Government Keen on Creating Education System That Works for All Students

Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, says the Government is keen on creating an education system that works for all students.

“We are recognising now that our children come to us from a lot of different households. They come with different levels of learning, they learn differently, and it is up to us to create an environment in which whatever it is that they come to us with, we can use it and we can mould and make them into the Jamaicans that we all want to see,” she said.

Mrs. Williams was addressing Board Chairmen and Principals during Friday’s (April 26) Transforming Education for National Development (TREND) Stakeholder Session, held at the AC Hotel by Marriott, in New Kingston.

TREND aims to sensitise the public and engage a wide cross section of stakeholders about the education transformation process.

With the tagline, ‘For a Brighter Tomorrow’, the plan forms part of the work of the Education Transformation Oversight Committee (ETOC), which has been charged with monitoring the implementation of recommendations contained in the report of the Professor Orlando Patterson-chaired Jamaica Education Transformation Commission (JETC).

Mrs. Williams pointed out that though TREND is being led by the central Ministry, it cannot be successful without the buy-in and assistance of principals.

“You are the instructional heads of all our schools all across Jamaica. We could create the best curriculum, but it is at the school level where it is implemented. That is where the test is,” she noted.

Mrs. Williams said the Ministry is interested in getting feedback from principals on what is being done well and what needs improvement.

According to the Patterson report, there are seven pillars of transformation within the education sector.

These are governance, legislation, leadership and administration; early-childhood education; curriculum teaching and teacher training; the tertiary sector; technical and vocational education and training (TVET); infrastructure and technology; and financing.

“We want all stakeholders to come on board with willing hearts and helpful hands and help in your sphere of the system to do all you can to raise the calibre of the education system, so that all our students will have a fair chance of success, not just some of our students,” Mrs. Williams encouraged.