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$940 Million for 150 School Inspections This Year

By: , April 8, 2014

The Key Point:

Another 150 school inspections are to be carried out this fiscal year, funded by a budget of $940 million, under the Education System Transformation Programme (ESTP).

The Facts

  • The NEI inspects, assesses and reviews the quality of education services and standards in public schools.
  • The ESTP will carry out these and other activities, as it provide support to the Ministry of Education’s policy to expand compulsory education from age 16 to 18.

The Full Story

Another 150 school inspections are to be carried out this fiscal year, funded by a budget of $940 million, under the Education System Transformation Programme (ESTP).

This follows the 801 inspections undertaken across the island by the National Education Inspectorate (NEI) last year. The NEI inspects, assesses and reviews the quality of education services and standards in public schools.

The ESTP will carry out these and other activities, as it provide support to the Ministry of Education’s policy to expand compulsory education from age 16 to 18 by providing approximately 2,100 additional secondary school spaces.

It also aims to operationalise the new agencies that are key to improving capacity for delivering high quality education; set up mechanisms to mobilise additional resources for the education sector; and garner stakeholder support.

Other anticipated targets for this fiscal year include the completion of procurement, installation, training of users and commissioning of NEI software; training of 20 additional contract inspectors; continuation of work for accreditation of inspector training programme; and completion of work leading to finalising the NEI’s governance arrangements.

It is also expected that collaboration will continue in respect to finalising the Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) Bill, which is to be tabled by July 2014. In addition, information on the Code of Conduct for teachers is to be disseminated; registration of teachers is to continue; and training of teachers in Math, English, Special Education etcetera, is to be facilitated island-wide. Training will also continue for principals.

Additionally, for the 2014/15 period, the revision of the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) is to be completed, and a profile developed and placement mechanism approved.
It is also expected that a New National Curriculum (NNC) will be piloted; a National Math Policy implemented; and a refresher training in behaviour management intervention (Team Teach) conducted.

Also, the National Education Trust (NET) is to undertake activities to build its asset base and attract endowments and investments; a Trust fund is to be opened; and expansion of two schools is to be completed.

Up to February 2014 under the programme, the teacher registration process began with approximately 25,000 teacher entries online to date. In addition, over 200 contract inspectors have been trained and retained; and an inspection Handbook was developed.

Additionally 78 principals and 12 education officers were trained in November 2013 in an ‘Effective Principals Training Programme’; and stakeholder consultations to support JTC legislation in all regions were conducted.

In addition, a National Comprehensive Numeracy Programme was developed and the contract for printing of support materials was awarded; while the Alternative Secondary Transitional Education Programme (ASTEP) curriculum (year 1) was drafted and piloted. Additionally, training in behaviour management intervention was carried out.

The project is being implemented by the Ministry of Education with funding from the Government of Jamaica, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).

The project was originally slated to run from March, 2010 to March, 2014, but has been further extended to March 2015.

 

Last Updated: April 8, 2014

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