JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the Government, through the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC), is committed to providing parents with the necessary training and support to raise their children, as a first line of defence against crime.

 

“It is no longer the Ministry of National Security (only) that is really going to arrest the crime problem in Jamaica. It is the (Education) Ministry, through the NPSC, because we have to change behaviour so that we have positive behaviour,” he said.

 

Senator Reid, who was speaking at the media launch of National Parent Month 2017 on Wednesday (November 1) at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in Kingston, said that responsible and effective parenting can help in avoiding future delinquency.

 

“We have a situation where homes are broken and a lot of children fall between the cracks. There is a good chance that these (children) will grow up to be criminals and repeat offenders,” he argued.

 

The NPSC has collaborated with public- and private-sector entities on various programmes to engage and train parents in effective parenting techniques.

 

Among them are the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education’s Parenting Education Project; the National Integrity Action’s ‘Take the Time’ marketing campaign; and the Ministry of Education’s Safe Schools project.

 

“National Parenting Month enables us to give more targeted focus on the various ways in which we can help each other to create a better society,” the Minister said.

 

Annually observed in November, the month seeks to recognise and celebrate the important role of parents/guardians in society.

 

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NPSC, Kaysia Kerr, said the month of activities, under the theme ‘Be the Influence’, is a call to action for parents to strive to give the best care and guidance possible to their children.

 

“We believe that, this year, our efforts bring with it a different energy. Whereas we see the month of November as a time to celebrate parents, we must respond in a very deliberate and targeted way to the urgencies in society that are all too clear. The NPSC must bring into focus matters related to parenting that need urgent attention and sustained efforts to improve,” she said.

 

The month of activities will include a church service on November 5 at the Calvary Baptist Church in Montego Bay; Parent Villages at Hope Gardens in Kingston on November 11, and November 25 in Jarrett Park, Montego Bay; and parent mentor’s community fora dubbed ‘From Street Talk to Real Talk’ in Breastworks, Portland, on November 14, and at Hermitage in St. Andrew on November 30.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (right) is in conversation with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC), Kaysia Kerr, pictured in conversation during the media launch of National Parent Month 2017 on Wednesday, November 1 at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in Kingston.

JIS: The HEART Trust/NTA has developed five courses aimed at ensuring competency in bamboo harvesting and processing.

 

This is in keeping with the Government’s move to embark on the large-scale commercial production of bamboo in order to tap into the lucrative international market and provide opportunities for employment and community-based initiatives.

 

The courses are bamboo ply technology, bamboo charcoal processing, bamboo shoots cultivation and pre-processing, bamboo coal harvesting, and bamboo culm harvesting and pre-processing.

 

Manager for Curriculum Development at the training agency, Monica Porter-Lewis, said the training aims to establish standards in the industry.

 

She informed that the syllabuses have been approved by the National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET) and will prepare persons for “immediate entry into the world of work”.

 

She was addressing a graduation ceremony held recently at the Clarendon Municipal Corporation for young people who have received training and certification in the production of bamboo by-products, including the incorporation of bamboo in light-emitting diode (LED) technology, under the Peckham Bamboo Project.

 

Mrs. Porter-Lewis said the agency is committed to the development of “rigorous, learner-centred curricula, so that people can acquire the cognitive and non-cognitive skills needed to escape poverty, share in economic growth and fulfil their potential”.

 

The Peckham Bamboo Project is being executed by the Clarendon Municipal Corporation through US$130,000 provided by the Organization of American States (OAS).

 

The Peckham Bamboo Project, implemented in 2015, aims to contribute to the development of a viable and sustainable bamboo sector in Jamaica by creating employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in bamboo cultivation and manufacturing of bamboo by-products.

 

CAPTION: Mayor of May Pen, Councillor Winston Maragh (second right), looks at items made from bamboo at a graduation ceremony for young people who received training in bamboo light-emitting diode (LED) technology under the Peckham Bamboo Project. Occasion was the graduation ceremony held at the Clarendon Municipal Corporation on October 28. The bamboo project is being undertaken through US$130,000 in funding from the Organization of American States (OAS).

OBSERVER: MINISTER of Education, Youth and Information Senator Ruel Reid indicated yesterday that the Government is currently seeking to procure closed circuit television (CCTV) systems for secondary schools.

 

Senator Reid made the statement yesterday in response to questions from the press at the post-Cabinet briefing at Jamaica House regarding reports of indiscipline at Anchovy High School, St James, which resulted in the dean of discipline being beaten and injured by a group of female students.

 

“We are currently looking at procuring such a capability. Overall, that is what our medium- to long-term programme is going to be in regards to aiding our school administrators to better manage the issue of safety and discipline in the schools,” he said.

 

Reid first made reference to Government’s consideration of utilising the technology in maintaining discipline in the schools during the launch of the National Association of Deans of Discipline in Montego Bay in July.

 

He said then that the Government would be going for the highest grade technology with analytical and artificial intelligence capabilities to assist the schools in identifying weapons brought on the campuses, as well as students who are high-risk.

 

He noted that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has partnered with his ministry by providing grant funding of US$3 million for a Safety and Security in Schools Project, which would include procuring CCTV technology.

 

He said that USAID would provide the funds over two years, and that the National Education Trust would act as coordinator for the project. The prime objective of the initiative is to implement measures to transform schools and their immediate surroundings into safe zones.

 

But Reid said yesterday that his ministry had not received any direct request from Anchovy High for increased security, or whether the reported incident had anything to do with the safety and security of the school.

 

He said that it appeared to be an issue of self-discipline where the students were concerned, and that there was already a remedy to deal with that. He pointed out that he could not see how the safety and security of the school could arise in that situation.

 

However, he said that if the school needed additional support for its security, the ministry would provide it.

 

”The CCTV camera network is needed right across the educational system for accurate surveillance of the schools, and we are currently looking at procuring that capability,” he said.

 

Classes at the school’s main campus resumed yesterday, following Tuesday’s suspension, which was triggered by the beating of the dean of discipline by a group of female students.

 

The school board was forced to suspend classes for 1,200 students in grades 9-11, following a number of violent events among the female students on the school grounds, during their lunch break on Monday.

 

A video of the incident, involving the beating of the dean of discipline, went viral on social media hours after the fracas.

 

— Balford Henry

GLEANER: The problems of accountability and delays in dealing with child abuse cases are expected to come to an end after Floyd Green, state minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, revealed that the Child Development Agency (CDA) and the Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR) have now merged to become the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA).

 

The CDA is mandated to provide care and protection for children at risk, while the OCR is to receive and record, assess, and refer all cases of child abuse. In 2013, the Ananda Alert programme dealing with missing children was added to the OCR. After receiving these reports, the CDA and the Office of the Children’s Advocate follow up for investigation and action.

 

Speaking at the launch of New Reports on Violence against Children, which was hosted by the United Nations Children’s Fund in collaboration with other stakeholders at the University of the West Indies, Mona, yesterday, Green said the merger, which became effective yesterday, would see tremendous improvement in the turnaround time in investigations, reducing the significant case loads.

 

“One of the problems we had was that one entity would take the report and then another entity would investigate. What you now have is one entity that would make it seamless from start to end, so the report will go to one place, and as such, the investigator will link with the person collecting the report. This will result in a much quicker turnaround time in terms of intervention with our children,” the minister said.

 

“Now that you have the process in one shop, you will have a seamless accountability framework, a transparent framework, that when a report of child abuse comes in, we know the process that we go through, and we will be more efficient to take care of that.”

 

A press briefing will be held next week to further outline the phases of the merger.

 

[email protected]

 

CAPTION: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Floyd Green 

GLEANER:  As the Ministry of Education prepares its systems for the roll out of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), which is set for implementation in 2019, Education Minister Ruel Reid said a massive sensitisation exercise has been planned for implementation, beginning this month.

 

He said a programme of activities would take place during this academic year to prepare students, teachers and parents to allow for a smooth implementation.

 

The PEP is a new assessment for students at the primary level and will replace the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).

 

Addressing journalists at yesterday’s post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Reid said the PEP would provide a profile of the students’ strengths and weaknesses and their readiness for grade seven.

 

In addition, he said PEP would assess students’ knowledge as well as placing increased emphasis on assessing students’ skills of communication, critical thinking and creativity.

 

According to Reid, the education ministry is seeking to have students stay in school up to grade 13, and as such PEP’s forward thinking approach would better prepare students for the workforce.

 

“The end game 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,” Reid noted.

 

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

 

The current grade four students 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 under PEP.

 

 COMPONENTS OF PEP

 

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

 

– The PT 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 AT 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 CBT 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 per cent

 

– CBT and PT – 70 per cent

 

[email protected]

 

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

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information Ruel Reid has charged his ministry, the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) in particular, to rescue the country from the crime epidemic.

 

In his keynote address at the National Parent Month Media Launch at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in St Andrew yesterday, Reid indicated that no longer would the Ministry of National Security be central to the fight against crime, but instead, his ministry and the NPSC would be leading from the front to effect positive behaviour change.

 

“If Professor Herbert Gayle is indeed accurate – that a large part of the crime problem stems from an aspect of single parenting, more so vulnerable, single mothers who actually torture their boys because they themselves are stressed and they become hardened criminals and repeat murderers – I am giving charge to the chairman and CEO (chief executive officer) of the NPSC, along with the permanent secretary, to work together to ensure that we lead from the front and find every such parent or household that finds themselves so vulnerable,” Reid said.

 

While adding that positive parenting was an important aspect of the country’s social fabric, he endorsed the Parent Month theme, ‘Be The Influence’.

  

THREE-PRONGED APPROACH

  

To this end, CEO of the NPSC Kaysia Kerr outlined a three-pronged approach to position parents and guardians as good influencers in the lives of their children.

 

“The first is to get involved. Parents must pay attention to the day-to-day happenings in their children’s life. Get involved means initiating conversations, probing, listening actively, not with a view to ridiculing, but to giving guidance and support,” Kerr reasoned.

 

She further cautioned parents to lead by example, while encouraging their children’s dreams.

 

“There are many influencers out there who, based on their status and popularity, have managed to capitalise on the gaps in parenting and have become the example for our children. The NPSC is imploring parents at this time to be the example. Additionally, parents should not place boundaries on children’s ambitions,” Kerr added.

 

Activities planned for Parent Month include a church service on November 5 at the Calvary Baptist Church in Montego Bay, St James; a parent village hosted in Kingston at Hope Gardens, and in Montego Bay, Jarrett Park, on November 11 and 25, respectively. There will also be Primary Exit Profile sensitisation sessions for parents across the six regions.

 

CAPTION: Kaysia A. Kerr (centre), chief executive officer of the National Parenting Support Commission, chats with Mark Ellenthorpe (right), managing director of ATL Automotive Group, and Marigold Harding (second right), deputy chairman of the council, Institute of Jamaica, while students of Green Island High look on. The occasion was the launch of National Parent Month at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel, St Andrew, yesterday.

JIS: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid,is encouraging parents to begin saving for their child’s tertiary education from early.

 

Speaking at the Malta Back to School Scratch and Win grand prize handover ceremony on October 31 at the St. Jude’s Primary School in Kingston, the Minister said this is important for the child to realise his or her future career aspirations.

 

Noting that the Ministry facilitates free education from early childhood up to the secondary-education level, Senator Reid encouraged parents to take advantage of this by saving for their child’s tertiary education.

 

“We are just at that point where we are able to provide quality education from early childhood to primary, so that every student will be able to go on to secondary and every student will be able to go up to grade 13, so you will leave with the minimum of an associate degree. That is the kind of education system that we are building,” the Minister said.

 

“The cost for training and certification very often becomes challenging. The Government itself, while we provide free education up to grade 13, will not be able to fund everybody at the higher level.

 

I am appealing to parents to begin to prepare for their child’s tertiary-education programme. You have to save,” he emphasised.

 

Senator Reid further reiterated the Government’s commitment to providing assistance to students pursuing studies in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), through its mathematics, science and technical vocational scholarships, and encouraged the young students to work hard in these subject areas.

 

Malta and Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB) Limited have awarded grand prize winner of the Malta Back to School Scratch and Win promotion, grade-one student of St. Jude’s Primary School, Keshawn Stewart, with a $500,000 JMMB investment account.

 

Keshawn’s mother, Keisha White, who entered the competition on her son’s behalf, will be assigned Trustee for the JMMB investment facility. The funds will only be accessible to Keshawn when he turns 18 and will be used to finance his tertiary education.

 

Ms. White, who submitted several entries in the competition, expressed her appreciation of the initiative, which she said will assist her son in realizing his dream of becoming a pilot in the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF).

 

“I feel very excited. It means a lot to me for when he goes to college, because it isn’t easy to find money for college. My son won’t have to go through that, because I entered this competition. It’s a very nice feeling,” she said.

 

The initiative, which is spearheaded by beverage giant, Malta, in collaboration with JMMB and Kingston Bookshop, has, so far, awarded more than $2,000,000 in cash and prizes in its Back-to-School promotion, for which entries were opened in July.

 

Among the list of other prizes are $5,000 cash for offsetting back-to-school expenses for 40 winners; book vouchers valued at $15,000 each awarded to 20 winners; brand-new Samsung tablets given to 20 winners and $50,000 cash towards school fees for 20 winners.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (second left); Group Chief Marketing Officer for Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB) Limited, Kerry-Ann Stimpson (left); and Assistant Brand Manager for Stouts and Malta, Nathan Nelts (right), hold cheques totalling $500,000 , which was presented to grand prize winner of the Malta Back to School Scratch and Win promotion, grade-one student of St. Jude’s Primary School, Keshawn Stewart (giving a thumbs up), during the handover ceremony on October 31 at the school in Kingston. Behind Keshawn is his mother, Keisha White.

JIS: More than 250 young people have received certification in various skill areas, having successfully completed training under the Alternative Livelihood Skills Development programme.

 

The programme is a component of the Jamaica Social Investment Fund’s (JSIF) US$42 million Integrated Community Development Project (ICDP).

 

Training for the graduates was facilitated through a number of entities namely the Pre-University School; Institute for Workforce Education and Development (IWED); Rakul Enterprise School of Education and Technology; Trench Town Polytechnic College; the University of the West Indies film project; and Internet Income Jamaica.

 

In his remarks at the graduation ceremony held at the Chinese Benevolent Association of Jamaica on Old Hope Road on Thursday (October 26), Managing Director of JSIF, Omar Sweeney, said young people across seven parishes benefited from the training.

 

These include 179 trained and certified Zika warriors and environmental warrens, who will be employed in communities as vector control aides, as well as assist in solid waste management efforts in various communities.

 

Meanwhile, for the Pre-university School, which prepares students to enter tertiary institutions or the job market, Mr. Sweeney informed that 39 out of 41 participants graduated, with over 25 per cent finding work less than three months post training.

 

For the IWED, which offers  certified courses in areas such as home management, customer service, landscaping, food handling, customer relations, office administration, housekeeping and hospitality, there was a 100 per cent completion rate with over 50 per cent of the participants now employed.

 

Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Fayval Williams, congratulated the graduates for completing the training programme.

  

“This is the beginning of something exciting and I want to encourage you not just to sit here with this initial training, but to continue to seek training wherever it is so that you have a diversified portfolio of skills that can serve you in whatever area in which you want to go,” she advised.

 

Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, in a speech read by Advisor, Brittany Singh-Williams, encouraged the graduates to use the skills gained to contribute to the development of Jamaica.

 

“Young people will play a big role in how our world adapt to challenges. With youth comes energy, innovation and optimism and you need supportive environments such as these and opportunities to launch out into the world,” Mr. Green said.

 

He added that it is important that the country continues to ensure that the youth are being prepared with the necessary tools and skills sets for the job market.

 

The ICDP, which is being funded by the World Bank, aims to promote public safety transformation through the provision of basic infrastructure and social services in 18 communities in the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Catherine, Clarendon, St. James, St. Ann and Westmoreland.

 

The ICDP commenced in May 2014 and will continue until May, 2020.

 

CAPTION: National Coordinator of the Housing, Opportunities, Production and Employment (HOPE) Programme, Lieutenant Colonel Martin Rickman (left) presents Nickoy Davis with a trophy for being the Top Performing Male at the graduation ceremony for participants in the Alternative Livelihood Skills Development programme held at the Chinese Benevolent Association of Jamaica on Old Hope Road on Thursday (October 26). The training programme is a component of JSIF’s US$42 million Integrated Community Development Project (ICDP)

 

 

 

 

JIS: The country’s young people are being urged to focus on ‘Substance Ova Hype’ as the country celebrates Youth Month in November.

 

State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, said the theme is a call to action for all Jamaican youth to reflect on their own journeys and identify areas where they can each add more meaning to their personal, educational and socio-economic lives.

 

“Substance Ova Hype promotes a deeper understanding of self and an appreciation for long-term wins and not just a focus on immediate material rewards. In a culture where instant gratification appears natural for many youth, the mantra ‘Substance Ova Hype’ encourages Jamaican young people to not only consider immediate delights, but to also focus on the actions they are taking today, to ensure productive and sustainable livelihoods in years to come,” he noted.

 

“As such, I say to our youth, make yourself into somebody of value. Think about how often you can help your community, country and yourself to be better,” Mr. Green added.

 

He was speaking at the Youth Month launch at the Serengeti of Hope Zoo, St. Andrew on Thursday (October 26).

 

Mr. Green noted that the month of observance will highlight the abundance of opportunities that are now available for Jamaica’s young people.

 

“People often talk about the problems our young people face but let us now talk about opportunities that we can provide for our youth and the potential they have to transform Jamaica,” he said.

 

The Ministry, through the Youth Division and in collaboration with corporate Jamaica, will be providing various platforms to celebrate, encourage and showcase Jamaica’s young people.

  

Activities get underway with a church service and brunch at Church on the Rock, St. James on October 29.

 

A volunteer project launch will be held on November 1; Twitter town hall on November 2; pop up visits by Mr. Green on November 15, 17, 20 and 22 in Kingston, St. Andrew, Portland, St. James and Manchester, respectively; a Vision 2030 event on November 16; and the celebration of International Students’ Day, and a Facebook town hall on November 20.

 

On November 22, a Fi Wi Voice Youth Perspective Forum will be held; Youth Ambassadors Programme installation ceremony on November 23; National Youth Council Elections on November 25; a sports competition on November 26; and National Youth Parliament on November 27.

 

The Prime Minister’s Youth Awards for Excellence to recognise young people, who have excelled in various areas, will be held on December 3.

 

Youth Month celebrates the resilience and creativity of Jamaica’ young people. The primary objectives are to advance youth participation in the socio-political, economic, cultural and religious processes of society; and celebrate and highlight the outstanding contributions and achievements of Jamaican youth.

 

The observation also serves to showcase and display the best of youth talent in Jamaica, promote national pride and goodwill, as well as foster national, community and youth development.

 

The launch included a ‘Paint and Sip’ event, where the young people in attendance were encouraged to create their own keepsake paintings. The event climaxed with a party.

 

CAPTION: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, the Hon. Floyd Green, observes young people creating works of art at the launch of Youth Month launch on Thursday, October 26 at the Serengeti, Hope Zoo in St. Andrew.

JIS: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says Jamaica can benefit from enormous economic possibilities for increased trade with non-English-speaking countries, if more persons become multilingual.

 

Citing the apprehension by some individuals about Jamaica engaging in trade with non-English-speaking countries, Senator Reid said significant expansion in the global space within which nations now operate has resulted in more persons broadening their skills to include the ability to communicate in different languages.

 

He was speaking at the Ministry’s ninth Foreign Languages Annual General Meeting, which was held at Shortwood Teachers’ College on October 27 under the theme ‘Unearthing the Kit for the 21st Century Foreign Language Learner’.

 

The Minister argued that based on the increased number of languages at which persons across the world are becoming adept, “the more we can empower Jamaicans… to be able to speak other languages (is the more) I think trade will become easier for Jamaica”.

 

Senator Reid said the Government, in recognition of the importance of foreign-language skills in the global economy and their relevance to virtually all career fields, has been taking steps to ensure that youngsters are so exposed at an early age.

 

The Minister noted that student competence in a foreign language is part of the goals of the Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan.

 

Additionally, he said the new National Standards Curriculum highlights the importance of teacher competence in delivering student-centred education as among the new trends in foreign-language teaching.

 

“We are driving that from very early… trying to make it mandatory that students are exposed to foreign languages, with particular emphasis on training of teachers to deliver Spanish at the primary level as well as professional development of all foreign-language teachers,” the Minister said.

 

“As a Caribbean region, if we can effectively integrate and relate to our non-English-speaking neighbours (through) foreign-language skills, that certainly would be a great asset,” he added.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left), is greeted by foreign language trainee teacher, Ryan Mullings, on arrival at Shortwood Teachers’ College in St. Andrew on Friday (October 27) for the Ministry’s ninth foreign languages annual general meeting. Others (from second left) are trainee teachers, Shamore Roberts, Justin Kerr, Tanra Wright and Desirée Walker.