GLEANER: Rosalee Gage-Grey will continue to provide interim oversight leadership of the newly merged Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA). Youth Minister Floyd Green has said that no decision on leadership change has been made.

 

The CPFSA, which is the merger of the Office of the Children’s Registry and the Child Development Agency, became effective on November 1 and is expected address issues of accountability and the delays in dealing with child abuse cases.

 

At a press briefing held at the ministry’s offices in downtown Kingston, Green said that he expects that come next year, all the phases would be completed to fully operationalise the entity.

 

“There will always be some level of ring fencing and separation of the registry because it is important for people who want to report anonymously, and we have to put in those safeguards. So there’s one head, who, in the interim, will be Mrs Gage-Grey,” Green said.

 

“It’s one agency, so if someone calls with a complaint to say that their report was not recorded appropriately, you send it to one agency and they do the internal work. I think that will help people who, oftentimes, unfortunately, will go to one and you’re told that you have to go to another, and quite frankly, people don’t want to hear that,” he said

 

Green also sought to reassure persons that there continued to be a renewed focus on ensuring that both rural and urban areas are given equal opportunities of child safety and protection.

 

“One of the things from the full merger report was a call to strengthen our system out of the urban centres and into our parishes. We have done a good job of identifying hot spots in relation to child abuse, and they span both centres and rural areas, and we recognise that it has to be a broad-based approach,” Green said.

 

CAPTION: Rosalee Gage-Grey

GLEANER: Education Minister Ruel Reid yesterday named the first four schools that will be fitted with walk-through and hand-held metal detectors as the Government responds to a rash of stabbing incidents at some of the island’s most troubled schools.

 

At the top of the list is the Edith Dalton-James High School in Kingston where 15-year-old Clive Matherson, a grade 10 student, was stabbed to death by a classmate last month. The incident allegedly stemmed from an altercation over a watch.

 

“The others are Brown’s Town High, Anchovy High, and Norman Manley High. These are for the walk-throughs (detectors),” said Reid, noting that 130 hand-held metal detectors would also be distributed to these and other schools plagued by stabbings.

 

All four schools reported incidents in which students had been stabbed, three fatally, in the last five years, and Reid said that the detectors would be part of a short-term strategy aimed at minimising the incidents.

 

The items were part of a US$3-million donation from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

 

“The long-term strategy is to socialise and to help build better resilience and self-control,” Reid said. “We have to try to transform our culture of aggression in our society by building self-regulation and self-control. We are continuing to put more resources in our schools to enable our stakeholders to better manage challenges.”

 

“We are the ministry that is responsible for solving that (crime) because it involves our children, parents, youths, and, of course, this is the group that eventually gives the problems,” said the minister, noting that the timely donation came as the Government was crafting a policy for dealing with school violence.

 

Yesterday, Maura Barry Boyle, acting deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Jamaica, welcomed the partnership between the United States and Jamaica.

 

“Obviously, these won’t solve the problem. They will go a far way in significantly reducing the number of weapons that make it into our schools and thereby reduce the incidents of violent behaviours on the school compound,” she said.

 

“Critics cite the psychological toll metal detectors can have on children, however, experts believe they go a far way in making the school community feel safer and more secure,” she said, noting that metal detectors have been credited with keeping firearms, knives, and other deadly instruments out of US schools.

 

Vice-president of the National Secondary Students’ Council Sarah-Lee Tucker lauded the initiative but warned school administrators to be cognisant of students’ rights during searches.

 

“Many of our peers have suffered and succumbed to injuries that were inflicted by colleagues. We find that many youth no longer see the need to employ basic conflict resolution strategies, and as such, the level of violence in our schools has drastically increased,” said Tucker.

 

“While this is aimed at preventing students from taking weapons on to school compounds, I encourage all school administrators to ensure that students’ rights are not infringed while searches are being done,” she said.

 

[email protected]  

 

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

JIS: The Ministry of Education’s National Mathematics Programme has been having a huge impact on the Green Island Primary School in Hanover, says principal of the institution, Vascianna Mosley.

 

Mr. Mosley told JIS News that despite the school being one of Hanover’s high performers in the area of literacy with 85 per cent mastery, it has had a problem with numeracy at the grade-four level.

 

Notwithstanding, he said the score now stands at 60 per cent mastery in the Grade Four Numeracy Test, which he described as “tremendous growth” from where the school was initially.

 

“Numeracy is a national problem. Since numeracy was a problem, last year we were given a mathematics coach for the entire year, and she worked wonders. Interestingly, because of the performance, last year we were given the certificate (signifying) where we had exceeded the expectations of the Ministry,” Mr. Mosley told JIS News.

 

“What she did was to sit in the classes and observe how lessons are taught. She did workshops with the teachers to sensitise them to different techniques that they can use in teaching. She literally participated in the teaching-learning process, so she did not only tell us what to do, she showed us how to do it, So, that is working,” he added.

 

Mr. Mosley also lauded the Education Officers of Region Four of the Ministry of Education, who are only a “text message away” whenever guidance on education matters is being sought.

 

Education Officers are responsible for ensuring that educational policies, programmes and support services are delivered in each region under the governance of the School Boards.

 

They are also responsible for training schools and providing guidance in the interpretation and use of examination data and for initiating the development of tools and techniques for the effective and efficient delivery of educational services.

 

“The Education Officers visit on a regular basis. They ensure that everything goes well in terms of administration, the performance on a daily basis and how the plant is being managed. They are doing a very good job, and what I like about them is that they supervise us, but they are so very professional,” Mr. Mosley said.

 

“We have direct communication with them. There is a WhatsApp group that hosts all the principals in the clusters that the Education Officer works. Best practices are always discussed, and so it is easy for you to see or hear what other persons are doing and you can use aspects, based on the culture of your school,” he added.

 

Mr. Mosley also acknowledged the work of his “strongest maths teachers”, who are used as “specialised teachers” to aid other teachers to impart certain concepts to the students.

 

He likened the parents to a pillar of strength, adding that they have been extremely supportive in their contributions to the school and were strong supporters of the parent-teacher association and other school-related activities.

 

“Partnership with the parents may be our strongest area, because at the end of the day, these kids will be going home to their parents; and when they leave school, it is now the parents’ responsibility, and I can’t overemphasise that,” he said.

 

CAPTION: Principal of the Green Island Primary School in Hanover, Vascianna Mosley, interacts with grade-six students at the institution.

GLEANER: On November 1, Education Minister Ruel Reid used the post-Cabinet media briefing to provide an update on the system for the transition towards the new assessment of students at the primary level ­ the Primary Exit Profile (PEP).

Here are the lightly edited details:

 

What is PEP?

PEP will provide a profile of where the student is academically, the student’s strengths and weaknesses, and their readiness for grade seven.

 

PEP will assess students’ knowledge in addition to placing increased emphasis on assessing students’ skills of communication, critical thinking and creativity.

 

As the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information seeks to have students staying in school longer (up to grade 13), the provisions of PEP is a forward-thinking approach that will make students better prepared for the workforce. Students will be exposed from an early age to critical thinking.

 

The endgame is that everyone will graduate with the equivalent of an associate degree at the end of grade 13. PEP’s assessment process will measure students’ performance through demonstration of 21st-century skills aligned to the National Standard Curriculum and generate an academic profile of each student.

 

Advantages of PEP

– More accurate evidence-based information in terms of students’ performance will be available.

 

– Students’ completion of the curriculum and their progress will be monitored more regularly.

 

– More opportunities will be provided for teachers to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses and therefore plan lessons to meet the specific needs of students.

 

– Students will become aware of their progress and teachers will work with students to improve their learning.

 

What are the components of PEP?

PEP consists of three key components: a Performance Task (PT), an Ability Test (AT) and a Curriculum-Based Test (CBT):

 

The Performance Task consists of real-world scenarios that will require students to apply their knowledge and skills from the following subject areas: mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies. The PT will be administered in grades four, five and six. It will be administered within the student’s classroom by their teacher.

 

The Ability Test requires students to read analytically and use quantitative reasoning skills in responding to items. Ability tests generally assess students’ aptitude in areas of numeracy, verbal and non-verbal ability, and abstract-thinking ability.

 

The Curriculum-Based Test will be curriculum based and will assess grade-six content only in the areas of mathematics, science, social studies and language arts. This test will consist of multiple-choice items along with other item types. The CBT will be administered in April.

 

Suggested weighting

Ability Test ­ 30%

 

CBT and Performance Tasks ­ 70%

 

Implementation Plan 

PEP will be implemented on a phased basis.

 

Students who are currently in grade five will be the first PEP cohort. They will do only the Grade six components in 2019

 

Students who are currently in grade three will be the first cohort that will have a complete profile generated ­ that is, they will do the grade four PT in 2019, grade five PT in 2020 and all grade-six components (PT, CBT and AT) in 2021

 

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.

 

Pre-administrative actions

In an effort to prepare the system for the roll-out of this new assessment, a number of activities will take place during this school year to prepare students, teachers and parents to allow for a smooth implementation.

 

We currently have assessment coordinators in the field.

 

 

Schedule FOR administrative activities and training

 

Training of assessment coordinators ­ October 24-November 1

 

Publication of sample item types­ 2nd week in November

 

Town hall meetings ­ November 13-January 31, 2018

 

Training of grade-five teachers on assessing the 21st-century learner­ November 6-24, 2017

 

Cognitive labs and small scale trials ­ December 4-20, 2017

 

Training for grades four and five teachers in administering the Performance Task ­ February 1-23, 2018

 

Training for grade-six teachers on assessing the 21st-century learner ­ May 1-11, 2018

 

National pilot of Performance Tasks for grade four ­ June 18 – 22, 2018

 

National pilot of Performance Tasks for grade five ­ June 4-7, 2018

 

Training of grades four and five teachers in interpreting and scoring rubric ­ July 2018

 

Training of grade-six teachers in administering the Performance Task ­ July/August 2018 

 

CAPTION: Ruel Reid (right), minister of education, greets students of Half-Way Tree Primary School while principal Carol O’Connor-Clarke looks on during his visit to the school recently.

JIS: Approximately 100 youth from across the island will be officially appointed as National Youth Parliamentarians on Monday, November 27, during an Investiture Ceremony at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.

 

This announcement was made by State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, on November 8 at Ardenne High School in Kingston, following his Motivational and Empowerment Session at the institution.

 

He said this Investiture Ceremony is in keeping with the Ministry’s Youth Month activities during November.

 

In an interview with JIS News, Mr. Green said that unlike previous years, the format of National Youth Parliament 2017 will take a different form over a one-year period.

 

“We’re back with the Youth Parliament this year. We restarted it last year. We’re making a number of changes this year. These changes would have come on the basis of feedback that we have got from our young people. We actually have young people who are in charge of the programme, so they have met with me and told me what they want to do,” Mr. Green said.

 

“The big change is that our youth parliamentarians will go through a one-year training period, where they will be given proper research techniques. They will be able to really delve into what the Government is doing, so that when they make their presentations and make their suggestions, [these] are really things that may be happening or a critique of what may be happening. They’ll actually present in Parliament next year, so that is one of the big changes,” he added.

 

Traditionally, the focus of National Youth Parliament of Jamaica (NYPJ) was intensive training in parliamentary procedure for youth to participate in the annual mock sitting held at Gordon House.

 

Mr. Green also told JIS News that the NYPJ has been restructured to enable youth parliamentarians to have a more sustained engagement beyond training and a sitting of the Parliament, while building their capacities for research, policy analysis and project management.

 

The structure for the Youth Parliament will now include the Investiture Ceremony, where the participants will be officially inducted and receive an instrument of office.

 

Throughout the year, the youth parliamentarians will receive training in the areas of public speaking, parliamentary procedure, policy paper writing and policy review, project management and speech writing.

 

Along with the Youth Advisory Council of Jamaica, they will develop work plans to focus on youth development projects in their communities and parishes, while preparing for the sitting of the Youth Parliament in November 2018.

 

The National Youth Parliament was initially implemented in 2003 as a Youth Month activity of the National Centre for Youth Development (NCYD). After a brief hiatus, the Youth Parliament was revamped in 2016 and has undergone further restructuring to ensure that the selected parliamentarians are better able to carry out their mandate.

 

CAPTION: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (right), accepts a token from Ardenne High School student, Jada West, after his Motivational and Empowerment Session at the institution on November 8.

JIS: Parents and guardians are to benefit from two Parent Villages being staged by the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) this month, during which they will learn effective strategies to discipline their children.

 

The villages, which are part of Parent Month activities, will be held in Kingston and Montego Bay on November 11 and 25, respectively.

 

Chief Executive Officer of the NPSC, Kaysia Kerr, said frustration is cited as one of the major factors that lead to excessive disciplinary measures being meted out to children.

 

She noted that parents are often not sufficiently equipped to assess and correct certain behaviour patterns in their children, which leads them to react from a position of anger.

 

“When the children step out of line, the first response should not be one of aggression, but it should, instead, be one that causes the child to reflect on his/her actions. We also cannot emphasise enough the need for parents to influence behaviour through their own conduct,” Ms. Kerr said.

 

She was speaking at a Think Tank held recently at the JIS headquarters in Kingston.

 

Deputy Executive Director of National Integrity Action, partners of the NPSC, Dr. Patrece Charles, said that the desired result of any form of punishment should be that of remorse for the action, on the part of the child.

 

She noted that where children are disciplined out of anger and/or frustration, the child develops feelings of resentment towards the parent or guardian.

 

“If a child is able to feel remorse because of the implications of his actions, he’s more likely to make an adjustment in order to avoid landing in a similar position in the future,” said Dr. Charles.

 

She further indicated that where the child is disciplined in an aggressive manner, he tends to end up feeling as though the parent despises him.

 

This, she argued, creates an even greater issue, as it may cause the child to begin to act out in an effort to get back at the parents for hurting him.

 

“It is my belief that if conversations are had with the child to explain the impact of his actions, and the preferred courses of actions are clearly outlined, the outcomes are far more satisfactory,” Dr. Charles said.

 

“We believe that if parents are offered more viable alternatives to the measures that they have been accustomed to, there will be a reduction in the cases of abuse that happen as a result of anger and frustration,” explained Dr. Charles.

 

CAPTION: Chief Executive Officer of the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC), Kaysia Kerr, addresses a recent Think Tank held at the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) headquarters in Kingston.

JIS: The National Youth Service (NYS) has launched a volunteer project competition geared towards engaging young people in assisting early-childhood institutions to meet the Early Childhood Commission’s (ECC) 12 standards for certification.

 

The National Youth Month activity is being sponsored by the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA), with support from the One Jamaica Foundation, and is open to young people aged 17 to 29.

 

They are invited to adopt a school and submit a project proposal for upgrading of the institution.

 

At the launch held at the Regent Street Seventh-day Adventist Early Childhood Development Centre in Kingston on Thursday (November 2), State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, said the project aims to encourage young people to give back to their community and country.

 

“What better way to do that than to say to our young people, ‘adopt an early-childhood institution’. We have the standards, we know what needs to be done to get them certified, so come up with a project proposal, send it in to us and we will secure some funding for you,” Mr. Green said.

 

“We want to see those proposals coming in, and we are very happy that One Jamaica Foundation has said if you have the idea, you have a school, come to us; we will help you put together an awesome video,” he added.

 

Senior Director for Community Services at the NYS, Rayharna Wright, explained that the objective of the competition is to motivate young people to volunteer their services.

 

“Groups of three to five persons will be required to submit project proposals in the form of videos. The project will culminate with the execution of the winning projects in what will be called a Day of Service. Winning projects will be assisted with prize monies and the participation of several volunteers from different agencies and youth groups islandwide. The Day of Service is slated for November 30,” Ms. Wright said.

 

She noted that institutions submitted for the competition must meet at least 50 per cent of the standards required for certification.

 

She added that participating groups will be required to complete a prescribed application form as well as submit a two-minute video.

 

The video should include the reasons for choosing the particular institution/project, why the project is important to the group, how it will benefit the school and surrounding community, and a plan for continued support of the institution.

 

“At the Ministry of Education and its agencies, we believe that volunteerism definitely helps to shape and add to the betterment of the youth in Jamaica, and through this project, we expect the interest level in volunteerism and dedication of the youth to significantly increase,” Ms. Wright said.

 

Meanwhile, Chairman of the ECC, Trisha Williams Singh, in welcoming the initiative, noted that the youth have a critical role to play in Jamaica’s development.

 

The competition will yield three volunteer projects with prizes of $200,000, $100,000 and $60,000 for first, second and third place, respectively.

 

The prize monies are to be used towards the execution of the projects. Deadline for video submission is November 14.

 

Videos may be submitted to [email protected]; and via Facebook at thenationalyouthservice; and twitter@nyservice.

 

The ECC’s standards relate to staffing; developmental and educational programmes; interactions and relationships with children; physical environment; indoor and outdoor equipment, furnishing and supplies; health; nutrition; safety; children’s rights, protection and equality; interactions with parents and community members; administration; and finance.

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (second right), gives a smile of encouragement to student at the Regent Street Seventh-day Adventist Early Childhood Development Centre, Daquan Brown, as they complete a colouring activity. Occasion was the launch of a volunteer project competition geared towards assisting early-childhood institutions to meet the 12 required standards for Early Childhood Commission (ECC) certification at the Regent Street Seventh-day Adventist Early Childhood Development Centre in Kingston on Thursday (November 2). Others (from left) are student, Natalia Newlands; Principal, Regent Street Seventh-day Adventist Early Childhood Development Centre, Hyacinth Scarlett; and Corporate Communications Manager, Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority, Ava Marie Ingram.

JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and the Public-Private Sector Partnership in Education Committee have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that seeks to better align education and training to meet the needs of the labour market.

 

With youth unemployment at an estimated 30 per cent, the Government is taking a targeted focus on human capital development through education and training, in order to improve labour market outcomes.

 

Under the five-year MOU, an extensive review of the Ministry’s programmes will be undertaken, with the objective of establishing an institutional framework and strategies to deepen the alignment of the education and training sector to labour market needs.

 

At the signing ceremony and information session at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Thursday (November 2), portfolio Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, said the initiative forms part of the reform of the education and training system.

 

Through this collaborative effort, Senator Reid said, he anticipates that future generations will be better equipped with the required competences for industry.

 

Senator Reid said the Ministry recognises that in order to stem the tide of unemployment, greater coordination is needed to facilitate the transition of students from educational institutions to the world of work.

 

“For our economy to function at an optimal level, we need to have our people trained and certified so they can produce the goods and services to drive economic growth and development,” he pointed out.

 

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), Dennis Chung, noted that Jamaica has to be at the forefront of the education revolution in order to “be able to compete with the best globally and tie that into the development agenda as it relates to a joined-up government approach to education and training”.

 

The Public-Private Sector Partnership in Education Committee, which had its inaugural meeting in July, was formed under the auspices of the Education Ministry. It is comprised of representatives of State and private-sector entities.

 

Among its core objectives and functions are to review the current education, training and labour market alignment model to identify the extent of the mismatch; use international best practices and identify institutional models that can be adapted to the Jamaican experience; provide technical advice and make appropriate recommendations to the Minister; guide the development of policy and strategic direction for an institutional framework; provide advocacy; and communicate in a timely manner, the progress of its work to key stakeholders.

 

In attendance at the signing were representatives of the Education Ministry, HEART Trust/ NTA, PSOJ, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), University of the West Indies (UWI), and the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA).

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (right), signs a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Public-Private Sector Partnership in Education Committee at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Thursday (November 2). The five-year agreement aims to establish an institutional framework and strategies to better align the education and training sector to meet labour market needs. Looking on are Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), Dennis Chung (left); and Director of Planning in the Ministry, Barbara Allen.

JIS: The Student Motivational and Empowerment Programme, aimed at inspiring students to achieve their full potential and contribute to national development, was launched on Thursday (November 2) at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.

 

An initiative of the Kingston and St. Andrew Development and Homecoming Foundation, the programme seeks to motivate and empower high-school students in pursuing peace, excellence, discipline, ethical conduct, responsible leadership and developing a commitment to the principles and responsibilities of becoming good and productive citizens of Jamaica.

 

It is supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

 

The inaugural staging of the programme, from November 6 to 10, will involve a week-long series of activities, including special visits to schools, motivational talks, an open day, youth rally and concert and alumnae events as well as teacher recognition and awards.

 

Some 40 outstanding citizens will share personal motivational stories and engage students in discussion on issues of leadership and career development, among others.

 

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, in his remarks at the launch, lauded the initiative and urged students to incorporate the values of love and respect in their daily life.

 

He said the programme aims to give students the opportunity to engage with outstanding citizens, who have achieved in their chosen field and are making invaluable contributions to Jamaica’s development.

 

“So, part of this engagement is to motivate our students to realise their own potential for social responsibility… . We have every confidence that your generation, this generation, can, in fact, surpass the accomplishments of those who went before you,” he said.

 

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, in remarks read by Director of the Kingston and St. Andrew Development and Homecoming Foundation, Morin Seymour, said all students should be empowered to become productive members of society.

 

“My young people, I charge you to stay motivated. and when you feel like you are running low, find the mentors, the person that will remind you to keep going or simply encourage you to let you know that you should go for it,” he said.

 

e urged teachers, parents and guardians to guide the youth to unleash their talents and to motivate them.

 

Chairman, Kingston and St. Andrew Development and Homecoming Foundation, Steadman Fuller, in a message read by Custos of St. Andrew, Dr. Patricia Dunwell, called for more role models and mentors for young people.

 

Established in 2016, the Kingston and St. Andrew Development and Homecoming Foundation is charged with mobilising and channelling resources to help improve the quality of life of citizens in the Corporate Area.

 

The members are Chairman, Hon. Steadman Fuller; Dr. Patricia Dunwell; Donna Parchment Brown; Jean Lowrie-Chin; Morin Seymour; Robert Hill and Joylene Griffiths Irving.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left) conversing with President, Jamaica Student Council Association, Antonette Dennis (centre); and Custos of St. Andrew and Co-Chair, Kingston and St. Andrew Development and Homecoming Foundation, Patricia Dunwell. Occasion was the official launch of the Student Motivational and Empowerment Programme at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on November 2.