JIS: Improved pass rates were recorded for 18 of the 34 subjects sat in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination this year.

 

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, revealed the results of the exam during a press conference at his National Heroes Circle offices in Kingston, on August 18.

 

He noted that overall, the highest increase was in Economics, which recorded an improvement of 12.6 per cent.

 

“There were also increases in the average pass rates for Additional Mathematics (3 per cent); Agricultural Science Double and Single Awards (2.5 and 4.4 per cent); Principles of Accounts (8 per cent); Information Technology (7.3 per cent); Technical Drawing (7.2 per cent) and Theatre Arts (9.3 per cent),” he said.

 

However, there were declines in English B of 13.2 per cent, and Biology, 12 percent, compared with the previous year.

 

The Minister further informed that five subjects had average pass rates of over 90 per cent. These are: Agricultural Science Double Award (96.8 per cent); Agricultural Science Single Award (91.3 per cent); Principles of Business (91.4 per cent); Physical Education and Sport (96.2 per cent); and Food (92 per cent).

 

Turning to Mathematics and English Language, specifically, Mr. Reid noted that these subjects recorded passes of 50.2 and 70.8 per cent, respectively.

 

“When the average attainment rates for Mathematics and English Language were compared with 2016 results, there is a satisfactory movement of 2.5 per cent increase in Mathematics and a little marginal decline in English Language of 0.4 per cent,” he said.

 

A total of 33,799 students sat the exam of the 35,619 that were registered. Sixty seven per cent (22,556) obtained passes at grades 1 to 3. Some 307 more students were registered when compared to 2016.

 

There were 195,498 subject entries of which 188,307 were sat. Of the subjects that were sat, 69.1 per cent were awarded grades 1 to 3.

 

This was a 1.1 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left), highlights a point while addressing a press conference at his National Heroes Circle offices in Kingston on August 18. The conference was held to discuss the 2017 results of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination. Others (from second left) are: Permanent Secretary, Dean-Roy Bernard; and Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean

JIS: The performance by students in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), improved by 3.2 per cent this year.

 

This was disclosed by Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, at a press conference held at his National Heroes Circle offices in Kingston, on August 18.

 

He informed that there was improved performance in 23 of the 36 subjects, when compared with 2016. The overall subjects included four new areas.

 

“There was a total of 59,740 subject entries for Units 1 and 2. Of this number, 56,468 (approximately 95 per cent) sat these examinations, with an average pass rate of 89.8 per cent, compared to 86.6 per cent last year when 59,394 subject entries were sat,” he said.

 

Providing a further breakdown of the results, Mr. Reid informed that Unit 1 had a total of 41,948 subject entries, of which 39,463 were sat with a pass rate of 88.9 per cent.

 

Of the 17,792 subject entries for Unit 2, a total of 17,005 were sat, with a pass rate of 91.8 per cent.

 

Turning to the performance of students in specific subject areas, the Minister informed that Electrical and Electronic Technology recorded an increase of 29.6 per cent, while Integrated Mathematics saw an increase of 28.8 per cent over the previous year.

 

However, Applied Mathematics and Pure Mathematics saw slight declines of 7.8 and 1.9 per cent respectively, when compared with 2016.

 

In the meantime, Mr. Reid informed that public schools accounted for 84.4 per cent (50,408) of the subject entries for Units 1 and 2. Of this number, 48,116 were sat, with an average pass rate of 91.3 per cent, which is an increase of 3.4 per cent over the previous year.

 

“Unit 1 had a total of 35,129 subject entries, of which 33,413 (95.1 per cent) were sat, with a pass rate of 90.6 per cent, representing a 2.4 percentage points increase from the previous year. Of the 15,279 subject entries for Unit 2, a total of 14,703 (96.2 percent) were sat, with a pass rate of 93 per cent, registering a 5.7 percentage points increase compared with 2016,” he said.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, responds to questions from journalists during a press conference at his National Heroes Circle offices in Kingston on August 18. The conference was held to discuss the 2017 results of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination.

OBSERVER: THE less traditional subjects have shown marked improvement in the May/June 2017 sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).

 

For public school CSEC entries, agricultural science single award recorded a pass rate of 91. 3 per cent, up from 86.8 per cent last year, while agricultural science double award recorded a 96.8 per cent pass rate, up from 94.3 per cent in 2016.

 

A total of 3,145 students sat agricultural science single award this year compared to 2940 last year. The number for agricultural science double award this year was 373, compared to 402 in 2016.

 

Technical drawing also showed improved performance this year, with 70. 2 per cent of the 3,664 candidates receiving a passing grade. The figure for 2016 was 63 per cent of 3,634 candidates.

 

There are also improvements in theatre arts — 88.1 per cent, up from 78.8 per cent in 2016; food and nutrition — 92 per cent, up from 89. 4 per cent last year; economics moved 12.8 percentage points up to 84.1 per cent; additional mathematics moved three percentage points to 65.3 per cent; while physical education and sport recorded 96. 2 per cent pass, up from from 96.0 per cent in 2016.

 

Further, the results showed that males achieved higher percentage passes than females in three subjects — biology, chemistry and electronic document preparation and management.

 

For CAPE, electrical and electronic technology saw a 29.6 percentage point increase this year, and integrated mathematics had a 28.8 percentage point increase over the previous year. However, applied mathematics and pure mathematics recorded a slight decline of 7.8 and 1.9 percentage points respectively when compared with 2016.

 

Unit 1 art and design, which had 84 candidaates, was the only subject with a 100 per cent pass rate.

 

For Unit 2, the subjects that recorded 100 passes were French, performing arts (cinematic arts), performing arts (dance) and performing arts (music).

 

The subjects with an average pass rate of over 90 per cent for unit 1 include biology, building and mechanical engineering drawing, Caribbean studies, chemistry, communication studies, digital media, electrical and electronic engineering technology, entrepreneurship, environmental science, food and nutrition, French, geography, green engineering, information technology, literatures in English, management of business, physical education and sport, physics and Spanish.

 

For Unit 2, the subjects with and average pass rate of over 90 per cent are art and design, biology, building and mechanical engineering, drawing, chemistry, computer science, economics, electrical and electronic engineering drawing option A and B, entrepreneurship, environmental science, food and nutrition, geography, information technology, law, literatures in English, physical education and sport, physics, sociology and tourism.

 

CAPTION: Education Minister Senator Ruel Reid speaks on Jamaica’s performance in the recent sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), at a press conference held Friday at the Ministry of Education, Heroes’ Circle. To his right is permanent secretary in the ministry, Dean-Roy Bernard. (Photo: Joseph Wellington) 

GLEANER: Education is a human right and a key factor to reducing poverty. Education promotes both social development and economic growth.

 

Many people still fail, however, to see the link between education and the economy, since education is basically understood to be book learning rather than as an investment. The basic function of education is to create a society equipped to deal with the challenges that will present themselves. It is in this respect that the deficiencies of the education system should be recognised, certainly in Jamaica’s case.

 

In times past, education was seen as a scarce commodity in which the rich would have been in a position to offset the cost to send their loved ones to school, while the poor slaves were expected to carry out the manual work on the sugar cane plantations and estates. Sir John Peter Grant, in 1865, began to construct government primary schools with the intention to serve the poor.

 

Years later, a revolution in education started in the mid-1950s when the then government rolled out the expansion of places in secondary schools, but still, without the proper support in place that was already geared towards the privileged.

 

Edwin Allen changed the policy in 1965, which required 70 per cent of all places in secondary school to be allotted to students from the government-run primary schools. Although this was a step in the right direction, it did not create an education system for all. This also created a massive shortage of places. The World Bank then agreed to finance the construction of 60 new secondary schools, which saw even further expansion in the education system.

 

 

 

State-Paid Tuition

 

 

The policy of state-paid tuition was reintroduced in 2007, under the government led by Bruce Golding, with Andrew Holness (now prime minister) as education minister. Current Education Minister Senator Ruel Reid and I served as his special advisers, along with Alphansus Davis, Harold Malcolm and Dr Rebecca Tortello.

 

The current Jamaica Labour Party government led by Prime Minister Andrew Holness believes that a good education will lead to economic gain. We have embraced the mantra that “every child can learn and every child must learn” and moved it beyond slogan to fuller support. Hence the administration has taken steps to better fund the education system.

 

The JLP administration inherited a system in 2007 of $5,750 per capita and moved it to a 100% increase to $11,500. That figure remained unchanged throughout the life of the immediate past administration. The current administration has increased the allocation from $11,500 to $17,000, and $19,000 per capita up to sixth form.

 

Significantly, however, additional funding has been made available to institutions to assist with infrastructure, part-time staff, temporary staff, ICT, TVET, and CAP. Plans for the upcoming school year include the gardening programme that

 

I chair, which will be implemented this September in primary schools in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. This will provide produce for a more nutritional diet for our students. There is also the extension of the programme for PATH beneficiaries in obtaining a cooked meal five days a week compared to the previous three days.

 

The Ministry of Education has also started the early delivery of furniture to schools from the end of last month. We should also note the new school bus system and the book rental system at no expense to the individual schools – both are significant breakthroughs in the system.

 

 

 

Underfunded Schools

 

 

For years, primary schools remained underfunded. In the last administration, a total of $920 per capita was allocated for the school year. However, under the new arrangement, this amount will be increase to $2,500 per capita for the year and all-age schools will see an increase from $11,000 per capita to the same as secondary schools, which is $19,000 per capita for the year.

 

This administration has increased the funding for operational expenses of secondary schools from US$2.6 billion left by the current administration to US$5.3 billion 2016-2017 and moving it to US$7.2 billion for 2017-2018.

 

This is the first time in the history of the school system that so many administrators have adequate resources to fund their institutions. I spoke with a primary-school principal last week who noted that he could now prepare his plant for the upcoming school year and purchase a photocopying machine that he has wanted to do for some time but was crippled by a lack of resources.

 

I recall sitting in a meeting with the Jamaica Teachers’ Association and hearing a former president say of the current minister:

 

“Sir, I told you this before and I am saying it again: There is absolutely no doubt that the schools are being impacted in a positive way by your stewardship.”

 

Schools are being better funded. It may not be at the 100 per cent we would like, but it is much better, and they are in a much better situation than that to which they had become accustomed. School administrators should, therefore, abide by the fees policy outlined by the minister and, by extension, the ministry. There are systems and policies in place to address shortfalls.

 

Let us not deprive our students of a solid education or put a stigma on those who may be unable to meet specific requested additional fees. Let us not prevent them from entering the compound because they fail to pay. Let us adhere to the policy and give every child a fair chance in life. Let us be transformational leaders and not transactional leaders – a term I first heard from Prime Minister Holness.

 

Let us move from the slavery and post-slavery-era elitism in education. Let us give our children the support they need. Our future depends on it.

 

– Robert D. Miller is a consultant to the minister of education, youth and information. Email feedback to [email protected].

JIS: JAMAICA has recorded an increase in mathematics passes in the May/June 2017 sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, but there has been a drop in sciences and English Language passes, Education Minister Senator Ruel Reid has disclosed.

 

Of the 33,799 students from public schools who wrote the examinations, 22,566 attained grades one to three passes — 13,890 females and 8,666 males.

 

However, the total subject entries for males was 80,249, of which 76,045 sat the exam with 49,514 attaining grades one to three passes; while the total subject entries for females was 115, 249 of which 112, 262 sat the examinations and 80,530 received grades one to three passes.

 

Reid pointed out that 34 subjects were sat and 18 showed improved pass rates over 2016.

 

For public schools, while mathematics recorded a 50.2 percentage pass higher than last year’s 47.7 per cent pass, resulting in a 2.5 percentage point increase, English language recorded a 70.8 percentage pass, 0.4 percentage points down from last year’s 71.2 percentage pass.

 

However, in the islandwide performance English language had a 65.8 percentage pass, one percentage point up from last year, and mathematics had a 42. 0 percentage pass up from 41.0 last year.

 

The passes for English literature in public schools also decreased, moving 13. 2 percentage points down from a 68.5 per cent pass rate to 55.3 a per cent pass rate. For all schools, literature passes were 54. 2 per cent, down from 67. 5 per cent.

 

 On closer examination of the data sheet, all science subjects sat, except human and social biology, showed a percentage pass decrease, compared to last year.

 

Human and social biology moved from a 52.5 per cent pass rate in public schools to a 55.3 per cent pass rate, while islandwide 53.4 per cent passed, up from 51. 0 per cent in 2016.

 

For biology in public schools, of the 6,295 students who sat the examination 69.7 per cent passed, indicating a decrease from an 81.7 per cent pass rate last year from 6,098 students.

 

In chemistry, 54.1 per cent of the 5,518 public school students who sat the examination passed, down from a 57. 1 per cent from 5,305 students in 2016.

 

Integrated science saw 51.6 per cent of 5,910 students passing the examination, compared to 52.3 per cent of 5,782 students last year. Physics recorded a 58. 6 per cent pass from 5,415 students, down from a 63. 2 per cent pass from 5,141 students in 2016.

 

Overall, the science figures were no different as biology saw a 67.2 per cent pass, down from 79.1 per cent; chemistry recorded a 49.1 per cent pass, down from 51.4 per cent; integrated science had a 51.0 per cent pass, down from 52.0 per cent and physics showed a 54.8 per cent pass, down from 59.2 per cent.

 

To help improve this matter, Reid said the Ministry of Education has been aiming to strengthen teacher competence at earlier stages in the education system by bringing more technology and having labs within primary schools.

 

At the high school level, he said work is being done to change the approach of teachers and students to learning, as “all the questions for science are application, and not just recall”, explaining that some questions require practical knowledge of real-life situations which many students are not exposed to. As a result, teachers will have to look at a more hands-on approach to teaching and learning, he said.

 

Economics had the highest percentage increase, moving from a 71.7 per cent pass rate last year to 84.1 per cent.

 

There were also increases in the pass rate for additional mathematics, agricultural science (double and single awards), principles of accounts, information technology, technical drawing, and theatre arts.

 

Additionally, five subjects — agricultural science (double and single award), principles of business, physical education and sport as well as food and nutrition — had average pass rates of more than 90 per cent.

 

Meanwhile, the education minister disclosed that the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) saw an average pass rate of 89.8 per cent, compared with 86.6 per cent in 2016.

 

He further explained that Unit 1 had a total of 41,948 entries of which 39,463 were sat with a pass rate of 88.9 per cent; and Unit 2 had 17,792 entries, of which 17,005 were sat with a pass rate of 91. 8 per cent.

 

Reid added that for public schools Unit 1 one showed an increase of 2.4 percentage points over the previous year and Unit 2 registered a 5.7 percentage point increase, compared to 2016.

 

The minister said there were four new subject areas — financial services studies, green engineering, performing arts (cinematic arts) and performing arts (music).

 

Moreover, 23 subject areas for CAPE showed improved performance. Notable increases were shown in electrical and electronic technology and integrated mathematics of 29.6 and 28.8 percentage points respectively.

 

Applied and pure mathematics had a decline of 7.8 and 1.9 percentage points, compared to 2016.

 

CAPTION: Education Minister Senator Ruel Reid speaks on Jamaica’s performance in the recent sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations at a press conference held Friday at the Ministry of Education MOE, Heroes’ Circle, Kingston. To his right is permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, Dean-Roy Bernard. (Photo: Joseph Wellington) 

 

 

JIS: The Government is streamlining services within the child protection sector with the launch of the Child Case Management System (CCMS), incorporating the Social and Health Management (SOHEMA) software.

 

Developed by Canadian software development company, Avocette, the software allows child-protection officers to upload and track cases of children who are registered in the child-protection system.

 

The software will enable users to digitally track, update and evaluate client information.

 

The software interface system will also facilitate real-time information-sharing among key child-protection agencies, including the family and children’s courts; the Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR); the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA); the Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

 

State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, who brought greetings at the launch held on August 16 at the CDA’s downtown Kingston headquarters, said the software will greatly enhance the CDA’s ability to track the needs of each child in the system and effectively monitor and manage cases.

 

“Part of our role and responsibility as a Government is to formulate a child protection sector that is effective and efficient, especially considering we are dealing with the most vulnerable members of our population,” Mr. Green said.

 

“To put it in context, we get about 13,000 child-abuse reports each year. That means we are treating with about 1,200 reports of child-abuse cases each month. Can you then imagine the difficulty our childcare officers had when all these cases were paper and files and were passed around to ensure that the work was being done. This will help us to rid ourselves of that system and the inefficiency that is inherent in that kind of (paper-based) system,” he added.

 

Meanwhile, Acting Mission Director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Rebecca Robinson, said the agency remains committed to working with the Jamaican Government to improve the outcomes of youth in State care.

 

“Technology presents effective tools at our fingertips which can ease the process of enormous amounts of data that organisations such as the child-protection agencies are expected to maintain. We hope that the system will bolster the capacity of the CDA to respond to the needs of the wards of the State right from the time that they enter the child-protection system up until they exit care,” she said.

 

For her part, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CDA, Rosalee Gage-Grey, noted that 150 CDA staff members have, so far, been trained in the use of the software, and expressed her enthusiasm for the use of technology-based solutions to advance the work of the child protection sector.

 

“We are excited to be able to reveal a product that will enable our officers to efficiently track clients and cases, so that our officers will dedicate their time to serving our children,” she said.

 

The SOHEMA Child Case Management System is developed and implemented under the USAID’s ‘Transitional Living Programme for Children in State Care’ project. The agency provided $16.4 million in funding for the development of the system.

 

CAPTION: State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (seated left), navigating the newly developed Social and Health Management software (SOHEMA) – Child Case Management System (CCMS) during the launch on August 16 at the Child Development Agency (CDA) headquarters in downtown Kingston. Developed by Canadian software development company, Avocette, the software allows child-protection officers to upload and track cases of children who are registered in the child-protection system. Seated (from second left) are Acting Mission Director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Rebecca Robinson, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Avocette, Scott Ross. In the background (from left) are System Administrator for the CDA, George Bowes; Project Integration Manager for Avocette, Cathy Deluca and Chief Executive Officer for the CDA, Rosalee Gage-Grey.

JIS: Some 120 mathematics coaches and specialists assigned to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information will participate in a training workshop from August 21 to 24, hosted by Book Merchant Limited at Shortwood Teachers’ College, in Kingston.

 

They will join 800 primary and early-childhood maths teachers who will be exposed to Best Practices in Mathematics at the workshop, dubbed: ‘Amazing Math Powers… PR1MED for Success’.

 

National Mathematics Coordinator at the Ministry, Dr. Tamika Benjamin, told JIS News that the Ministry fully supports the programme, which is certified by the Jamaica Teaching Council, the agency which is responsible for teacher-training and licensing. She lauded the consistent effort of Book Merchant Limited to support the work of the Ministry.

 

“Last year, they brought two scholastics from Singapore to train principals and teachers, and, this year, they continue to provide opportunities for our maths teachers to be trained,” Dr. Benjamin pointed out.

 

Book Merchant Limited has a long-standing history of investing in the capacity-building of teachers and teaching quality through the provision of professional-development resources and teacher-training programmes.

 

Training and Development Specialist at Book Merchant Limited, Joni Gocool, told JIS News that since 2014, some 2,000 mathematics teachers, coaches and specialists in Jamaica and the Caribbean have benefited from this training initiative.

 

She said the workshop falls under the Scholastic PRIME Mathematics Programme, which is based on a highly successful Singaporean model of teaching. Miss Gocool pointed out that Singapore is leading in both subjects, according to the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study.

 

Renowned Scholastic Professional Development Specialist and Lead PRIME Mathematics Specialist from Singapore, Kelly Lim Kai Ling, will lead a team of local and regional facilitators in the training sessions.

 

Meanwhile, Clinical Psychologist and Life Coach in Jamaica, Dr. Rose Johnson, will present on Emotional Intelligence. She will provide teachers with innovative strategies, which, when utilised, should bring about immediate behavioural change in students.

 

According to Miss Gocool, “a lot of changes are taking place in the education sector right now, as the traditional method of drill and practice is not working”.

 

“We are doing things differently this year, so instead of going into the different schools to conduct training, we brought all the teachers together over the course of four days.

 

We have also opened it up to anyone who is interested in this new method of teaching… they are invited to participate in the workshop,” she said.

 

At the end of the training, the participants will receive joint certification from the Jamaica Teaching Council and Shortwood Teachers’ College. Sponsors for the workshop include NCB Foundation, JN Bank, Maxie Department Store, National Housing Trust (NHT) and Shortwood Teachers’ College.

 

For further information, persons can contact Joni Gocool at 946-0926 or email: [email protected].

 

CAPTION: National Mathematics Coordinator at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr. Tamika Benjamin

JIS: The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) has reported that an additional eight early-childhood institutions (ECIs) have met the ECC’s 12 operating standards and are now certified.

 

This brings to 55 the total number of ECIs that have attained certification to date.

 

Executive Director of the ECC, Karlene DeGrasse Deslandes, told JIS News that the achievement is timely, “as our nation is celebrating a momentous occasion – 55 years of Independence.

 

She emphasised that early childhood is the most critical period in a child’s life and must be taken seriously.

 

“Therefore, the ECC has embarked on a drive to ensure the provision of access to high-quality early-childhood programmes and services, recognising the importance of the first 1,000 days of a child’s life,” Mrs. DeGrasse Deslandes said.

 

While applauding the effort of all the institutions that attained certification recently, she is encouraging urgency among the other ECIs in ensuring that they strive to meet and exceed the operating standards to achieve certification.

 

She also emphasised the importance of public support of cash or kind to these institutions, as this is critical in assisting the community-based ECIs. Certified ECIs have the responsibility to maintain the standards of an effective learning environment. This includes appropriate and qualified staff, secure and stimulating settings, proper nutrition, and upholding the rights of the children.

 

The eight ECIs that were recently certified are Fern Grove and Mile End Basic Schools in St. Ann; Building Blocks Pre School, Kingston; Emerald Prep and Kindergarten, St. James; Barbara E. Lee Hing, Manchester; Mineral Heights Christian Kinder-Prep/Basic School in Clarendon; and Angie’s Early Childhood Centre, Portland.

 

The ECC is an agency of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information with a mandate to coordinate all activities, development plans and programmes within the early childhood sector.

 

The Commission has been promoting the certification of all early-childhood institutions as one of its mission-critical legislated requirements.

 

For more information, persons can contact the Early Childhood Commission at: [email protected].

 

CAPTION: Executive Director of the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), Karlene DeGrasse Deslandes (right), in discussion with Development Officer at the ECC, Region Six, Marvia Johnson Brown, at a Certification Fair held in Brown’s Town, St. Ann, recently.

JIS: Sixty students have been awarded scholarships and bursaries valued at approximately $4 million by the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) and Partners Co-operative Credit Union Limited.

 

Among them are 55 top performers in the 2017 Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), who will receive $12,500 per annum over five years.

 

Under the Credit Union’s ‘Adopt a School’ programme, bursaries valued at $12,500 were presented to three students from Central Branch All-Age School, who will be making the transition to the secondary system.

 

Grade-seven student from The Queen’s School, Satnereen Ducran, also received a $12,500 bursary as part of the Credit Union’s ‘School Savers’ programme, which aims to promote good financial habits.

 

The Albert ‘Bertie’ Morris Scholarship, named after one of the Credit Union’s founding fathers, was awarded to Jaidenn Williams, who will be entering the University of Technology’s architecture programme in September. He will receive $150,000 annually over three years.

 

Addressing the awards ceremony on August 10 at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston, Director of Regional Educational Services in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Captain Kasan Troupe, congratulated the scholars on their academic achievements.

 

“We recognise that you have done some good work, that you have sacrificed, that you have studied hard, and today we are celebrating you,” she said.

 

She encouraged them to continue to pursue excellence in their educational pursuits.

 

“You need to embrace lifelong learning. Embrace your education. Today, we are celebrating your success, but this is just the beginning. When you get to high school you will be exposed to more subjects… but learning does not stop at school. You are always learning and becoming better. You must remain motivated,” she said.

 

Now in its 19th year, the JPS and Partners Co-operative Credit Union Limited scholarship awards provides financial assistance to help children reach their academic goals.

 

Students are selected based on academic merit, work ethic, discipline and financial need.

 

CAPTION: Director of Regional Educational Services in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Captain Kasan Troupe (3d right), offers advice to scholarship recipients at the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) and Partners Co-operative Credit Union Limited’s 2017 Scholarship Awards ceremony held on August 10 at The Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston. Sharing the moment are President, JPS and Partners Co-operative Credit Union, Natalie Sparkes (right); and General Manager, Joydene Jarrett (2nd right). Sixty students were awarded scholarships and bursaries, valued at approximately $4 million, towards school expenses.

JIS: Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Donovan Stanberry says technical, vocational, education and training (TVET) will play a critical role in the economic advancement of the country.

 

He noted that with expanded TVET activities “particularly in agriculture” the economy will become more developed as currently “we are hard pressed to find the range of skills we need to develop the sector”.

 

The Permanent Secretary was addressing a Partner Appreciation Ceremony to recognise those organisations integral to the equipping and retrofitting of the Crooked River/ Brae Head Skills Training Centre in Clarendon, on August 11.

 

The organisations include: the European Union (EU), the Embassy of Japan and the Sugar Transformation Unit in the Ministry.

 

Mr. Stanberry added that finding persons with the skills set of livestock officer, veterinarian technician or agronomist is difficult, especially “when you go into our universities (and) half of the students are studying management and business and philosophy”.

 

 He informed that the skills offered by the training centre such as bartending, apiculture (beekeeping) and general beauty therapy all at HEART Trust/NTA level 2 certification, are not to be frowned upon especially when the need arises for such skills.

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Stanberry emphasised that agriculture, “must be a catalyst and stand at the centre of rural development”.

 

“We have not yet developed to a stage where we have found a replacement for agriculture as the main economic activity in places like Crooked River in Northern Clarendon and all over rural Jamaica,” he said.

 

Mr. Stanberry noted that there needs to be a renewed emphasis and focus on rural development.

 

Acting Executive Director of the HEART Trust/NTA, Jennifer Walker noted that the centre is part of the mandate of her agency in providing greater opportunity for all Jamaicans to access TVET.

 

Ms. Walker said that the centre will “positively impact the lives of the community and surrounding areas”.

 

Member of Parliament for Northern Clarendon, Horace Dalley, who is credited with bringing the training centre to fruition to address the social and economic needs of the community, hailed the HEART Trust, EU and the Japan Embassy for their contributions.

 

He also hailed the trainees for remaining committed to their area of study.

 

More than $10 million was spent by the Government of Japan through its Grant Assistance for Grassroots and Human Security Project to renovate and reconstruct the centre, which included the installation of bathroom fixtures, windows and door.

 

Japanese Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Masanori Nakano said education plays the most important role in materializing the human security concept.

 

“I can say without doubt that Japan remains committed to help those self-motivated young people by supporting their basic human needs especially in training and education,” he said.

 

Mr. Nakano added that under the capable hands of the Executive Director of the HEART Trust/NTA, the Education, Youth and Information Ministry and other key stakeholders, the “foundation for the success and sustenance of the training facility will be laid and provided for”.

 

He further added that the Embassy stands ready to provide further support any way it can.  

 

For his part, Attaché and Programme Manager of the Rural Development and Environment Delegation of the European Union to Jamaica, Stefano Cilli said his organisation is looking forward to more collaboration with Jamaica.

 

He noted that the EU believes in people and their empowerment all over the world and that “like Jamaicans, the EU believes in the importance of skills training to improve their quality of life”.

 

The Sugar Transformation Unit of the Ministry provided $7million to equip and refurbish the centre.

 

CAPTION: Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Donovan Stanberry (second left) shares in a photo opportunity following the unveiling of a sign at the Partner Appreciation Ceremony of the Crooked River/Brae Head Skills Training Centre in Clarendon on August 11. Others from (left) are: Deputy Mayor of Clarendon, Clive Mundle; Manager of Community Training Interventions at the HEART Trust/NTA, Wayne Battiste; Project Manager of the Sugar Transformation Unit in the Ministry, Keleen Young Grandison; Attache and Programme Manager of the Rural Development and Environment Delegation of the European Union to Jamaica, Stefano Cilli; students of mixology, Antonnette Jackson Sharpe and Daryl Morrison; Member of Parliament for Northern Clarendon, Horace Dalley; Education Officer of Region 6 in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Olive Gardner Bygrave; and Acting Executive Director of the HEART Trust, Jennifer Walker.