Persons in Clarendon and Manchester Take Part in Literacy Course

More than 80 persons from communities in Clarendon and Manchester are completing their literacy and numeracy training in Phase 1 of a ‘Documentation Skills’ project, funded by the Alcoa Foundation, through Jamalco, with a grant of US$110,000.
The project, being carried out by the Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL), commenced in 2009 and is designed to help rural community residents improve their literacy and numeracy skills, so that they can access further training or employment.
Already, participants are reaping rewards from their improved status, as several have been able to gain employment locally and on the Overseas Farm Work programme, after fulfilling literacy requirements.
In Phase 1 of the project, classes are being held in Mount Airy and Ashley in Clarendon and Farm, Manningsfield, Harmons and Broad Leaf in Manchester. A graduation ceremony is planned for November for students who are completing Phase 1.
Phase 2, with 90 additional students, is set to commence in the latter half of October and will target residents in sections of Mocho and St. Jago in Clarendon, as well as in Asia, Victoria Town, Ramble, Harmons and Richmond in Manchester. Diagnostic tests have already been completed among interested residents of the communities and teachers have been identified.
Classes are held at local schools in the evenings and are conducted by local teachers under the direction of the JFLL, which provides specialised training in the teaching of adults, as well as instructional material.