The Sam Sharpe Diagnostic and Early Intervention Centre in St James is reporting a significant increase in autism testing referrals, driven by heightened awareness among parents, paediatricians and educators. In an interview with JIS News, Acting Manager at the Centre, Joshcia Lawrence-Brown, said that more parents are seeking assessments after observing delays in their children’s early development, particularly in speech...

Black River High School in St. Elizabeth has put measures in place to ensure that students can sit their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations on campus, despite significant damage caused by Hurricane Melissa last October. Principal, Christopher Romans, told JIS News that alternative arrangements have been made following the loss of the school’s auditorium, which previously served as the...

The Sam Sharpe Diagnostic and Early Intervention Centre is to host a webinar on Wednesday, April 29, aimed at equipping parents with strategies to manage autistic behaviours in children. Intermediate Behaviour Trainer, Lori-Ann Bingham, will lead discussions on behaviour management, while resident Clinical Psychologist, Kyle Schloss, will present on high-functioning autism. The theme being observed is ‘Cracking the Code: Managing...

Regional Health Promotion and Education Officer at the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Marceleen Wheatle, has emphasised that embedding regular physical activity in schools is critical to reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among Jamaica’s population. She explains that initiatives such as National School Moves Day are designed to instill healthy habits from an early age, noting that behaviours...

Managing Director of the HEART/NSTA Trust, Dr. Taneisha Ingleton, has called for a fundamental shift in how Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is introduced across education systems in the Caribbean, warning that delayed exposure is limiting access and opportunity for the majority of learners. Delivering the keynote address at the National Energy Skills Centre (NESC) Training Institute’s inaugural...

National School Moves Day will be observed across the island on Friday (April 24), under the theme Every School Moving: Move Your Way, Every Day’. Schools are being asked to mobilise students, teachers and parents to prioritise physical activity for at least 60 minutes during the school day. National School Moves Day is a key component of the Jamaica Moves...

Fifty-one primary schools across the island are now benefiting from the distribution of water tanks, under a multi-year initiative funded by the United States Southern Command Humanitarian Assistance Programme and facilitated through the National Education Trust (NET). Valued at approximately US$40,000, the donation is aimed at improving access to reliable water supply in schools, particularly those located in vulnerable and...