Human Development Focus of Government in 2007/08

The Government, this legislative year, will be paying special attention to human development, particularly among the vulnerable in the society such as children, the aged, the poor, and the physically and mentally challenged.
“In pursuance of this, emphasis will be placed on improving.the physical environments of public hospitals, health centres, children’s homes, places of safety and parish infirmaries and providing more courteous and caring service and expanding the social safety net and other forms of support,” Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Professor Hall said today (March 29) as he delivered the Throne Speech at Gordon House.
He noted that the necessary infrastructure would put in place on a gradual basis as resources would allow. Meanwhile, the Governor-General informed that the modernisation of the health services would continue, especially those providing primary care. He added that the Public Sector Reform Unit at the Cabinet Office would be compiling and making available in electronic and print form “a user friendly guide on some of the frequently required public services, including importantly, those for the vulnerable and also ‘life cycle’ events such as births, marriages and deaths.”
Pointing to initiatives being pursued by the government in respect of the education sector, he said that the completion of the audit of school places would “guide the government in determining the process for meeting demand, which will ultimately lead to the abolition of the shift system and the reduction of class sizes. Concurrently the governance structure of the education system will be re-vamped.”
He noted further that, “better targeted interventions for numeracy and literacy will commence shortly, to ensure that no child leaves primary school without the required grade level competence in both areas.”
“During this year, new curricula will be introduced for early childhood education. The training of caregivers and teachers will continue and a nutrition programme will be introduced,” he continued.