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With four education roundtable discussions already held across the island, members of the public have expressed concern about the high illiteracy rate and the poor performance of students at the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) level. Speaking at the most recent forum held on February 27 at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston, Dr. Rae Davis, Chairman of the National Task...

Residents of a number of communities in Clarendon and St. Catherine along with educators from both parishes submitted a raft of proposals at the third in a series of educational roundtable discussions hosted by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture. The residents and educators want the government to offer: compulsory education, reduce the size of classes, zone schools, upgrade...

The community of Epworth in St. Ann has benefited from a refurbished and expanded basic school, which was constructed and equipped at a cost of $3.4 million. Constructed through the efforts of the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) and the Social Development Commission (SDC), with the community members providing five per cent of the project cost in cash or kind,...

Minister of Education, Youth and Culture, Maxine Henry-Wilson has emphasised that the education system has to be the driving force to move the country forward. "Many good things have happen in education, but we need to go a little faster because the world is going much faster and therefore, the education system has to be the underpinning to the change...

The pilot phase of the High School Equivalency Programme (HISEP) has been getting positive feedback from its target population. Project Manager of HISEP, Elaine Ferguson says since the programme was announced last September, there has been marked interest in HISEP with as many as 650 persons being registered. The programme presents a second-chance for adults to get the secondary education...

Zion Mount Basic School in Eastern Hanover has been rehabilitated at a cost of $2.8 million.The improved facility, which can accommodate 50 students, was handed over to the community on February 19, during a brief ceremony at the school. Implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), the project involved the construction of sanitary facilities complete with all associated water...

Director General of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ), Rear Admiral Peter Brady has been elected to chair the International Maritime Organization (IMO) sub-committee on Standards of Training and Watchkeeping (STW). The STW is the rulemaking body for the International Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW Convention). The group held its conference at the IMO headquarters...

The St. Ann's Bay Post Office has planned a number of events to mark 'World Post Day' which will be observed globally on October 9. Eileen Laing, Postmaster, told JIS News that a week of activities has been planned to mark the occasion commencing with a church service at the Apostolic Ark Pentecostal Church, in Brown's Town on October 5,...

Cardella Baker, a first year student at the University of the West Indies (UWI) and past student of Glenmuir High School in Clarendon is the first recipient of the Helen Stills Memorial Bursary launched by the Lions Club of the parish. The award of $20,000, was presented to Miss Baker by Ewan Scott, Club President, at the Lions Health Centre...

Over 200 students, including teachers and clubbites from schools in St. Catherine, attended a Careers Day held on Friday (Sept. 26) at the Rose Hall 4-H Training Centre in Linstead, St Catherine. The event was organised by the St. Catherine 4-H Advisory Council and held under the theme, "Learn Today, Lead Tomorrow." Several institutions and government agencies including the University...

Thirty students from 11 Primary and All-age schools in North Clarendon who gained the highest marks from that region in the recent Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), have been awarded bursaries from $5,000 to $10,000. Minister of Labour and Social Security, Horace Dalley The bursaries were presented by Member of Parliament for the area, and Minister of Labour and Social...

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) on Wednesday (Aug. 20) handed out ozone saving equipment valued at US$70,000 to 15 refrigerant technicians in Montego Bay. The technicians, representing several institutions in St. James including Air Jamaica, Cornwall Regional Hospital, Versair and HEART/NTA's Cornwall Automotive Institute, were handed the machinery after they had participated in an extensive workshop, where they...