Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has announced the implementation of a pilot programme which is aimed at providing education and training for disengaged students in vulnerable communities. He made the announcement at a University of the West Indies-Western Jamaica Campus (UWI-WJC) event at Sandals Montego Bay on Friday, May 20. Senator Reid said the initiative...

A preliminary audit conducted by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is showing a reduction in the number of critical incidents in schools involving the use of weapons. The audit, undertaken at the end of the 2014/15 academic year, also indicates an increase in the number of weapons confiscated by Deans of Discipline in partnership with School Resource Officers...

The National Child Month Committee (NCMC) is encouraging parents, guardians, caregivers and the general public to ensure that children are treated extra special on National Children’s Day, Friday, May 20. Chair of the NCMC, Dr. Pauline Mullings, told JIS News that Jamaica is the only country that has a month designated to children and is among few countries that observe...

The nation’s youths are being encouraged to play a more pivotal role in reducing crime and violence. This urging comes from Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, who argues that if young people are forthright in this regard, they could influence persons engaging in illicit acts to “lay down their guns and knives so that we...

School administrators have been advised that voluntary contributions from parents and other stakeholders towards their institutions’ development will be accommodated under the Government’s proposed tuition fee policy. Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, who made the disclosure, emphasized, however, that contributions sought should not be regarded as mandatory payments. Additionally, he said the Ministry would be “strongly”...

The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) will administer the inaugural National Four Year Old School Readiness Assessment, on May 10 and 11. The exercise will determine the readiness of four year old students for the primary education system, by assessing their literacy and numeracy skills. This year’s engagement will involve students enrolled in more than 90 percent of Jamaica’s early childhood institutions,...

The Government is seeking to strengthen its partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on programmes aimed at boosting employment and training for young people. State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, said the National Youth Service (NYS) is working with the IDB to develop a “comprehensive approach” to address youth unemployment through interventions such as apprenticeship...