Education Minister Suggests Implementation of After School Homework Programme

Minister of Education, the Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, is proposing that schools implement an after school homework programme at both the primary and secondary levels.

He noted that the supervised homework programme would be instituted to assist underperforming students whose assignments are often incomplete or those who do not have strong support at home and in their communities.

The Minister was speaking at Campion College’s inaugural Archbishop Samuel Carter Lecture, held at the St. Andrew school on January 7. The lecture was held as part of the institution’s Founders’ Week celebrations.

Rev. Thwaites said the homework centres would be supervised by volunteers, who would be offered a stipend for their services.

“I’m excited by the possibility that through an extension of the Jamaica Values and Attitudes (JAMVAT) programme initiated by former Prime Minister P. J. Patterson, tertiary students or unemployed graduates could defray their student loans by monitoring these homework sessions,” he suggested.

Meanwhile, Rev. Thwaites said the Ministry is now investing in reviving uniformed groups, such as Girl Guides, Scouts and Cadets, particularly in the “weaker schools.”

“The target is for 100 new groups to be formed to augment the hundreds now active. The necessity is to track all of our students closely and to avoid prolonged absences from school and dropouts and to lead all to some certifiable skilled outcomes by the end of 2016,” he explained.