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Youth Ambassadors Receive Instruments of Office

JIS: Six youth leaders were presented with instruments of office to begin their two-year tenure as Youth Ambassadors for Jamaica, during an induction ceremony at King’s House on Thursday (November 23).

 

The Youth Ambassadors will serve from November 2017 to October 2019 in three portfolio areas – Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Commonwealth, and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

 

Responsibilities of the office include promoting and advocating action on critical national and international issues, and bringing national youth matters to the attention of policymakers and planners.

 

Patron of the programme, Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, who presented the Ambassadors with their instruments of office, congratulated the youth leaders on their appointment and encouraged them to use the platform to advocate for youth interests.

 

“As Ambassadors to the United Nations, the Commonwealth and CARICOM, you have the opportunity to influence the decisions of important international councils. In each of those councils, Jamaica has had a respected voice for many years, and you can be assured that much is expected of you,” he said.

 

He pledged support to the youth leaders in helping them to make a positive impact on the lives of those they have been appointed to serve.

 

State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, the Hon. Floyd Green in his remarks challenged the new ambassadors to be active players in advancing Jamaica’s interests in the region and internationally.

 

“This programme is very important, as it carries Jamaica’s position on a number of issues to various regional and international bodies, and we want our young people to take that message forward.

 

Please ensure that you are aware of the issues and Jamaica’s position on those matters, whether they relate to youth development or general issues. We want the youth to push those positions to then influence the Heads of Government,” he noted.

 

Senior Director, Youth and Adolescents Policy Division in the Ministry, Michele Small Bartley, commended the young leaders for their commitment to service to the nation.

 

“These new ambassadors are already proving that they are highly motivated. I have met with them personally and have recognised their willingness to serve their peers. Commitment, enthusiasm and passion are the three salient characteristics I have noted. Execute your task with passion and compassion for those you will serve,” she encouraged.

 

The Youth Ambassadors are Sophia Brown and Nicholas Kee – Commonwealth portfolio; Odayne Haughton and Simone Townsend, CARICOM; and Santana Morris and Charles Young, UNGA.

 

The Jamaica Youth Ambassador Programme (JaYAP) was established to promote youth advocacy and facilitate the participation of young people in decision-making.

 

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

Youngsters in State Care Awarded for Their Achievements

JIS: Sixty-seven youngsters in State care were awarded for their academic achievements in external examinations at a ceremony organised by the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA).

 

The youngsters qualified for the awards after obtaining four or more subjects in the recent sittings of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

 

They were presented with trophies, tablets, plaques and laptops at the function held at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in Kingston on November 22.

 

Addressing the ceremony, Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, saluted the students and teachers for their hard work and achievement, and the foster-parents for the love and attention given to the students.

 

The Minister wished continued success for them and urged them not to be distracted “by those who promise quick riches through the fast lane that never last”.

 

“Remember these wise words that ‘silver and gold will vanish away, but a good education will never decay’. Take your education seriously, and help others to do the same,” he told them.

 

The Minister assured those children involved in the children services programme, which include those in foster care and State facilities, that his Ministry is now in a better position to assist at all levels.

 

“We want to make sure that as a State, we take our responsibility very seriously. If our children find themselves in vulnerable circumstances, we as a State will step in and ensure that they do not face undue difficulties,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, noted that young people must invest in themselves, especially their education, to become people of substance.

 

“You (the youngsters) are a testament that anything you put your minds to, despite your circumstances, can be achieved,” he said.

 

Mr. Green reminded those in attendance that the Ministry this year enabled students, especially wards of the State on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), to sit more than four subjects, by paying for them.

 

“What you will see in the years to come is that more children (wards of the State) will sit more subjects,” he said.

 

Mr. Green also congratulated the youngsters on their achievement and challenged them to “expand their dreams and visions” of the future.

 

For her part, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CPFSA, Rosalee Gage-Grey, said the agency will continue to provide these children with a “healthy environment to help them grow in every sphere”.

 

“We have given equal opportunities to our children, so that they realise their true potential and are ready to face the outside world once they complete their studies,” she said.

 

Mrs. Gage-Grey hailed the students for their achievement and urged them to continue focusing on their studies.

 

Attorney-at-law and former ward of the State, John Clarke, encouraged the students to create a personal plan for the future and write down what they want to achieve in 10 years.

 

The award for top male (CSEC) went to Ronaldo Latibeaudiere from the South East Region, and the top female award went to Valencia Parchment from the Western Region.

 

Top female for CAPE went to Davia Carney from the South East Region, while top male went to Nickorta Samuels from the same region.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (second left), greets Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) awardee, Sanjay Carter (second right), at an awards ceremony for youngsters in State care organised by the agency, at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in Kingston on November 22. Others (from left) are State Minister in the Education, Youth and Information Ministry, Hon. Floyd Green; and Attorney-at-law, John Clarke.

Discussions under Way to Broadcast Stem Content to Schools

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says discussions are well advanced with a local digital broadcast company to facilitate the transmission of content in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to certain schools.

 

“We are way down the wicket in discussions with one of our digital broadcasters to pursue this, and we are anxiously waiting,” he noted.

 

The Education Minister was speaking to JIS News following the opening of the Commonwealth Digital Broadcasting Caribbean Forum 2017 at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston on November 21.

 

The two-day conference, organised by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), has as one of its focal points, the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting, which, Minister Reid noted, provides a number of benefits for Jamaicans.

 

“I think one of the classic ones is the quality of the broadcasts, particularly for those who do not have cable television. The picture quality isn’t very good (on analogue),” he pointed out.

 

“Certainly, in terms of spectrum, for the broadcaster, they can make it more efficient to broadcast several different programmes at the same time,” he added.

 

Secretary-General of the CTO, Shola Taylor, noted that the switch from analogue to digital allows for the development and broadcasting of local content.

 

“Too often, we look for content outside of the region to broadcast to our people…I want to ask people of the Caribbean to develop local content within their region and to export them. In the United Kingdom (UK), I do not find any Caribbean stations,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, Executive  Director of the Broadcasting Commission, Cordel Green noted that Jamaica has been on the journey to switch from analogue to digital broadcasting since 2003.

 

“We’re at a point now where we’ve definitively settled on the date and on the technical standards. Then there are some other issues having to do with funding and ensuring that it is an inclusive process and that no one is left behind,” he said.

 

Mr. Green informed that the Government is looking to make the switch “in the region of 2020 or possibly 2021, conceptually,” but noted that “it could be sooner rather than later because the broadcasters are keen on moving forward”.

 

Held under the theme ‘Reinventing broadcasting for a new generation,’ the forum is part of CTO’s efforts to help countries in the Caribbean region to make the switch to digital.

 

Over the two days, meaningful discussion will be facilitated on the transition, drawing on the experiences of diverse jurisdictions, including the UK, Suriname, United States, Samoa and Nigeria.

 

Presenters include Controller of Distribution Operations at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC); Stephen Baily; President of the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), Mark Richer; and Chairman of Digiteam, Nigeria, Edward Idris Amana.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, addresses the opening of the Commonwealth Digital Broadcasting Caribbean Forum 2017, at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston on November 21.

 

Education Minster Pledges to Assist Alpha Institute

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has committed to assisting the Alpha Institute, so that it can continue to provide training and other opportunities for the young men it serves.

 

Alpha Institute, a private institution registered with the Ministry, is operated by the Religious Sisters of Mercy and caters to the holistic development of young men aged 15 to 19, most of whom are from inner-city communities. Focus is placed on personal development and career advancement training, with the aim of empowering them with marketable skills.

 

The Institute has faced financial challenges over the years, and the Education Minister, during a visit and tour of the South Camp Road campus on Tuesday (November 21), said he has observed the areas of need and will help.

 

“Alpha Institute, over the years, has become an oasis for many of the vulnerable youngsters, particularly our boys, who, when we look at the problems that we have in Jamaica, represent much of the problem. Alpha has been one of those bastions that have been helping to rescue many of our youngsters,” he told JIS News.

 

He noted that while the population at Alpha has been reduced over time because of expanded capacity in the public system, “we’re trying to carve out a new opportunity with them, because there is still… a lot of our youngsters who are really in need. “Because of dysfunctional homes or their own personal circumstances, they need a more caring and nurturing environment, and we will be working with the Alpha Institute to expand their own capacity to rescue our boys,” he added.

 

Among the measures being looked at is for the Alpha Institute to serve as one of the proposed time-out facilities for children who display deviant behaviour. These students would be taken out of the regular school system and placed in these facilities.

 

He said that Alpha could also become a centre for the expanded Career Advancement Programme (CAP), where students could receive two additional years for secondary education.

 

“We want them to continue their education, so that they can be trained and transition into the workforce. We know that over 140,000 unattached youth across Jamaica would have exited the system without proper training and certification so that they can move into the world of work. So, we are also looking at that,” he said.

 

“As the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, we want to make sure that all youth find an opportunity at Alpha Institute or similar institutions… that we make sure we empower them, so they can become disciplined and productive Jamaicans,” he added.

 

Minister Reid said he wants the Alpha Institute to remain an oasis for male students who are not functioning in the mainstream education system and look to the institution for rescuing.

 

“I believe if we can replicate this [and] partner with the vulnerable homes, all our youngsters, particularly our boys, can get a very good education that allows them to remain on the straight and narrow path and become very productive and disciplined Jamaicans,” he told JIS News.

 

Ministry of Education Region One Director, Kasan Troupe, who was also on the tour, said she is pleased with the activities being undertaken at the Alpha Institute to generate funds, which includes the making of wooden gift items and creative screen-printing.

 

“I’m really encouraged by what I’ve seen and really anxious to support. I will champion the cause at my end, because I have seen value and we don’t have to necessarily see a massive structure to say something is going on, just the nature of the children; that’s an achievement in and of itself. When we hear of boys being calm and productive, it speaks to what we are putting out into our society. I’m seeing where you take the aspect of social responsibility very seriously,” she added.

 

Principal, Alpha Institute, Janet Grant, told JIS News that she was pleased with the visit and the expressions of support from the Education Minister.

 

“There is hope for expansion here and even to help us with our operations, so that things can run smoothly. Right now, we have many challenges, not all financial, but many of them need financial resources in order for us to just make life better for the boys,” she said.

 

Alpha Institute offers courses in woodwork, barbering, landscaping, music performance and music technology, among other areas. The programmes follow the HEART Trust/NTA curriculum and standards.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (second right), tries out a trombone during a tour of the Alpha Institute’s South Camp Road campus in Kingston on Tuesday (November 21). Sharing the moment (from left) are Ministry of Education Region One Director, Kasan Troupe; Principal, Alpha Institute, Janet Grant; and School Administrator, Margaret Little Wilson.

Gov’t Committed to Ensuring Access to Tertiary Education – Senator Reid

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the Government is committed to ensuring that higher education is attainable for every Jamaican regardless of their socio-economic background.

 

He noted that through the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) and other bursaries and programmes, students can access financial assistance to get into university.

 

“Our mantra is to get tertiary education to be the norm in Jamaica,” the Minister said, noting that the Government must “provide a pathway for the training and development of every young person in our country”.

 

“We are not into this thing about it being an elitist education system. I want the poorest of the poor to get an opportunity for tertiary education. We are doing all we can to give every student who wants to go to college, a foot in,” he added.

 

Senator Reid was speaking at the HEART Trust/NTA’s College of Hospitality Services/Western Hospitality Institute trade show at the Cardiff Hotel and Spa, Runaway Bay, St. Ann, on November 16.

 

The trade show displayed the work of students in the areas of food and beverage, and tourism and hospitality management.

 

This is under a programme being implemented, through a partnership between the HEART Trust/NTA and the Joint Committee for Tertiary Education (JCTE), for the training of students in areas targeted for economic growth, including business process outsourcing (BPO), agriculture, transportation and logistics, and hospitality services.

 

Senator Reid commended the students on the quality of work displayed and urged them to “continue on the pathway of a successful career as they contribute to the economic growth and development of Jamaica”.

 

He urged them to take advantage of opportunities in the tourism and agriculture sectors.

 

“With the growth in the tourism industry, with more rooms being built, there is an increasing need for skilled workers at all levels in the sector. You are, therefore, taking the right steps in be in the right place at the right time,” he pointed out.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator, the Hon. Ruel Reid, speaking at the HEART Trust/NTA’s College of Hospitality Services/Western Hospitality Institute trade show at the Cardiff Hotel and Spa, Runaway Bay, St. Ann, on November 16.

Gov’t Training 20,000 for Labour Market

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the Government, through public and private institutions, is providing training for more than 20,000 persons in various skill areas that are needed by the labour market.

 

The move, he said, is in recognition that a trained and certified workforce is critical to the country’s quest for sustained economic growth and development.

 

“The Ministry’s remit is to assist in the development of policy and in building a trained and competent workforce, which will contribute to the development of the productive sector, ultimately attracting investments and thereby improving Jamaica’s economy,” Minister Reid said.

 

“Once the country can develop and maintain this platform of relevant and applicable skills, members of society will be provided with more opportunities to improve the quality of their lives,” he noted further.

 

Senator Reid was speaking at the HEART Trust/NTA’s College of Hospitality Services/Western Hospitality Institute trade show held on November 16 at the Cardiff Hotel and Spa, Runaway Bay, St. Ann.

 

The trade show displayed the work of students in the areas of food and beverage, and tourism and hospitality management.

 

This is under a programme being implemented through partnership between the HEART Trust/NTA and the Joint Committee for Tertiary Education (JCTE) for the training of students in areas targeted for economic growth, including business process outsourcing (BPO), agriculture, transportation and logistics and hospitality services.

 

Institutions involved in the project include the Western Hospitality Institute; Northern Caribbean University; The Mico University College; International University of the Caribbean; College of Agriculture, Science and Education; and the Caribbean Maritime University.

 

Senator Reid said the trade show provided an opportunity for the students to demonstrate their skills and also network with stakeholders in the agro-tourism sector.

 

He noted that “with the growth in the tourism industry, with more rooms being built, there is an increasing need for skilled workers at all levels in the sector. You are, therefore, taking the right steps in be in the right place at the right time”.

 

“Your project here today is a practical demonstration of this approach to education and training. We believe that Jamaica must move in the direction of supporting education and training that are aligned to industry needs,” he added.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, addressing the HEART Trust/NTA’s College of Hospitality Services/Western Hospitality Institute trade show held on November 16 at the Cardiff Hotel and Spa, Runaway Bay, St. Ann.

Government Lobbying Diaspora’s Support for National School Bus Service

JIS: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has called on the Jamaican Diaspora in the United States to partner with Government in establishing a national school bus service.

 

He said the Ministry is looking to acquire 100 school buses over the next five years, and encouraged the Diaspora to match this target.

 

The Minister was addressing members at a reception hosted in his honor by Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency Audrey Marks, at the Jamaican Embassy in Washington, D.C. on November 10.

 

Noting that he envisioned a transportation system “that will take our students from home to school and back”, Senator Reid said the input of stakeholders, like the Diaspora, is pivotal to achieving this.

 

He argued that the service will go a far way in reducing student absenteeism and lateness which he attributed to the lack of a reliable school bus service and parents’ inability to afford public transportation costs.

 

Senator Reid assured that the initiative will be rolled out in the rural parishes where students “will benefit from the same level of subsidies enjoyed by (their colleagues) who use the Jamaica Urban Transit Company buses.”

 

While lauding members of the Diaspora and alumni associations for their ongoing contributions to the education sector through scholarships and other assistance to their alma maters, Senator Reid said it was also an opportune time for them to give consideration to other aspects of the sector such the construction of schools.

 

He indicated that although the education system requires 100 new schools over the medium term to long term, there is an immediate need to build 17 new institutions at a cost of $13 billion dollars.

 

Senator Reid advised that the Government has a four-year education budget from which five new schools will be built next year, and invited the Diaspora to, as best as possible, assist with the construction of the others.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (right), addressing members of the Jamaican community in Washington, D.C,, during at a reception held in his honour by the Embassy of Jamaica on November 10. Looking on (at 2nd right) is Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency Audrey Marks.

MoU Signed to Further Boost Child Protection Services

JIS: The Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further improve the quality of services offered to vulnerable children and families.

 

The two-year MoU entails the establishment of a referral system that facilitates social interventions for persons who are assessed and determined to be vulnerable.

 

They include current and former wards of the State; children remanded in government places of safety, pending court decisions; youngsters deemed at risk to be or have been neglected, abused or maltreated by their families; and those on the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH).

 

The MoU was signed during a ceremony at CPFSA’s head office on Duke Street, Kingston, on November 17.

 

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Collette Roberts-Risden, said the MoU will support the CPFSA’s delivery of much needed assistance to the target beneficiaries.

 

“What we hope to achieve…is that any child in need of support, we will refer them to the CPFSA and similarly, any child in need of the programmes in our Ministry, the CPFSA will refer them to us,” she said.

 

Meanwhile, CPFSA Chief Executive Officer, Rosalee Gage-Grey, said the partnership will assist in strengthening the family structure.

 

“We can’t treat with children without treating with their families; and we believe that if we give greater support to our families, then the children will be ok. As we seek to build the family structure in our country, we want to ensure that the most vulnerable who we both serve are protected and provided with services in a timely manner. We see this partnership as very valuable,” she said.

 

The CPFSA, formerly the Child Development Agency (CDA), is the entity under the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information that is responsible for enabling a stable and nurturing living environment for children who are in need of care and protection.

 

The Agency was renamed following its merger with the Office of the Children’s Registry earlier this year.

 

This was done as part of the Ministry’s plans to create a more efficient child protection sector with emphasis on the pooling of resources, timely service delivery, and increasing field services staff.

 

CAPTION: Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Collette Roberts-Risden (left), and Chief Executive Officer for the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), Rosalee Gage-Grey, exchange signed copies of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) established between the entities that will serve to further boost the State’s delivery of child protection services. The MoU was signed at the CPFSA’s head office on Duke Street, Kingston on Friday, November 17.

State Minister Green Wants to Reach More Young People

JIS: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, says the increase in the number of Around the Table activities during Youth Month this year is geared at ensuring that more rural youth are reached.

 

Speaking at an Around the Table dinner at the Guango Jerk Centre in Dunbar’s River, Westmoreland, on November 14, Mr. Green said he feels very passionate about the development and welfare of rural youth, being from a rural parish himself.

 

“I am from St. Elizabeth, and I… feel sometimes that rural youth are left out of what is happening in relation to the Ministry, to Youth Month, and all the activities. We have to change that, because oftentimes the people who really need the engagement are rural youth, because oftentimes there are less opportunities in the community, and that is why we have to create more entrepreneurs and create more opportunities,” he said.

 

Mr. Green said the dinner series, being held this year in keeping with the theme of Youth Month, ‘Substance over Hype’, was conceptualised last year in a bid to enable youth in various parishes to have a greater opportunity to share their ideas and learn from persons who have excelled in their respective professional fields.

 

He added that the Ministry decided to expand the series to cover all of the island’s parishes, and so moved from six last year to 14 this year during November, which is recognised as Youth Month.

 

“I think Around the Table really ties into that theme (Substance over Hype), because what we are saying to our young people is ‘invest in yourself, invest in your community, invest in your country; be somebody of substance’,” Mr. Green said.

 

The State Minister said among the objectives of the series is the creation of networks between successful business people who have excelled in various spheres of entrepreneurship and commerce, including entertainment, hospitality, petroleum and retail.

 

“We said, let us have an intimate sort of setting, so that young people can come, they can share, they can speak freely and they can hear from those business people,” Mr. Green said.

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, addresses an Around the Table dinner at the Guango Jerk Centre at Dunbar’s River in Westmoreland on November 14.

On A Mission To Defeat The Maths Monster

GLEANER: Of the countless lessons The Mico University College has taught 22-year-old teaching aspirant Denielle Morrison, critical thinking is the most deep-rooted.

 

A third-year student reading for a bachelor’s degree in primary education, Morrison is the 2017-18 recipient of the prestigious Arthur Grant Scholarship.

 

But while her merits now afford her such academic honours, the youngster from Wild Cane, St Ann, recounts a time before she had been ingrained with critical-thinking skills, a time when the intricacies of mathematics, her current area of specialisation, threatened to derail her studies.

 

“Like many, I dreaded math. There was a mental block, but at the same time, I knew it was essential. The breakthrough I needed after struggling with it for so many years came during my first year when a particular teacher taught me that it’s all about thinking critically and approaching problems in a systematic way. They instil critical thinking in you at Mico, and because of that, I’m an A-plus student in math,” Morrison told The Gleaner moments after receiving her scholarship during an awards ceremony on the school grounds on Tuesday.

 

Set to graduate in 2019, the Edwin Allen past student already has plans to complete her master’s at Mico.

  

 JUST ANOTHER SUBJECT

  

Thereafter, Morrison is keen to impart her critical thinking qualities to primary students in a remote area, similar to the one she’s from.

 

“I want to bring real-life experiences. I want them to understand that through critical thinking, math, in particular, is just another subject. It’s something we apply in our everyday lives,” she explained.

 

In the same breath, the scholar voiced her support for the partially implemented national standards curriculum aimed at shifting focus away from rote learning and towards critical thinking.

 

To this end, Morrison singled out the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), which is to replace the Grade Six Achievement Test in 2019, as a strategic move on the part of the education ministry.

 

“I’ve been in situations where the day of an exam, or the day before, something happened and I was so out of it mentally that what I produced on the exam wasn’t close to my best effort. With PEP, you’ll be able to utilise your cognitive skills while demonstrating your development over a period of time,” Morrison reasoned.

 

She continued: “So, having grades being accumulated over the years in different areas will be a better representation of the student rather than them just studying or swatting for a few weeks and writing an exam that will determine which high school they transition to.”

 

  

‘I’m Determined To Break The Stigma’

 

 For twenty-two-year-old Denielle Morrison, a tertiary education isn’t just a catalyst for personal development, but an avenue to uplift her family and the small community of Wild Cane in St Ann, where she is from.

 

“I’m the first of three children to be at the university level, and it’s safe to say

 

that just about seven of us from my community and the neighbouring community actually went to sixth form. Unfortunately, from that bunch, only two of us matriculated to [the] tertiary [level] ,” Morrison explained.

 

“It’s the norm to see a girl fresh out of school and pregnant, and I’m determined to break the stigma attached to my community,” she said.

 

A long-time lover of the teaching field, Morrison initially had no access to funds to further her studies after completing sixth form at the Edwin Allen High School.

 

  A GO-GETTER

  

“My parents, especially my mother, were always supportive despite the challenges. But my father made it clear that I would have to join the police force because he didn’t have the means to fund my schooling,” Morrison noted.

 

The Miconian, who describes herself as a ‘go-getter’, explained how she laboured at her past school, Mount Mariah Primary, immediately after sixth form to accumulate funds to kick-start her teaching pursuit.

 

Now well into her studies at the Mico University College, Morrison was awarded the 2017-18 Arthur Grant Scholarship valued at $200,000.

 

The scholarship, which is named after a former lecturer and vice-principal at Mico, was awarded to Morrison on Tuesday, after which she declared:

 

“Sir Arthur Grant has given so much to education in its entirety. I’ll do my best to honour the name of the great man through contributing positively to the sector when my day comes.”

 

Through more than 25 donors from the alumni and corporate companies, Mico awarded 23 students scholarships worth a combined $4 million.

 

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CAPTION: From left, )Sharon Wolf, director, Alumni and development, The Mico University College; Claudia Campbell, recipient of the Earl B. Kennedy Scholarship and Denielle Morrison, recipient of the Arthur Grant Scholarship, at the awards presentation.