JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information will be rolling out a pilot Rural School Bus Transport System in September, through a special partnership with the Ministry of Transport and Mining.

 

This was disclosed by Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ on August 28.

 

The pilot will initially target students of the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH).

 

Students from 91 primary and secondary schools in eight parishes across the island will benefit from the pilot in the first phase. The parishes are St. Thomas, Portland, St. Mary, Clarendon, Manchester, St. Elizabeth, Hanover and St. James.

 

The Ministry has committed $200 million for the first year of the pilot and continues to have dialogue with members of the diaspora and international partners towards expansion of the project.

 

According to the Minister, data in the Ministry have revealed that PATH students significantly contribute to the absentee rate in public educational institutions, and the project will be key to addressing that problem.

 

“The school bus project is one that we are very excited about and this is against the background that 20 per cent of our children generally are absent from school each day,” he said.

 

“When you look at the rural areas, particularly, the cost for transportation is extremely high, and we are very certain that it is a main contributory factor to the absenteeism,” he added.

 

The Minister noted that benefits are provided through PATH at school, but many of the students are still challenged to get to school.

 

He highlighted the fact that the Ministry had previously closed some small schools and entered into contractual arrangements with private operators to transport students from the closed schools to the placed schools.

 

“We are expanding and integrating that transport system. We will also be expanding the services of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company into the Old Harbour, May Pen and Manchester areas, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Mining, and many students now will benefit from the same costs of transportation as in the Corporate Area,” Senator Reid pointed out.

 

The Minister said that there will be similar capacity in the west, where Montego Bay Metro will cover parts of Trelawny, St. James and Hanover.

 

“We are working with Minister (Mike) Henry (in Transport and Mining) to see if we can have a network of buses to cover the main corridors, and then we can take smaller buses to meet them at join-up points,” he explained.

 

Senator Reid said that the Government has a vision of building out a network for a fully operational national school-bus system.

 

The objectives of the pilot include the provision of a safe mode of transportation, scheduled transportation for targeted schools, affordable transportation for students and improving the attendance of students in rural areas.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (centre), gives details on the Pilot Rural School Bus Transport System, which will be rolled out in September 2017. The Minister was addressing a JIS ‘Think Tank’ on August 28. Others (from left) are Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr. Dean-Roy Bernard and Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean.

JIS: With less than a week before the start of the 2017-2018 school year, Educators in several institutions in rural Jamaica say they are more than ready for the tasks ahead.

 

However, they say that while they will be doing their best to facilitate the needs of thousands of students in the classrooms, “we are hoping that parents will also do their part in giving us some much-needed assistance”.

 

Approximately 1,000 public schools at the infant, primary and secondary levels will open their doors to welcome almost 500,000 students for the new school year. In addition, hundreds of early-childhood institutions operated by community-based and private entities will extend their arms to admit thousands of four- to six-year-olds.

 

The educators also note that the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and its regional bodies have been of “tremendous help” and should be commended for their assistance in some very critical areas.

 

“We are doing our best to ensure we have an environment that is conducive to learning for the one thousand-plus students who will be rolling through our corridors next Monday (September 4),” Principal of John Rollins Success Primary in Barrett Town, St. James, Yvonne Williams-Wisdom, tells JIS News.

 

“We must commend the Ministry for its commitment in ensuring that no child is left behind and for the continuation of the lunch and breakfast programmes for needy students. Of course, there will be challenges. However, as best as possible, I am confident we are ready for the start of the new school year,” she says.

 

Ms. Williams-Wisdom says that while security was a major concern in the past, the school has now hired a security firm “to keep intruders out” and to ensure that “our students and teachers remain safe”.

 

For her part, Senior Teacher at Beecher Town Primary in St. Ann, Carmen Brown, says while the back-to-school preparations have been going well, the water situation at the facility remains a challenge.

 

“We have a catchment where we have to rely on the rain and also trucked water from the National Water Commission (NWC). It is not the perfect situation, but we have to make do with the reality at hand,” she adds.

 

Ms. Brown, whose school has excelled in both academics and cultural activities, says that teachers at Beecher Town Primary are really looking forward to the start of the new school year, noting that “our job here is to try and provide the highest quality of education for our children”.

 

In anticipation of the new school year, the Ministry has been busy sending out senior officers in the field to engage in dialogue with educators as it relates to chartering a way forward.

 

Emphasising that education is the most important gift a parent can pass on to a child, portfolio Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, told a recent Jamaica Teachers’ Association conference that every child in Jamaica that is of age to go to school must do so as provided for in the Education Code.

 

“No child must be kept at home without good cause, and no school must exclude any student,” the Education Minister declared.

 

In the meantime, Vice-Principal of Godfrey Stewart High School in Westmoreland, Emily Ricketts, tells JIS News that one of the challenges her school is facing is to accommodate the high number of requests for transfers.

 

“Godfrey Stewart has emerged as a school of choice for many students in Westmoreland. Unfortunately, especially on the eve of back-to-school, we are unable to accommodate many of the transfer requests we are getting,” she says.

 

Ms. Ricketts notes that the school is well prepared for back-to-school activities. “We are all very positive and excited about the prospects of a very good school year,” she says.

 

Over at Maldon Primary in Maroon Town, St. James, expectations are high for a very successful school year.

 

Principal, Audrey Bernard-Kilbourne, tells JIS News: “We too have our fair share of challenges. However, we have been good in working with what we have, and our dedicated teachers and equally dedicated students are ready for whatever lies ahead. Yes, we are ready for the new school year.”

 

CAPTION: Students from a number of schools in rural Jamaica gather in the auditorium for a function at the William Knibb High School in Trelawny recently.

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, continues to reiterate the Government’s non-obligatory policy towards the payment of parents’ contribution at the secondary level.

 

However, he is encouraging parents to contribute to their children’s school, once an agreement has been reached and approved by the Board of Governors.

 

“We believe in funding education up to the secondary level, and we believe that parents’ contribution is still necessary to build effective schools; however, where a parent cannot pay, the children should not be left behind,” Senator Reid emphasised.

 

The Minister, who was addressing a JIS ‘Think Tank’ yesterday (August 28), said the Government presently spends $38 billion annually on secondary education.

 

This amount covers salaries, grants, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), information and communications technology (ICT), science, infrastructure, furniture and nutrition.

 

The Government, therefore, spends between $177,000 and $190,000 per capita annually at the secondary level, the Minister noted.

 

Senator Reid pointed out that the Ministry is also honouring its commitment to increase funding to primary, all-age and junior high schools for the academic year 2017/2018 with a budget of $1 billion, excluding salaries.

 

Based on the budgetary allocation, all infant and primary schools will receive $2,500.00 per student, an increase from $850.00 or more than 169 per cent; while all-age and junior high schools will receive $19,000.00 per student, up from $1,100.00.

 

The Minister pointed out that as at April 2017, primary, secondary, junior high and all-age schools were paid directly from the Central Ministry and not from the Regional Offices, as was done in previous years, to allow for greater efficiency in terms of schools receiving their resources.

 

The schools will continue to be provided with a maintenance grant of $50,000.00 per school, along with a janitorial grant of $172,000.00.

 

Payments for the new school year will be distributed in four timely tranches. The first tranche was disbursed in June, while the second will be disbursed in September. The third and fourth will be disbursed in December 2017 and April 2018, respectively. The Minister stated that the new school year starts on September 4, buoyed by encouraging results in the recent sittings of Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

 

He said the improved students’ performance, particularly in Mathematics, points to the initial success of several teaching and learning initiatives introduced by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

 

“During this 2017/18 new academic year, together we must focus on sustaining this positive momentum in student achievement,” the Minister said.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (centre), addresses a JIS ‘Think Tank’ yesterday (August 28). The Minister and a team from the Ministry provided an update on the Ministry’s readiness for the new school year. Others (from left) are Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dean-Roy Bernard; and Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean.

 

GLEANER:  As you get ready to send the children back to school, here are some tips from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information to help make the process easier:

 

As parents prepare to send their children into the halls of secondary schools, the concern of many is the performance of their child throughout the tenure of high school. That is our concern as well. With a new school, come new challenges and new expectations.

 

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is aware that all students are unique in their style of leaning. To ensure all students have an equal opportunity of learning, we have created the Alternative Pathways to Secondary Education (APSE).

 

The results from your child’s Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), or the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination starting in 2019, will determine the pathway he or she is placed in during the monitored years of their secondary journey. This is not a final pathway; as your children progress, they are advanced to the suitable pathway based on their achievements. Students will also be supported during their years of secondary school with the aid of student support pathway coaches.

 

 Helping Students Achieve Their Potential

 

 The APSE is an initiative that is based on tailored curricula that enables learners to perform at his or her fullest potential based on aptitude, interest and ability. This initiative has three pathways: Pathway I (SPI), Pathway II (SPII) and Pathway III (SP III).

 

Students on Pathway will have access to the National Standards Curriculum (NSC) through grades seven to 13 as per the appropriate syllabi. This pathway allows students to access the necessary exit examination based on their abilities inclusive of the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC), City and Guilds, Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) and the National Vocational Qualification of Jamaica (NVQJ).

 

Support is integral for all students to excel and this is indicative of Secondary Pathway II. It isn’t permanent. Pathway II is a two-year transitional programme that aids students who might need additional instructional support. There will be an evaluation at grade eight which will determine the crossover into either SP I or SP II.

 

The Secondary Pathway III supports students who have not mastered the Grade Four Literacy and Numeracy examination. This pathway will be taught through a curriculum in the following subjects: mathematics, English kanguage, communication, social studies and science. Their academic journey will also be enhanced with personal empowerment, technical and vocational instruction, as well as the performing and creative arts. At grade nine, a career interest inventory will be administered to determine their path under the Career Advancement Programme (CAP).

 

 What Is The Career Advancement Programme?

  

The Career Advancement Programme (CAP) is an initiative under the ministry that seeks to create opportunities for students ages 16 to 18 who are currently in secondary schools or have graduated. It is offered at selected secondary schools, and other private and government centres across the island. Under CAP, students may seek to advance through three pathways: the technical, traditional and general pathways. Our traditional and technical components are offered at 110 centres across the island while the general Pathway is facilitated through the Jamaica for Life Long Leaning (JFLL).

 

The CAP will also provide two additional years to assist students who wish to pursue CSEC or technical and vocational courses as required for matriculation into the world of work. This means if students weren’t successful in their CSEC subjects, there is hope through the CAP! We have also allocated $40,000 each to assist 40 students who are enrolled in approved sixth-form programmes and are pursuing the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), or a National Council on Technical, Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET) skill.

 

For further information, please visit our website at www.moey.gov.jm or call 967-9020 or 967-7802. To apply for CAP, click on the logo and complete form.

 

CAPTION: Students of Westwood High School in Trelawny.

GLEANER: As a new school year approaches, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information remains committed to its primary goal of providing formal education to all students. The ministry is also concerned, however, about the holistic development of all students through spiritual, physical, social and cultural activities. This is done through the curriculum and in the co-curricular activities in schools.

 

To ensure students performing in physical activities or contact are aware of best practices associated with each activity, the ministry has provided guidelines to ensure that physical education (PE) teachers, school activity directors, and other relevant staff are equipped with basic information for the development of programmes from early childhood to grade 12, and also at the tertiary level.

 

The aim is to ensure that students participate in physical activities complemented by a physical education curriculum without discrimination or prejudice. These activities are supported by qualified teachers of physical education and trained coaches.

 

Schools are also required to meet standards as prescribed by relevant governing bodies, the Primary Sports Association and the Jamaica Independent Schools Sports Association (JISSA), among others.

 

REQUISITE SKILLS

 

Staff must have requisite skills to ensure that students are safe during these activities. These skills range from, but not limited to: understanding cognitive, psychosocial and psychomotor development of young people, knowledgeable on matters of training principles, knowledgeable on rules of governing sport activities, and, most important, sports safety requirements and first aid.

 

Critical to the development of all sports-related activities is properly working facilities and equipment. The Ministry of Education has provided basic guidelines governing all areas where sports-related and physical activities are housed, whether indoors or outdoors. These guidelines include adequate facilities to meet the needs, interest, and number of students, relevant personnel to ensure equipment is inspected, the provision of needed gear and the removal of equipment where unfit to use.

 

The following guidelines have been shared with schools to promote participation:

 

– All stakeholders must be aware of established procedures for accident and injury prevention.

 

– Trained professionals must be on all locations to offer first aid, as well as licensed and insured vehicles.

 

– During recreational sports, the selected venues must be close to a hospital, and of course, all students must be supervised.

 

– The readiness of participants in activities is of high priority based on age, skill and their physical condition. All participants must be cleared by a medical doctor and deemed healthy on a periodic basis, especially during peak periods, inclusive of Boys and Girls’ Champs, and Manning and DaCosta Cup competitions.

 

The ministry is urging open dialogue between schools and parents or guardians to ensure there is consent before participation, and also in the event of any medical emergency.

 

– Another aspect requiring attention is that of diet and nutrition. Jamaica prides itself as a nation of great athletes and, as such, we have provided schools with guidelines on this important matter. All staff, students, and caregivers must be educated about the dangers of substance abuse, proper nutrition, and extreme weight-control practices.

 

Staff should inform students about the benefits of maintaining a healthy diet, including the promotion of healthy muscle and optimal performance. This is also important in a student’s diet plan. Substance abuse impairs the normal function of the human body, increases the chance of injury and decreases the reaction time of participants. Stimulants are readily available on the market and can lead to health hazards. These should be avoided at all times.

 

– Stakeholders should ensure students are performing academically and are uncompromised by involvement in sports or co-curricular activities. To achieve this feat, all schools must comply with the current ISSA requirement where a student is required to maintain an 80 per cent attendance record and grades not below 45 per cent in at least four subjects to be eligible for participation in ISSA-related events.

 

In order to deter the practice of ‘buying athletes’, we have partnered with ISSA to ensure athletes transferred are not for economic gain on the part of any stakeholders. All students seeking a transfer must follow the procedure as outlined by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

 

For further information please visit our website at www.moey.gov.jm.

 

– Article courtesy Ministry of Education, Youth and Information

 

CAPTION: St George’s College and Wolmer’s Boys in Manning Cup semi-finals at the National Stadium in 2013.

JIS: Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dean-Roy Bernard, says the Government is placing greater focus on advancing early childhood education to ensure the system produces more well-rounded students who are high achievers.

 

Mr. Bernard said the level of education a child receives during the first three years of his/her life is pivotal in setting a solid foundation for future academic excellence.

 

This, he said, is evidenced by the accomplishments of outstanding individuals such as 2017 Rhodes Scholar, Shakeba Foster, who, he notes, has been excelling from her early years.

 

Ms. Foster, who is 23 years old, holds a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Economics with distinction; and a first-class honours Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Banking and Finance from the University of the West Indies (UWI). She edged out 10 other candidates to emerge the winner of the prestigious scholarship.

 

Mr. Bernard said it is this calibre of student that the Ministry of Education aspires to continue producing.

 

“We recognize that to get (more) ‘Shakebas’ in Jamaica, we have to be deliberate about (the) early stimulation of our children. And so we are partnering with the Ministry of Health as it relates to the first 1,000 days of a child’s life in Jamaica to be deliberate about interventions,” he said.

 

The Permanent Secretary was speaking at a function held in honour of Ms. Foster at the UWI Mona Visitors’ Lodge in St. Andrew on Saturday, August 26.

 

Mr. Bernard said one such intervention is streamlining early childhood education, “so that our children are assessed very early and we can design the educational pathway in partnership with parents.”

 

The Permanent Secretary also mentioned a raft of other strategies being undertaken by the Ministry to improve students’ educational outcomes.

 

These include: special intervention activities for maladjusted and slow learners; building out diagnostics centres in every county for students with learning challenges; and changing how students are assessed academically from grade two onwards.

 

The Permanent Secretary said through these and other initiatives, the aim is not only to produce students of high academic excellence, but individuals who are critical thinkers, emotionally intelligent, problem solvers and experts at conflict resolution.

 

In the meantime, Mr. Bernard described Ms. Foster as a brilliant, resilient, hardworking Jamaican who is “poised for greatness, poised to lift the (Jamaican) flag high (and) poised to cause our national anthem to be heard (internationally).”

 

He expressed confidence that the Rhodes Scholar will continue her track record of excellence as she pursues a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) at the illustrious Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

 

During the event, which was staged by the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World of Jamaica, Inc. (PAWJa), Ms. Foster was presented with various gifts including a framed photograph capturing the occasion of her scholarship presentation by Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, during a ceremony last year.

 

The presentation was made by Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica Information Service, Donna-Marie Rowe. The photograph was produced by the agency, which was also a sponsor of Saturday’s function.

 

Ms. Foster also received gifts from several other sponsors. They included: a cellular phone from telecommunications firm, FLOW; and a day pass for three at Moon Palace, Jamaica Grande.

 

She was also presented with cash, a plaque and a framed copy of a citation among other tokens.

 

 In response, Ms. Foster pledged that she would continue to work hard and expressed gratitude to her family, close friends, colleagues and the church for their support and encouragement in her various endeavours.

 

Ms. Foster’s awards and accomplishments include top student, MSc Economics graduating class, UWI, Mona, 2016; valedictorian nominee, UWI, Mona graduating class 2014; best performance in the Faculty of Social Sciences (highest GPA), UWI, Mona graduating class, 2014; best performance, BSc Banking and Finance, UWI Mona graduating class, 2014; Pan Caribbean Scholarship Awardee, 2012; and first-year prize, first-year student with the highest GPA, Faculty of Social Sciences, UWI, Mona, 2012.

 

Her leadership and co-curricular activities include President, Faculty of Social Sciences Honours’ Society, UWI, Mona, 2013-2014; Administrative Assistant, National Children’s Auxiliary, PAWJa, April 2012-present; Regional President, National Youth Department, Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Ja. Inc., April 2016-present; Youth President, Riversdale Pentecostal Church, January 2014-present; Member of Irvine Hall’s Female Football Team, UWI, Mona, 2012-2013; and Member of Irvine Hall’s Female Hockey Team, UWI, Mona, 2012-2013.

 

The Rhodes Scholarship is presented by the Rhodes Trust, which was established by British diamond magnate and imperial statesman, Cecil John Rhodes.

 

CAPTION: 2017 Rhodes Scholar, Shakeba Foster (right), is presented with a citation by General Secretary, Pentecostal Assemblies of the World of Jamaica, Inc. (PAWJa), Maureen Marshall (centre), while PAWJa Diocesan Bishop, John Thorpe, looks on. The occasion was an event hosted by the PAWJa in honour of Ms. Foster at the University of the West Indies Mona Visitors’ Lodge in St. Andrew on Saturday, August 26.The citation was a congratulatory statement written by the PAWJa, which praised Ms. Foster for her academic achievements as well as her service to young people in the community. The event was sponsored by the Jamaica Information Service; Telecommunications firm, FLOW; and Moon Palace, Jamaica Grande resort.

JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information has awarded 440 scholarships valued $330 million to tertiary students under the Maths, Science and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (MS-TVET) Teacher Initiative for the 2017/18 academic year.

 

The scholarships will provide students pursuing degrees in education, in preparation to teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), with funding for tuition, miscellaneous fees, boarding and books.

 

Students requiring additional financial assistance will be provided with a grant of $20,000.

 

The provision of the scholarships, which are tenable at the University of the West Indies, University of Technology Jamaica, Mico University College, Shortwood Teachers College and Church Teachers College, is aimed at boosting the cadre of Mathematics and Science teachers in schools islandwide.

 

Awardees will be bonded for five years and are required to sign an agreement authorising their deployment by the Education Ministry on completing their studies.

 

The recipients will also be required to maintain a ‘B’ average in order to retain their scholarships, which were presented during a ceremony at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, on Friday, August 25.

 

Portfolio Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, who spoke at the ceremony, said the MS-TVET initiative was part of the Ministry’s strategic approach to increasing the number of qualified Maths and Science teachers within the education system.

 

He argued that the students’ decision to focus on STEM courses, particularly Mathematics, will have a far-reaching impact on Jamaica’s development.

 

As such, the Minister urged them to remain focused on their studies in order to maintain the requisite average which will ensure that their scholarships remain intact.

 

Senator Reid emphasized that the Ministry is committed to integrating STEM within the education system, noting that these subjects are being used as the fundamental base for implementing a new curriculum.

 

In this regard, he said the Ministry has allocated $150 million to embark on this process during 2017/18.

 

He advised that nine secondary schools initially shortlisted have received their allocations, with another 60 being provided with partial funding.

 

Additionally, Senator Reid said the TVET Integration Model is ongoing, pointing out that $153 million has been allocated this year to provide training and equipment for nearly 70 schools.

 

CAPTION: Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (centre), makes a presentation to scholarship recipient, Cariann Stewart, during the Ministry’s Maths, Science and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (MS-TVET) Teacher Initiative ceremony at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on August 25. Ms. Stewart, who will be attending Church Teachers College in Manchester, is one of 440 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) student teachers awarded scholarships under the MS-TVET Initiative to pursue studies, beginning in the 2017/18 academic year. Looking on is National Mathematics Coordinator in the Ministry, Dr. Tamika Benjamin.

JIS: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, has called on parents with exceptional skills to become volunteers in their communities.

 

The State Minister said the skills are needed for better parenting, and the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) has embarked on an initiative to develop “model parents” through the various parent-teacher associations (PTAs) across the island.

 

Mr. Green, who was addressing the Jamaica Police Co-operative Credit Union (JPCCU) 2017 Scholarship Awards ceremony on August 24 at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown, Kingston, said there needs to be community involvement in the upbringing of children.

 

“We want to find model parents and help them to bring other parents along the journey. Some of the critical principles that you instilled, we want you to expand that to other people in your community,” the Minister told the gathering.

 

Approximately 29 students were awarded scholarships and bursaries worth more than $900,000.

 

Mr. Green urged the recipients to be “very careful that your friends align with your goals, your priority, your principles and your value system”.

 

Meanwhile, 2016 Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) scholarship recipient, Assana Thompson, told the gathering that for those going to high school, it is a new “journey of your life”, which carries with it a lot of responsibility as well as fun and excitement.

 

She implored parents to get to know the friends of their children. “Be their friends and be involved in their lives,” she said.

 

Assana added that the scholarship has helped her financially, and to be aware that at all times she must do her best, as failure has a huge price.

 

“It motivates me to work harder, and to maintain a high grade point average,” she told the audience.

 

CAPTION: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (right), presents the Top Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) Scholarship awardee with her certificate from the Jamaica Police Co-operative Credit Union (JPCCU). Occasion was the 2017 JPCCU Scholarship Awards ceremony, held on August 24, at the Jamaica Conference Centre, in downtown Kingston.