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The Ministry of Education is looking at extending the academic year beyond the existing 190 days, as part of efforts to prevent a regression of students during the summer break. Portfolio Minister, Rev. the Hon. Ronald Thwaites, in responding to questions posed during the Rotary Club of New Kingston’s breakfast meeting held at Chaser’s Cafe on Friday, March 1, stated...

Improvement works, totaling $35.4 million, have been completed at the Newlands Basic School in Portmore, St. Catherine. The project was jointly funded by the Government and the European Union (EU) under its Poverty Reduction Programme II (PRP II) facility. Residents of Newlands and neighbouring communities also contributed the equivalent of approximately $11.9 million to the overall cost. The Jamaica Social...

The Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) is to receive loans totalling US$20 million from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), to finance tuition for tertiary level students. Cabinet, at its regular meeting on Monday, February 25, gave approval for Government to guarantee the loans. The Bank is also providing a grant of US$175,000. Making the announcement at Wednesday’s Jamaica House press briefing,...

Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, has called on students to make the best use of what they are being taught, as when they excel, this with boost the development of the nation. The Minister, who was delivering the keynote address at a Jamaica Day 2013 function, held on Thursday, February 22, at the Trelawny multi-purpose Stadium, in the...

Several primary school mathematics teachers will, in April, participate in development workshops aimed at enhancing competence in the subject. The training sessions, organised by the Seprod Group of Companies, are being undertaken in conjunction with the Ministry of Education. They will be held in regions one, two, four and six on April 10, 11, 19 and 26, respectively. Chief Operating...

Minister of Education, Rev. the Hon. Ronald Thwaites, is encouraging teachers to make use of online programmes in upgrading their skills. He said that while the Government is in full support of professional development, it could not afford the cost of having teachers on extended study leave. “We all have to consider economics and it is not going to be...

High school students have been urged to say no to voluntary and involuntary smoking,  in the drive to promote a smoke-free environment in Jamaica. This message was given through various presentations at the fourth staging of the Jamaica Cancer Society’s Anti-Tobacco Youth Forum, held on February 20 under the theme: ‘No joking, no smoking- serious ting’,  at the Girl Guides...

Minister of Education, Rev. the Hon. Ronald Thwaites, has hailed the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) electronic book (e-book) initiative, noting that it will save students significant sums in textbook costs. Under the project, being piloted in the medical faculty, students will be able to digitally access all their texts and journals at a fraction of the cost of...

Minister of Education, Rev. the Hon. Ronald Thwaites, has emphasised that there needs to be a change in the direction of education in the country. “This direction (can) no longer be where the bright children do well in the academics, and the not so bright do the technical and vocational skills,” the Minister argued. Rev. Thwaites emphasised that the modern...

The Patrick Hylton-led committee, looking into identifying a pool of money to fund the Student Loan Bureau (SLB), is expected to make a report in April. Recognising the severe financial challenges facing the bureau, Education Minister, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, had asked Mr. Hylton, who is Managing Director of the National Commercial Bank (NCB), to examine private funding for the...

Over 300 Grade 9 and 10 students at Knox High School in Spaldings on Thursday (February 7) participated in a media literacy project of the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica (BCJ). This is the second visit to the school by the Commission and it is one in a series under its schools' outreach programme. The Commission also used the opportunity to...

The Minister of Education, Hon Rev. Ronald Thwaites departed for Cuba on Wednesday, February 6. He is scheduled to participate in the 1st meeting of Education Ministers of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). The summit will be held as part of the International Pedagogy Conference 2013, which takes place in the Caribbean island, with the attendance...