Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon has informed that the HEART/NSTA Trust has provided skills training for over 550,000 young people since 2020.

Dr. Morris Dixon made the disclosure during a keynote address at the Union of Jamaican Alumni Association’s (UJAA) 35th anniversary luncheon and awards, held at the Green Tree Country Club, in New Rochelle, New York on September 14.

“We have expanded technical training by eliminating all tuition fees up to an associate degree. This ensures our young people are not only readily employable, but are prepared for leadership in logistics, construction, renewable energy, and creative industries,” she stated.

“The nature of our training programmes has changed to incorporate more technology, but more importantly, the target audience has morphed as well. We have a few bespoke initiatives,” she added.

Dr. Morris Dixon also informed that the Ministry, with assistance from the World Bank, will be retooling biology, chemistry and physics labs in 14 high schools this academic year.

She also mentioned the implementation of the rural school bus system, where in the first phase, an initial fleet of 100 school buses will be deployed.

“These buses will serve approximately 258 rural schools across the island. The rural school bus system is breaking down barriers for students who previously struggled to even reach their classrooms. Education must not depend on geography, and we are making sure of that,” the Minister said.

In the meantime, Dr. Morris Dixon has lauded UJAA for its 35 years of service, in building bridges and keeping the flame of patriotism burning among Jamaicans abroad.

“Today, I am happy to join you in this celebration. We celebrate the thousands of scholarships you have awarded, the countless schools you have assisted, and the generations of students whose futures are brighter because you chose to remember your roots and invest in Jamaica,” she said.