Ascot Infant, Primary and High schools in Portmore, St. Catherine, were closed this morning, due to an increase in smog in the area. The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has reported that the smoke coming from the Riverton City disposal site has spread to sections of the Gregory Park, Waterford and Greater Portmore communities and to sections...

The Ministry of Education is advising schools that were closed last Friday as a result of the smog emanating from the Riverton City disposal site to remain closed on Monday, March 16, 2015. This is to facilitate the clean-up of some schools and to determine their readiness for resumption, particularly those that are located within the immediate vicinity of the...

The Ministry of Education is targeting the 2017/18 academic year for roll out of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), which is slated to replace the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean, says the PEP aims to assist in alleviating existing challenges associated with long distances traversed by secondary students to get to school, by introducing...

Education Minister, the Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, says improving student achievement in mathematics is critical to the country’s continued growth and development. “That is why over the past three years...there has been a wholehearted commitment ... to arrest the decline in our appreciation of mathematics and that we improve our methods of teaching, our understanding of the principles and eventually...

The Ministry of Education has reported that all is in place for the 2015 sitting of the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). The GSAT will be administered over a two-day period from Thursday, March 19 to Friday, March 20. A total of 38,470 students will sit the examination in 1,112 centres across the island. Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean,...

Education Minister, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, is encouraging Mathematics teachers to “sharpen your skills”, as the Ministry continues work to improve the outcomes for this subject. Alluding to the results of a recent survey, the Minister noted that nearly 800 of over 1,700 high school Mathematics teachers are qualified in virtually all areas but that subject. He also noted that...

The University Council of Jamaica (UCJ), as at March 2015, has accredited over 233 programmes and seven short courses. This comprises 207 programmes in more than 30 local universities, colleges and other learning institutions, and 26 programmes delivered in Jamaica by overseas institutions. Executive Director of the UCJ, Dr. Yvonnette Marshall, said the accreditation of programmes is in keeping with...