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Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites (centre), makes reference to the revised Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Mathematics curriculum, during his address at a press conference at the Ministry’s Heroes Circle offices in Kingston, on August 12. The Minister presented the results of this year's CSEC examination and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). Students’ performance improved in 14 of the 35 subjects sat in this year’s CSEC exams. Ministry officials pictured (from left) are: National Mathematics Co-ordinator, Dr. Tamika Benjamin; Permanent Secretary, Elaine Foster-Allen; and Chief Education Officer, Dr. Grace McLean.

Minister Thwaites Assures Teachers Will Be Paid On Time

Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, is assuring teachers that their retroactive salaries will be paid on time. This assurance comes in response to concerns raised by the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) that certain retroactive payments due in August...

Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites (centre), emphasises a point during a press conference at the Ministry’s Heroes Circle offices in Kingston, August 12. The Minister presented the results of this year's Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). Students’ performance improved in 14 of the 35 subjects taken in this year’s CSEC exams. The Minister is flanked by the Ministry's National Mathematics Co-ordinator, Dr. Tamika Benjamin (left); and Permanent Secretary, Elaine Foster-Allen.

Improved Performance by CSEC Students

Custos of Hanover, Dr. the Hon. David Stair (right); Chairman of the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), Dr. Maureen Samms Vaughn (2nd right); Executive Director of the ECC, Dr. Joan Reid (left back row) and Western Regional Director of the Ministry of Education, Mrs. Hillary Foster (3rd left, back row), with the Early Childhood Honourees from Hanover, during an awards ceremony held at the Tryall Club in the parish on August 11. The 11 teachers were recognized for between 34 and 46 years of service to the Early Childhood Education sector.

Hanover Teachers Honoured By ECC

Little Kamoya Donaldson, a student of the Sandy Bay Basic School in Hanover, presents a token of appreciation to the Ministry of Education’s Western Regional Director, Hillary Foster, who was the guest speaker at the Early Childhood Commission’s (ECC) 10th anniversary function held on Monday (August 11), at the Tryall Club in the parish.

Education Ministry Looking to Merge, Build 200 Basic Schools

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Elaine Foster-Allen (right), with Kevaughn Turnbull after presenting him with a scholarship cheque amounting to $50,000. Kevaughn is one of the recipients of the NCB Employees Co-operative Credit Union Limited’s 2014 Treasure Chest Solid Goal Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) scholarship award. The presentation was made during a ceremony held at the Alhambra Inn and Restaurant in Kingston on August 7.

Parents Urged to Report Expensive Booklists

12 years ago Education

Sydney Pagon High Begins STEM Transformation in September

The Ministry of Education is far advanced with plans to transform the St. Elizabeth-based, Syndey Pagon High School into a STEM Academy, focusing on the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Approximately $20 million is being spent initially to upgrade the science labs, classrooms and library facilities to receive approximately 100 grade-seven students who will commence the STEM programme...

12 years ago Education

Teachers’ Vacation Leave Outside ‘School Days’ Being Encouraged

Teachers are being encouraged to take vacation leave outside the 190 days stipulated for instructional delivery in schools each academic year, by the Ministry of Education. This, so as to reduce challenges arising and the extent to which the Ministry and, by extension, school administrators are required to make alternative arrangements to fill the resulting temporary vacancy created. This urging...

12 years ago EducationHealth & Wellness

Chikungunya Prevention Strategies to be Developed for Schools

Representatives of the Ministries of Health, and Education, are scheduled to meet on August 19 to explore and develop strategies to prevent any possible threat of a spread which the Chikungunya virus could pose for schools, currently preparing for September’s start of the 2014/15 academic year. In noting that the Education Ministry deems the virus a “major threat” to schools,...

12 years ago Education

Custos Commends Work of Early Childhood Commission

Custos of Hanover, Dr. the Hon. David Stair, has called on all Jamaicans to support the work of the Early Childhood Commission (ECC) in building a solid educational foundation for the nation’s children. Speaking at an awards function hosted by the ECC at the Tryall Club in the parish on Monday, August 11, Dr. Stair said that children without a...

Education Minister the Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites (right) in discussion with Canadian Senator, Rev Dr. Don Meredith at the Ministry of Education offices, National Heroes Circle on August 7, 2014.

12 years ago Education

Education Ministry Talks Special Education with Canadian Delegation

The Ministry of Education is seeking to establish an exchange programme involving Special Education teachers from Jamaica visiting Canada to observe best practices in that North American country. In addition, the Ministry is exploring the possibility of acquiring appropriate software from Canada to be used in the delivery of special education programmes to persons with disabilities. These proposals resulted from...

12 years ago Education

UTech Ready to Assist in National Development

Acting President of the University of Technology (UTech), Ambassador Burchell Whiteman, says the University’s Engineering Department can assist in the development of Jamaica. He argued that the students of the Engineering Department, who worked on the University’s recently commissioned Solar Energy Project, have benefitted tremendously from the learning exercise, and are willing to partake in other such undertakings. “UTech is...

Transport, Works, and Housing Minister, Dr. the Hon. Omar Davies (2nd left); and the People’s Republic of China’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Dong Xiaojun (left); sign copies of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which will facilitate the teaching of Mandarin, the official Chinese dialect, at the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI), beginning in September. The signing took place at the CMI’s Palisadoes Park campus, in Kingston, on Wednesday (July 30). Looking on is CMI Executive Director, Dr. Fritz Pinnock (2nd right); and Chief Education Officer, Ministry of Education,. Dr. Grace McLean, who represented Portfolio Minister, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites.

12 years ago Education

Increased Cooperation in Education Between Jamaica and China

Bilateral cooperation in education between Jamaica and the People’s Republic of China has advanced significantly since the countries established diplomatic relations in 1972. China’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Dong Xiaojung, said over 600 Jamaicans have either been awarded scholarships to study or participated in training programmes in the Asian country over the 42-year association. Another 11 students have been...