$188 million earmarked to continue enhancement of basic school project

KINGSTON — The Enhancement of Basic School Project, a programme under the Ministry of Education, is slated to receive some $188 million to continue its work during the 2011/12 financial year.

The money has been allocated in the Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the Standing Finance Committee of Parliament.

Initiated in April 2002, the project is geared towards enabling the optimal learning and development of young children. To date, a project implementation unit has been established; 680 early childhood practitioners have completed the National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET) Level 2 training; and baseline data has been collected and analysed.

Also, the Hope Valley, Yallahs, Stephen James, DRB Grant, Fern Grove and Nain Basic Schools, and the Shortwood Practicing School, have been renovated. In addition, teacher resource centres in Manchester, St. Thomas, St. James, Trelawny, St. Catherine and St. Ann have been completed.

For the 2011/12 fiscal year, the anticipated physical targets are: completion of the St. Francis Practising School, Highgate Basic School and St. Mary Teacher Resource Centre; the Torrington Basic and Westmoreland Teacher Resource Centre; the Arthur Wint Basic School and Hanover Teacher Resource Centre; and the Foga Road Basic School and Clarendon Teacher Resource Centre. It is also expected that 680 practitioners will complete the Level 3 NCTVET training programme.

The project is funded by the Caribbean Development Bank and the Government of Jamaica and it is expected to be completed by December 2011.

By LATONYA LINTON, JIS Reporter