JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has emphasised that the Government is not about censorship.

 

He pointed out that the Government is not considering censorship of communication done through various media entities and platforms, but noted that regulations have not been updated with the new era of communication.

 

“It is an issue that we can’t ignore; we will have to deal with it as civilised individuals. We are about ensuring that we protect the rights and freedoms of each citizen,” Senator Reid told a breakfast meeting held at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, today (May 19).

 

While outlining moves by the United Kingdom (UK) Government and Trinidad and Tobago to put forward a legal framework for cybercrimes and communication via the Internet, the Minister said that discussions are needed and a position taken, so that “we can articulate going forward”.

 

The issue, he said, requires a look on how the society has evolved, and “what we can do to make our society a better place”.

 

He said that a challenge exists where the landscape that the regulations were meant to govern has changed due to convergence.

 

“Traditional media has now converged with social media. Technology is driving media and has brought about a situation where the regulations required to properly marshal this new paradigm simply have not yet been created,” the Minister said.

 

The forum consisted of school principals and vice principals. It was organised by the UWI Faculty of Humanities and Education, under the theme ‘Education as a Collaborative Enterprise’.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (right), greets Lecturer at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, Faculty of Humanities and Education, Dr. Mairette Newman (left), at a breakfast meeting held today (May 19), at the university. Others (from left) are Lecturer in the Faculty, Dr. Yewande Lewis-Fokum, and Associate Dean, Dr. Marcia Rainford

JIS: This year, I wish to emphasize the importance of ensuring that the commitments made by the Government, Local and International organizations, community members and individuals to Jamaica’s children are extended to a group of children who are often forgotten or overlooked: those deprived of their liberty – children who are victims of child abuse.

 

These children are all OUR CHILDREN. They are our collective responsibility.

 

We continue to reiterate this and every year that Children are our greatest asset; as a nation, the responsibility is ours to ensure the creation of an environment in which children can grow up to become confident, caring adults, conscious of their social responsibilities. The reality however is that we have all failed to re-establish such an environment.

 

Hundreds of children in Jamaica are victims of crime and violence every year; on average, 15 in every 1000 children are the subject of a child abuse and maltreatment report.

 

“Take Action: Break the chain of Abuse against children” is a theme that resounds with a cry for help for a challenging but an inspirational message on this Children’s Day.

 

As a community, we have a social obligation to our children in assuring their well-being and holistic development are of utmost importance.

 

As such, I urge all Churches, NGO partners, community groups and neighborhood watches to join me in taking the initiative to host community walks across the island that ignite the development of plans and strategies for your respective populations that include child safe spaces that will foster an environment for taking real action in protecting our children.

 

The message on your walks can be simple.

 

If you suspect that a child is being abused, neglected or abandoned, you can help by calling 1-888-PROTECT (776-8328) to the Office of the Children’s Registry or the Child Development Agency at 948-2841-2. You may also visit or call the nearest Police Station.

 

To our Police Officers, namely the CISOCA officers I want to thank you for your vigilance in ensuring matters of violence and crime against children are handled with priority.

 

You are our children’s first point of contact, often times after heinous crimes have been committed and as such, I want to thank you in advance for the care you take in your interactions with them because the pain they feel never really goes away.

 

Finally, let me express my gratitude to the caregivers across institutions, private partners, foster parents and parents who have adopted. You have a significant responsibility and high duty of care for the children of this nation and it is by no easy feat. We will continue to support you while increasing accountability for the welfare of our children.

 

As a Global pathfinder nation, on a mission to protect our children from violence, we must all take pride in enabling our children to thrive in an environment of love and care.

 

Let us once again, communities near and far echo our commitment towards taking proper care of our children.

 

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

JIS: Student achievement in mathematics at the John Rollins Success Primary School in St. James was not always something that could be spoken about with pride.

 

But this was before the introduction of the Calculation Time programme in 2011.

 

The initiative, which is a collaborative effort between the Governments of Japan and Jamaica, is designed to improve students’ knowledge and appreciation of the subject.

 

It incorporates the use of songs, toys, workbooks and domino cards to make maths fun. For 15 minutes per day over 90 days, students from grades one to six are immersed in the innovative method of teaching the subject.

 

With the introduction of the programme, the students’ ability to solve mathematics problems with greater speed and accuracy has significantly improved at all levels, particularly in the Grade Four Numeracy Test and the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).

 

For Principal of John Rollins Success, Yvonne Miller-Wisdom, the programme has brought a turnaround in maths results at the school.

 

Delivering a report during a recent mathematics awards ceremony, she says that mastery level in the Grade Four Numeracy Test went up to 60 per cent in 2016, from 30 per cent in 2010.

 

“We intend to continue to execute the Calculation Time programme with the intention of achieving 100 per cent mastery,” she notes.

 

She says the school has also seen an increase in the number of students scoring more than 90 per cent in the subject area in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).

 

“The GSAT students performed above the national average in mathematics in 2016. While the national average was 57 per cent, the school’s average was 65 per cent,” she boasts.

 

But the achievements did not stop there. In 2016, John Rollins Success Primary was declared the champion school in the region four Mathematics Olympics, copping 12 trophies.

 

“The students have succeeded in other mathematics competitions, as well, which includes the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mathematics Olympiad in 2013, which saw two students in grades five and six receiving honorary mention. This means that the two students performed among the top three per cent in the island,” Mrs. Miller-Wisdom points out.

 

She notes, further, that in 2014, the school was ranked among the top-10 performing primary institutions in St. James that gained scores above the national average.

 

“John Rollins Success Primary School is one of the schools that pioneered the implementation of the Calculation Time programme. Today, I stand a proud principal because of the successful impact the programme has made on the performance of the students in mathematics,” she says.

 

She notes that the students enjoy the sessions and are actively engaged, adding that the programme allows for self-regulation, friendly rivalry and fun as well as improvement in fact fluency.

 

“The white card with the black dots, workbooks, the Calculation Time theme song and the activities allow the students to develop speed and accuracy in calculating,” she points out.

 

She says teachers incorporate a tracking system and provide immediate and constant feedback to the students.

 

Mrs. Miller-Wisdom says the programme would not be a success without the input of Education Officer, Seymour Hamilton, and his team, “who have kept abreast of the programme by visiting schools, giving feedback to staff, encouraging students and making sure that we send them pretest and post-test results”.

 

She is encouraging other schools on the project to make good use of the resources provided. “We make sure that they are properly stored and students and teachers are able to access them,” she points out.

 

Providing an overview of the initiative, Mr. Hamilton informs that Calculation Time was introduced as a response to the need for students to develop mental prowess in working with numbers.

 

He says it is designed to help students develop a better appreciation for mathematics; and calculate more accurately and efficiently mentally.

 

He notes that the programme started in seven schools, and at the time it was only taught at the grade-three level.

 

“After the first year, we did some review, and based on the feedback from the teachers, we decided that we were going to venture into 20 schools…the programme was introduced to students from grades one through six,” he explains, noting that it has since been extended to 91 schools.

 

The awards ceremony recognised 15 schools that received the highest ranking following tests under the Calculation Time programme.

 

The Japanese-owned Marubeni Caribbean Power, which is the parent company of JPS, presented $100,000 to each institution for the purchase of learning resources and equipment to improve the teaching and learning of maths.

 

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, lauded the partnership between Jamaica and Japan in improving student achievement in mathematics.

 

He noted that JPS will require a reservoir of quality trained persons, so it is in the company’s best interest to invest in a programme of mathematics.

 

President and Chief Executive Officer, Marubeni Caribbean Power Inc., Tatsuya Ozono, said the company is pleased to support education in Jamaica.

 

He commended the Japanese Embassy and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), “which have continued this Calculation Time programme”.

 

He encouraged children to value the subject of mathematics, adding that it is the language that drives science.

 

“It is quite a useful tool to find a logical solution when you face problems. I wish that you will work hard and enjoy the art of science,” he said.

 

The Calculation Time programme is now available in the form of an app at https://goo.gl/aSuP71 and is accessible to all students at the primary level.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, speaks with Principal of the John Rollins Success Primary School, Yvonne Miller-Wisdom (right) and Vice Chairman of the School Board, Marlene Stephenson Dalley, during a tour of the institution in St. James recently.

JIS: Most students were able to sit their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations yesterday, stated Minister of Education, Youth and Information Ruel Reid.

 

“We had a few students from the Buff Bay Valley in Portland and a few across the country who weren’t able to. The procedure for students who have missed their exams is that they would have to report to the school directly, and we will send a report to the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and they will make a determination as to what remedy they are likely to offer,” Reid explained at a press briefing held at Jamaica House to update the nation on the impact of the heavy rains that have been affecting the island since Saturday.

 

He added, “There are usually two remedies. Either we do a supplementary paper, depending on how many students across the island have been affected, and the other alternative would be to use internal grades and forecast grades as the final determination of their scores.”

 

Students who were due to sit industrial technology, textiles and clothing, agriculture, mechanical engineering,

 

French, computer science, geography, entrepreneurship, and electrical and electronic technology were advised to go the nearest examination centre if possible.

 

Parishes most affected by the persistent heavy rainfall are St Elizabeth, St Thomas, Kingston and St Andrew, St Catherine, Clarendon, Manchester, Westmorland, St Mary, Portland, and St Ann.

 

The inclement weather led to schools across the island being closed yesterday. However, Reid said where possible, schools should reopen today, while noting that the local authorities and the regional directors would manage the reopening on the ground.

 

“We will assess the accessibility to our schools. Some of them would have had some leaks, and so some cleaning up will have to take place. We are going to monitor the situation and give the public regular updates on the matter,” said the minister.

JIS: More than 63,755 students have enrolled in the Career Advancement Programme (CAP) since its implementation seven years ago.An initiative under the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, CAP provides an opportunity for students aged 16 to 18, to gain valuable training and skills for the job market or to further their education.

 

In addition to the job-ready training, CAP also provides exposure to life-coping skills, personal development, civics, personal and national values, and the tenets of good citizenship.

 

CAP is offered at selected secondary schools, private skills-development centres and private/public tertiary institutions across the island.

 

Chief Education Officer at the Ministry, Dr Grace McLean, said that for the 2016/2017 academic year, CAP has been restructured and expanded to better meet the needs of students.

 

The revised and expanded programme, which is being financed through funds totalling $804,888,000, serves as a two-year extension of secondary schooling, allowing students to remain in school at grades 12 and 13. This will provide greater opportunity for certified CAP graduates to matriculate into tertiary institutions.

 

The revised programme also allows for Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) resits in Mathematics or English, which is fully paid for by the Ministry.

 

There is also an allocation of $40,000 each to benefit 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.

CAP is offered along three pathways – technical, traditional and general. The traditional and technical pathways are offered across the programme’s 110 centres, while the general pathway is facilitated through the Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL).

 

McLean explained that the purpose of the general pathway is to ensure that learners are competent in literacy and numeracy and are enabled to successfully pursue career training in technical and vocational skills, delivered by the HEART Trust/NTA.

 

The traditional pathway provides students, who are enrolled in approved sixth forms and are pursuing CAPE, the option to also do NCTVET programmes. This is designed to provide the student with a skill component, along with the critical core subjects. This option allows students to achieve dual certification.

 

As it relates to the technical pathway, Dr McLean noted that it offers various options for students. One aspect is designed for students who are pursuing technical-oriented vocations, and they must have attained a pass or higher in at least one CSEC subject or its equivalent. Students who received a four in Mathematics and/or English will be able to resit the subject(s). Participants will also be required to pursue a TVET course at level one or two in addition to the prescribed mandatory core subjects.

 

Another component of the technical pathway is for students who are pursuing technical-oriented vocations and have attained the minimum score of 25 in the HEART/ NTA Diagnostic Test in both Mathematics and English. They will be required to pursue both Mathematics and English in the City and Guilds examinations, and a TVET course at either level one or two, in addition to the prescribed mandatory core areas.

 

McLean added that, going forward, there will be continuous capacity-building activities for stakeholders to enhance their level of competence in the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) methodology, the technical component of skills, and other areas of weaknesses.

 

She also stated that there will also be full integration of the extended grade 12 and 13 into all public schools for the 2017/2018 academic year, an increase in stakeholders’ partnership, and the implementation of a tracking system for all successful CAP graduates for matriculation into higher education or the world of work.

 

Skill and certification offerings under CAP include commercial food preparation, entrepreneurship, carpentry, welding; call centre operations, cosmetology, business administration, tour guide, hospitality services, motor vehicle repairs, digital animation, customer service, healthcare assistance, electrical engineering, information technology, and many more.

 

CAPTION: Chief Education Officer at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr Grace McLean. (Photo: JIS)

JIS: The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information will continue to implement strategies to improve the performance of students in mathematics at the primary and secondary levels.This was stated by National Mathematics Coordinator, Dr Tamika Benjamin, at a mathematics forum hosted by the Ministry recently, at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge, St Andrew.

 

More than 40 educators, consisting of mathematics specialists, coaches, senior teachers and principals representing the six educational regions, participated in the event. Benjamin said the purpose of the forum was to engage key stakeholders in reviewing the elements of the National Mathematics Programme (NMP), which was revamped in 2012, and also to determine what additional policy decisions or strategies can be applied at all levels of the education system. She informed that focus is being placed on six areas as part of the process to reform maths education.

 

These are the teaching and learning experiences within the classroom; equity, which is ensuring that all students have access to high-quality maths teaching and learning; a standardised curriculum; adequate tools and technology; assessment, which is making sure students receive feedback; and professionalism, whereby teachers take responsibility for their own development.

 

Benjamin noted that the NMP was designed with three main objectives, which are to establish standards and guidelines; make sure there is concerted and consistent effort to improve teacher and teaching quality; and also to improve the attitudes of every Jamaican to the teaching and learning of the subject, through a public education campaign.

 

She shared that coming out of the National Mathematics Policy Guidelines, which were drafted in 2013, all student-teachers entering college must sit a diagnostic test.

 

Other provisions are for the adjustment of courses to meet the minimum credit requirement, adoption of qualification guidelines for the engagement of teachers, and raising the matriculation standards for entry into mathematics teacher education.

 

CAPTION: National Mathematics Coordinator at the Ministry of Education, Dr Tamika Benjamin 

JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the Government is placing technical vocational education and training (TVET) at the core of the educational system in order to align training and education to market needs.

 

He said that contrary to popular belief, it is the technical side of education that is driving the world economy, and employees are now required to have technical skills.

 

“So this notion, I call it nonsense, about TVET being somewhat inferior, or somehow is a taboo, is far from what the reality is out there in the world today,” he pointed out.

 

“The average jobs… 90 per cent and rising… are technical-based, and our students must be aware of this… that’s all I am saying. We need to get with this programme and carry on the transformation,” he said.

 

“Places like the University of the West Indies (UWI) need to assist in carrying on the dialogue. Teachers must also keep up to date with changes,” he added.

 

Senator Reid was addressing the 3rd International Conference on Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the Caribbean at the Hilton Resort and Spa in St. James on May 10.

 

He pointed out that countries such as Germany, Australia, Switzerland and Austria, which combine practical and theoretical training, have the lowest unemployment rates among young people in the world.

 

He said it is based on the need to ensure that students are adequately prepared for the job market that the Ministry has been insisting that every youngster must remain in school until age 18, and must pursue a programme of training that leads to certification.

 

“Why would I want to preside over a system where students can comfortably graduate and leave school at grade 11? Graduate to what or to where? Because you have five Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate subjects (CSEC), you think you are qualified… . Qualified to do what?” he asked.

 

“I am building a foundation… that is what I am doing,” he declared. “We have to compete against Japan and Singapore… countries that we were once ahead of,” he noted.

 

“If we are going to talk about lifelong learning, then we are going to have to have an education system that says students must go beyond grade 11,” he stressed.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, emphasises a point as he addresses the 3rd International Conference on Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the Caribbean at the Hilton Resort and Spa, St. James, on May 10.

JIS: The Special Education Policy, which seeks to fulfil the academic requirements of students with special needs, is expected to be brought to Cabinet for approval within another month.

 

This was disclosed by Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, who said it is “urgent and important” that this policy is implemented to cater to the diverse needs of this cohort.

 

“It has been drafted and we are doing some final editing. I am hoping that within another month, I can get it forward,” he said.

 

The Minister was speaking to JIS News following a tour of the Genesis Academy in Kingston today (May 11).

 

Mr. Reid said that the policy will complement the Disabilities Act, which makes provision to safeguard and enhance the welfare of persons with disabilities across Jamaica.

 

“As an Education Ministry, we are following on the requirements of that Act (and we) need to have a policy in place that complements and gives life to the aspirations of that particular Act.

 

“We need to accept that we have a cohort of special needs children and that the education system must be so designed to take care (of) and serve the entire population, whether you are special needs or regular,” he pointed out.

 

The Policy, drafted by the Ministry’s Special Education Unit, will provide a framework for treating with or meeting the educational needs of special students.

 

Its two main goals are for equity and access to educational opportunities; and to promote a system of inclusive education where possible.

 

It also seeks to protect the rights of children and youth with disabilities against discrimination in educational settings; and it will also promote awareness of students’ right to quality education. In addition, it will ensure that students are provided with the necessary accommodations they need in the educational setting.

 

The policy will also speak to how children will be placed, how they will gain access to schools, and provisions that should be available for them, including qualified staff, and the required student-teacher ratio.

 

The framework, which will also provide guidance for assessment procedures and standards, will not only focus on students with disabilities but also cater to gifted and talented children.

 

Additionally, it will take into consideration the role parents need to play in the education of their children as well as collaboration with other stakeholders.

 

Pointing to an important aspect of the policy, which outlines guidelines for school-to-work transition planning, Mr. Reid told JIS News that it is crucial that students with disabilities are empowered so they are able to live independently.

 

He stressed that the Government will be putting in place the necessary plans and programmes to make them equally employable.

 

“We need… to better manage this cohort of Jamaicans, so that they are properly taken care of (and) their welfare is provided for. We have to assist them in transitioning to independent living, because if we don’t, not only are they going to be a further burden on the State, but we know from our own experience from the past, they are vulnerable to abuse,” he said.

 

Genesis Academy is a skills-training centre that caters to students with learning challenges. It conducts speech, music and art therapy and operates a life skills curriculum for persons 12 to 25, and a HEART Trust/NTA-certified vocational skills training programme.

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (centre), speaks with Principal of Genesis Academy, Donna Lowe (left); and Chairman, Caryl Fenton, during a tour of the special education institution on South Camp Road in Kingston on Thursday (May 11).