Education Ministry Holds TREND Consultation with Business Leaders

The Ministry of Education and Youth recently met with business stakeholders as the entity continues to strengthen partnerships to benefit the education sector.

The Transforming Education for National Development (TREND) Stakeholders Meeting for Business Leaders was held at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in St. Andrew.

In attendance were representatives from the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Foundation, NCB Foundation, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), VM Foundation, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Honey Bun Foundation, among others.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Kasan Troupe, in her address at the meeting, noted the Ministry’s commitment to fostering robust partnerships aimed at enhancing student achievement, improving school governance and bolstering teacher competence.

“The Ministry is committed to ensuring that every child’s success is assured through collaborative efforts with our stakeholders. Our aim is to engage stakeholders actively in our transformation agenda, ensuring alignment and collective action towards a globally competitive education system,” he noted.

Dr. Troupe highlighted ongoing initiatives aimed at advancing educational outcomes across the nation.

These include certification support for public early-childhood institutions, establishment of brain-builder centres, extensive training for early-childhood practitioners, and the expansion of information and communications technology (ICT) smart rooms to drive innovative school programmes.

The Ministry is also focused on offering scholarships to strengthen the tertiary sector and ensure graduates are well-prepared for the labour market.

Through its infrastructure programme, the Ministry is ensuring that schools are well-maintained and benefit from necessary repairs and construction, including electrical upgrades and fencing.

Being implemented from 2023 to 2030, TREND is focused on positioning Jamaica to become a more globally competitive nation.

It is based on the 365 recommendations in the Professor Orlando Patterson-led Jamaica Education Transformation Commission Report (2021).

The recommendations, which span early-childhood education through the tertiary level, are designed to improve performance at all levels of the education system, to enhance the nation’s competitiveness.

Acting Chief Educational Transformation Officer, Sophia Forbes-Hall, who also addressed the session, underscored the importance of the Ministry’s commitment to implementing the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission’s recommendations, including the adoption of a unified Philosophy of Education for Jamaica.

“This philosophy serves as our guiding principle towards achieving sustainable economic development through education,” she noted.