young people who believed their only option was to sit on the roadside and dig a hole in their hand middle. I thought that was not acceptable, and that we have to do something in the education system to capture all those young people and give them an opportunity,” he said.

 

The Prime Minister noted that faced with such a stark reality, the Government went back to the drawing board and came up with the policy of compulsory education.

 

“It’s not compulsory in the sense where we are going to drag you off the road and lock you up in a school. That’s not what it means,” Mr. Holness said.

 

“What it means is that the Jamaican State must guarantee every single Jamaican citizen the opportunity to access high-quality education from their third birthday to their eighteenth birthday. We decided that we would put in place both the resources and the institutions to make this happen,” he explained.

 

The Prime Minister said the approach was to first look at the early-childhood institutions and to figure out how best to expand the Government’s “footprint” in the programme, ensuring that from the basic education age…”we would be giving our young people a good start”.

 

He noted that the results, so far, have been very encouraging, adding that at the primary level, ways must be found to end the situation where there is a high level of students leaving primary schools illiterate.

 

“Which is why we have launched a major programme around literacy. We nationalised the Grade Four literacy and Numeracy tests, and moved literacy from 56 per cent to where we have scores now from 85 to 90 per cent each year,” the Prime Minister pointed out.

 

Under the Career Advancement Programme, the Government provides additional educational and vocational training opportunities for secondary students, aged 16 to 18.

 

CAPTION: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, addresses graduates of the Ministry of Education Career Advancement Programme (CAP) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James, on December 7.

JIS: The new state-of-the-art West End Infant School, in Negril, Westmoreland, was officially opened on Wednesday, December 6.

 

The facility, which commenced classes in September, is the result of a public-private partnership among the Sandals Foundation, the CHASE Fund and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information. The school has the capacity to accommodate 160 students, with 60 students on roll so far.

 

It was built at a cost of just over $111 million with funding from the Sandals Foundation and the CHASE Fund, and comprises eight classrooms with accompanying resource rooms and bathroom facilities, a large kitchen and dining room/recreational area, a staffroom, sickbay and principal’s office.

 

The property also has a garden and playground. All the furniture and educational resources were donated by School Specialty, a United States-based company that supplies school equipment.

 

In his address at the ceremony, Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, said he is extremely proud that the school has already met 98 per cent of the required standards set by the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), and within a month, following additional requisite teacher-training sessions, will reach the 100 per cent mark.

 

He also expressed gratitude to the two donor agencies for working with the Ministry to establish the school, which he said is crucial to national development. He called for the provision of further support to other Ministry initiatives, such as the nutrition and school-bus programme, which he said will greatly impact human development in the western end of the island.

 

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the CHASE Fund, William ‘Billy’ Heaven, said his organisation, which has been a key supporter of the early-childhood-education sector for the past 15 years, provided $48 million towards the construction of the school.

 

He emphasised that early-childhood development continues to be of critical importance to the Fund, and that returns of investment in the sector can be as high as $17 for every $1 invested.

 

“We at CHASE understand and we underscore the value of early-childhood education not only to the individual but also to the society. Even more critical, we understand that this is the stage that determines what adult this child will become, and there is great need to maximise the future well-being of each and every child who attends this institution,” Mr. Heaven said.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (second left), with (from left) Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sandals Resorts International, Adam Stewart; Chief Executive Officer of the CHASE Fund, William ‘Billy’ Heaven; Principal of the West End Infant School in Negril, Sherida Malcolm; and Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, Heidi Clarke, following the unveiling of the school plaque to mark the official opening of the school on December 6. With them are students of the institution.

JIS: Seventy-nine young people who have made outstanding contribution in various areas were presented with the Prime Minister’s Youth Awards for Excellence, during a ceremony held last evening (December 6) on the lawns of the Office of the Prime Minister.

 

Awards were presented in the categories of Academics, Agriculture, Arts and Culture, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Protection, Innovation in Science and Technology, International Achievement, Journalism, Leadership, Sports, and Youth Development, and there was a special Jamaica 55 award.

 

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, in his address, congratulated the recipients and those shortlisted.

 

He encouraged then to continue to excel. “Our progress, our prosperity [and] our destiny is unstoppable. I say to all the young people; continue to work hard, continue to put out that effort, keep on doing it for the love, not for the likes,” he said.

 

The Prime Minister said that Jamaica owes a debt of gratitude to its young people who do consistent and commendable work in their communities “to propel our nation to achieve Vision 2030”.

 

“It is imperative that our youth know that this Government acknowledges their efforts and achievements in helping to build our great nation,” he pointed out.

 

He noted that over the years, hundreds of youth between the ages of 15 and 29 have been recognised and have also been promoted to positions within the private and public sectors “because these awards have shone light on their aptitude, ability to innovate and capacity to encourage and agitate for change in our society”.

 

State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, said the Government is pleased to host the ceremony, after a three-year hiatus, in order to celebrate the achievements of the country’s youth.

 

“Too often, the stories we hear about our young people are stories of young people in difficulty, stories of young people who are not doing well. We want to tell the stories of our youth who are doing well, who have persevered despite difficult circumstances, and there are so many circumstances and so many stories here to be told today.”

 

“You are truly an inspiration, and the fact that you are here means your work has had impact on our country and we want to appreciate that. Whether you win or not tonight, whether you get an award or not, the fact that you have been nominated means you’re doing something right,” Mr. Green said.

 

He told the young people that he, too, was once a nominee, but was not selected for an award.

 

“A few years ago, I sat where many of you sit today. I was nominated for a PM Youth Award in the category of Leadership. I was so grateful that the service I was given was noticed, that I was appreciated, and it encouraged me to serve even more. Not winning spurred me to work a little harder, and clearly I have moved from not winning to staging the awards,” he said.

 

Among the award recipients are Jamar ‘Chronixx’ McNaughton, and Chevoy ‘Kool Ravers’ Grant in the category of Arts and Culture; and Elaine Thompson, O’Dayne Richards and Darren Mattocks for sports.

 

CAPTION: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (front centre), shares a photo opportunity with the 74 recipients of the Prime Minister’s Youth Awards for Excellence, at the awards ceremony held last evening (December 6) on the lawns of the Office of the Prime Minister. Others sharing the moment are State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (11th left); and Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Ruel Reid (14th right).

JIS: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Government is taking a strategic approach to ensure that jobseekers, particularly young people, are guided to areas where employment is either being generated or can potentially be created.

 

Noting that some 60,000 new jobs have been generated since the Administration took office in March, 2016, Mr. Holness said there is great potential for increased employment creation in Jamaica.

 

He cited the hospitality, construction, mining and quarrying and logistics sectors as areas with great prospects, while noting that the financial and services sectors, in particular, will continue to generate jobs.

 

The Prime Minister believes that once Jamaica starts to generate higher levels of economic growth, these and other sectors should be able to adequately absorb the number of persons pursuing tertiary- and skills-level training and certification.

 

He was speaking at an ‘OPM-Live’ mini town hall meeting organised by the Office of the Prime Minister at Jamaica College on November 29.

 

Mr. Holness said the engagement of job-seeking youth is being strategically done through the Hope, Opportunities, Production and Employment (HOPE) programme, in which nearly 2,000 young people, aged 19 to 24, not attending an educational institution, have enrolled and are undergoing apprenticeship and social skills training in State agencies.

 

“This experience that they are gaining is good for the workforce, because all of the skills that they are developing… can easily be translated into business/knowledge process operations or hospitality. So within a year, we should be able to turn out persons who have the skills to matriculate effectively into the world of work,” the Prime Minister said.

 

Additionally, Mr. Holness said youth are being trained by HEART Trust/NTA, which has merged with the Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning, and National Youth Service to provide a significantly strengthened slate of programmes.

 

He encouraged tertiary students and persons pursuing skills training and certification to tailor their study choices, so that these are aligned with new areas of job growth.

 

The Prime Minister pointed to several categories of “critical national skills” which, he said, did not have adequate professionals serving them. These include land surveying, pharmacology and engineering.

 

“In fact, based on the growth that we are seeing emerging now in logistics, the real constraint is that we don’t have enough engineers. So, what we are doing (is providing incentives to) persons who want to go into engineering to encourage them to get into that field,” he said.

 

Mr. Holness acknowledged that despite a record 1,216,200 persons being employed, based on the Statistical Institute of Jamaica’s July 2017 Labour Force Survey, underemployment and unemployment, particularly among youth, remains high.

 

STATIN reports that youth unemployment for the 14 to 24 age category declined by 2.1 percentage points to 27.5 per cent.

Against this background, the Prime Minister said the the Government will work to ensure that “no youngster and none of their talent or potential is wasted”.

 

“We (endeavour to solve) that problem by providing opportunities for employment for our young people,” he said.

 

CAPTION: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (left), addresses a wide cross section of persons attending an ‘OPM-Live’ mini town hall meeting at Jamaica College in St. Andrew on November 29. The meeting was organised by the Office of the Prime Minister.

JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MOEYI), in an effort to boost Jamaica’s skilled workforce, has introduced a new Associate Degree in Occupational Studies to enhance its Upskilling and Retooling programme.

 

Launched in December 2016, by the Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, the Associate Degree aims to create higher-learning opportunities for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students.

 

The programme was developed under the direction of the Centre of Occupational Studies (COS) in the Education Ministry and is in response to the demands of the workplace.

 

Areas of training include logistics, business process outsourcing (BPO), knowledge process outsourcing, manufacturing, agriculture, hospitality and renewable energy technology.

 

Speaking with JIS News, Chairman of the Joint Committee for Tertiary Education (JCTE), Dr. Cecil Cornwall, says that the degree was created to offer a wide variety of industry-specific training at the tertiary level.

 

“What makes it different from other degree programmes, is that it is not purely academic in nature, but focuses on applying the knowledge and skills being taught to real life situations… making it easier for students to transition into the world of work,” he says.

 

The Programme also seeks to increase and diversify the product offerings to include skills-based Competency Based Education and Training (CBET) in Tertiary institutions; use the CBET methodology to create the holistic employee at the supervisory level, so as to engender economic growth and sustainability at the micro and macro levels; and to strengthen the integration of TVET in the general education system by integrating efforts with tertiary providers to allow for increased articulation.

 

In addition, the programme also features opportunities to study overseas, industry certification and licensure, specialised industry-related courses, enrichment seminars and professional development activities, and personal development and growth.

 

Learners who possess NVQ-J and CVQ certification at levels two and three and the Career Advancement Programme (CAP), also at levels two and three, automatically matriculate to pursue the two-year programme that is being offered in more than 15 institutions. Meanwhile, Dr. Cornwall says the Associate Degree is industry-driven, industry-approved and focuses primarily on technical/vocational studies geared directly at workplace studies and employment.

 

“The programme has been quite interesting, as the curriculum outline covers a wide range of topics that I have never encountered before, and has exposed me to what it means to be a well-rounded individual,” he notes.

 

He also advises that the Associate Degree has adopted the American ACCUPLACER test, which is used to determine the level of skill and competence in mathematics, reading, and English.

 

He explains that the American ACCUPLACER system tests the skills of the students, and where they fall short, the programme would have the necessary system in place that will take them from foundation level to college level.

 

“When they complete the two years of studies, they would have also internationalised their education, because they are leaving with stackable credentials and several industry certifications. This gives them access to international internship programmes overseas to gain exposure, but most importantly, they are getting local and international industry certification, which the traditional tertiary graduates do not have,” he says.

 

For her part, Director of the Centre of Occupational Studies in the MOEYI, Linda Stewart Doman, tells JIS News that as Jamaica advances its work agenda, there is a need to harness human capital development.

 

“There is a social demand for education and training globally and for productive skilled citizenry across the world. It is very important that we understand that an educated and trained nation is a productive nation, and a productive nation is a prosperous nation,” she says. She notes that the programme was piloted in January 2017 with an enrolment of 457 students, covering 17 curricula, which is in accordance with labour market intelligence data as well as the growth agenda of the Government.

 

In the meantime, Massage and Beauty Therapist, and student in the Fitness Management Programme at G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sports, Rose- Marie Senior Sergeon, says she is happy to have been selected for the programme.

 

“Though the coursework is heavy, the resources are there to facilitate us, and for this I am so grateful. I am very happy to have been selected for this Associate Degree in Fitness Management.

 

There are no programmes without challenges, and I believe that with our continued communication and teamwork, my cohort will be a successful group,” she states.

 

The Associate Degree in Occupational Studies is offered at the Caribbean Maritime University, Excelsior Community College, College of Insurance and Professional Studies, Shortwood Teachers’ College, The Mico University, University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC), and University of Technology (UTech) Academy in Kingston; Western Hospitality Institute, St. James; Brown’s Town Community College, St. Ann; College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Portland; G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport, and Portmore Community College in St. Catherine; Northern Caribbean University (NCU), Manchester; Bethlehem Moravian College, St. Elizabeth; and the Vocational Training Development Institute (VTDI) in Kingston and Manchester.

 

CAPTION: Chairman of the Joint Committee for Tertiary Education, Dr. Cecil Cornwall, addressing a JIS Think Tank recently

JIS: The BAU International University in Washington DC has established a scholarship in honour of Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid.

 

The decision to set up the ‘Ruel Reid Transformational Leadership Scholarship’ was taken by the University to recognise Senator Reid’s lead role in arriving at a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry and the University for the provision of 107 scholarships, over three years, worth $378.2 million (US$3 million).

 

These scholarships are available to student teachers to pursue undergraduate and graduate programmes at any of the tertiary institution’s campuses globally.

 

BAU University Board member, Paul Brunson, said the Ruel Reid Scholarship is to “pay homage and respect to Senator Reid for leading the process”.

 

The surprise announcement, which was made during the MOU’s recent signing at The Mico University College in Kingston, left Senator Reid at a loss for words and saw him welcoming the gesture with an elated “I’m speechless!”.

 

Mr. Brunson said the scholarship is open to any Jamaican student desirous of pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies, either in the United States or any of BAU Global Network’s campuses in Germany, Italy and Turkey, among other locations.

 

The MOU, resulting from the discussions between Senator Reid and Mr. Brunson, whose grandfather was Jamaican, between 2016 and earlier this year, will additionally see the University hiring 200 English language teachers for its global network of schools for the 2018/19 academic year.

 

Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency Audrey Marks, and the Ministry’s newly appointed International Donor Consultant for the Jamaican Diaspora in the US, Gail Dunwell, who works closely with the National Education Trust, were also instrumental in initiating the partnership.

 

Senator Reid, in welcoming the MOU, conveyed the Government’s gratitude to BAU University.

 

“I have had the opportunity of meeting different segments of the Jamaican diaspora (who) are always very interested in what is happening in Jamaica, and particularly how they can assist our education programme. We are very grateful for the strength of the Jamaican connection,” the Minister said.

 

“There are Jamaicans in very prestigious positions all over the world, and wherever they are able to influence certain decisions, we find that they always step up to the plate,” he added.

 

Mr. Brunson said the initiative’s genesis dates back 10 years when he first met his grandfather.

 

He said the knowledge of his heritage was the primary reason for seeking out how best he could make a tangible and meaningful contribution to Jamaica.

 

Against this background, Mr. Brunson said he made representation to the University’s administration and successfully lobbied their support in March 2016, which resulted in the MOU’s forging.

 

“So for all these reasons and more, I am excited and I am proud. This is only the beginning of this relationship,” he added.

 

President of The Mico, Dr. Asburn Pinnock, said the initiative is a “perfect fit” with the Government’s focus for education.

 

“I think this will go a far way in building our resources as we try to graduate more persons in Jamaica from tertiary education,” he argued.

 

BAU International University is a private, non-profit institution that offers undergraduate and graduate programmes in economics, international affairs, entrepreneurship, global affairs, and international law and economics.

 

The BAU Global Network, which spans three continents, has been providing higher education for over 15 years through its campuses, which are also located in Canada and Hong Kong.

 

Its flagship campus is Bahçe?ehir University in Istanbul, Turkey, which has eight faculties, a school of languages, and two vocational schools.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left), shakes the hand of BAU International University Board member, Paul Brunson, following the recent signing of a $378.2-million (US$3-million) three-year Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry and the institution, for the provision of undergraduate and graduate scholarships for student teachers. The signing took place at The Mico University College in Kingston. The occasion was also used to announce the establishment of a scholarship in Senator Reid’s honour. Others (from third left) are the Ministry’s newly appointed International Donor Consultant for the Jamaican diaspora in the United States, Gail Dunwell, and Mico President, Dr. Asburn Pinnock.

JIS: Sixty-one nominees have been shortlisted under the various categories of the Prime Minister’s Youth Awards for Excellence.

 

The ceremony for the awards will be held on December 6 on the East Lawns of Jamaica House, beginning at 5:00 p.m.

 

The categories are Academics, Agriculture, Arts and Culture, Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise, Environment Protection, Innovation, Science and Technology, International Achievement, Journalism, Leadership, Sports and Youth Development.

 

State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, told JIS News that this year’s nominees were amazing, adding that the Selection Committee had a hard task of shortlisting the nominees.

 

“We were very impressed with the responses in Arts and Culture category, but we were hoping to see more nominees in relation to Agriculture. However, all-round, they were good,” the State Minister said.

 

In addition to the formal Prime Minister’s Youth Awards, there will also be the Jamaica 55 Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence, where an individual will be selected from 55 communities each across Jamaica and be recognised for their contribution to community development. The Jamaica 55 Awards targets persons who have a solid track record of community service.

 

According to the State Minister, these nominees must have served their communities very well. He noted that there is no interview process, but selection is largely based on the analysis of the submissions.

 

Mr. Green noted that the Prime Minister’s Youth Awards over the years target youth who have made national and international impact in the various fields. However, sometimes “we overlook the ones that have served extremely well at the community level but whose contribution may not automatically have national impact”.

 

“So, we went in search of those persons, and we are heartened by the response,” he said.

 

The awardees in the Jamaica 55 category will be eligible for project grants to further their community and youth development work.

 

Nominees for the Prime Minister’s Youth Awards for Excellence 2017 are Academics – Sarah Buckland, Lamar Edgehill, James Peart, Loya Haughton, Abbie-Gayle Johnson, Yohan Lee and Mikeann Channer; Agriculture – Diandra Rowe; Arts and Culture – Shalisha Turpin, Jamar ‘Chronixx’ McNaughton, Akeem Mignott, Shantol Jackson, Aisha Porter-Christie, André Fowles, Gauntlett Stewart, Chevoy Grant, Oshane Robinson, Dario Shields and Reeshena Ball; and Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise – Christopher Boxe, Conrad Mattison, Nicholas Kee, Tamar McKenzie, Javin Williams and Kadeem Petgrave.

 

In the category of Environment Protection, there are Kristofferson Nunes, Andrew Higgins, Kelsey Jones and Adrian Watson; Innovation, Science and Technology – Osric Forrest, Jason Edwards, Terrisa Thompson Barnes and Dominic Mills Howell; and for International Achievement – Arthur Williams, Shaneica Lester, Anne-Teresa Birthwright, Shaekagale Williams and Vanessa Grant.

 

For Journalism, Kimberley Hibbert, Nieka Lewis and Brian Walker are the nominees; Leadership – Malike Kellier, Santana Morris, Andre Marriott-Blake, Sujae Boswell, Naresha Jackson and Christina Plumber; Sports – Llori Sharpe, Elaine Thompson, Odayne Richards, Darren Mattocks and Tyreek Thompson; and Youth Development – the Rotaract Club of St. Andrew, the Jamaica Youth Employment through Culture, Arts and Nationalism (JAYECAN) and the International Youth Fellowship.

 

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