JIS: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, has reiterated the Government’s commitment to strengthening its policy and regulatory framework on technical and vocational education and training (TVET).

 

He was speaking at the Fourth International Conference on TVET in the Caribbean at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa in Montego Bay on May 22.

 

The Education State Minister said that Jamaica is among the many countries globally that have moved TVET into the mainstream of the education system.

 

“This paradigm shift is driven by the recognition that, over several decades, there has been a disconnect between the skills imparted by national education systems and those demanded by the workplace,” he noted.

 

He said that this disconnect “has been thrown into sharper focus in recent years, with the integration of recent technologies in almost every sphere of professional activities”.

In this regard, he said that the Government has “moved expeditiously to close the gap” on education and training and the world of work, given the potential economic and social benefits to be derived from having a skilled and flexible workforce.

 

“Employers are now demanding that workers for the 21st century must possess knowledge, technical skills, and soft skills to function effectively and be competitive in the workplace.

 

“To attain this level of competitiveness, workers must, therefore, be lifelong learners, who will continue to increase their knowledge and update their skills for upward mobility in the workplace,” Minister Terrelonge said.

 

CAPTION: State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon Alando Terrelonge (left), greets Pro Vice Chancellor and Principal of the the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Professor Dale Webber. Occasion was the Fourth International Conference on TVET in the Caribbean at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa, Montego Bay, on May 22.