50 ECC Officers Being Trained to Advance Early Science Education

A total of 50 Early Childhood Commission (ECC) officers are being trained under the Nurturing Early Scientific Thinking (NEST) Training of Trainers Programme as the Government advances plans to introduce science education at the early-childhood level.

They are expected to train 500 early-childhood educators by the end of the financial year.

The Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund is providing J$50 million for the acquisition of advanced science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) kits under the initiative.

The NEST initiative is Jamaica’s structured approach to embedding the foundations of inquiry, problem-solving and evidence-based thinking from the earliest stages of a child’s education.

The programme was introduced by Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Science, Technology and Special Projects, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, during his contribution to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.

Principal Director for Science in the Office of the Prime Minister, Dr. Natwaine Gardner, highlighted the importance of the initiative during a training session held at Medallion Hall Hotel in St. Andrew on Thursday (October 15).

“What we’re training them in is principles and concepts to deliver to our early-childhood educators, for them to be able to talk to our children, ages three to eight, and for the children to be able to apply scientific principles [and] thinking to improve their cognitive function and skills,” she told JIS News.

Dr. Gardner pointed out that the initiative aims to improve scientific thinking and understanding among children at the early-childhood level, adding that it is helping to build the foundation for Jamaica’s future innovation ecosystem, one curious young mind at a time.

The Principal Director indicated that the 500 early-childhood educators will each be equipped with a STEM kit.

“From the $50 million that CHASE has granted for the programme, they’ll be given a STEM activity book where it’ll guide principles and concepts of… different scientific activities, the vocabulary that they should use, and how teachers should explain the different concepts when they’re introducing the science activities to the children.

“Beyond the end of the financial year, we hope to scale it nationally where the vision and the hope is that every single early-childhood educator will be equipped to deliver these concepts to our children, our youth, our future,” she said.

Dr. Gardner further pointed out that the training session for the 50 ECC officers is heavily activity-based, noting that participants are being trained across five modules.

In highlighting the significance of the session, participant and Early Childhood Development Officer for Region Six, Derek Rounce, said they will play a critical role in disseminating information to practitioners in a meaningful way through visuals, audio resources and their day-to-day visits to the various institutions.

“We are being exposed to assist children and other stakeholders… practitioners… in how they facilitate the creative thinking of children as it relates to science,” he told JIS News.