Twelve-year-old Myles Whittingham of Montego Bay Christian Academy (MBCA) earned the distinction of being Jamaica’s top-performing boy in the 2025 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination. But to Myles, PEP was not an insurmountable challenge; it was “manageable”. When asked how he juggled academics with a busy extracurricular life that included football, chess, karate, quiz and boys’ club, he told JIS...

When the COVID-19 pandemic was officially declared over in May 2023, it left behind a trail of economic disruption and widespread financial challenges. For Melissa*, a law student who resided in the Corporate Area, the fallout was more severe than most. “Coming out of COVID, I lost everything… my job, my apartment and everything with it… because I could no...

Managing the impact of Lupus is a team effort for couple of 32 years Dr. Jacqueline Goulbourne and her husband, Dr. Kevin Goulbourne. Dr. Jacqueline is a Gerontologist, who studies aging and promotes well-being among older adults. She was diagnosed with Lupus in 2008, 15 years into their marriage. Over the years, her husband, who is a Consultant Psychiatrist, has...

Students at Christiana Leased Primary School in Manchester are truly living the institution’s mantra  “the home of excellence,” as evidenced by their strong performance in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP). The school achieved 76 per cent proficiency for mathematics; 80 per cent for language arts; 83 per cent for social studies and 83 per cent for science, bettering the national...

The Social Development Commission (SDC) continues to drive economic growth at the community level through strong partnerships with key ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs). Director, Local Economic Development at SDC, Avril Ranger, tells JIS News that partnerships are essential to the success of its Local Economic Development Support Programme (LEDSP). The LEDSP, now in its 10th year, is focused on...

Olympian, Christine Day, has been selected as the first Sports Exchange Advisor (SEA) from Jamaica for the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme. The 400-metre specialist represented the country at several international competitions, including the 2012 London Games, 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and the 2015 World Athletics Championship in Beijing. She is among eight Jamaicans who will participate in...

The Jamaica Festival Song Competition carries with it a long and storied tradition of musical excellence, attracting thousands of artistes over multiple decades and eras of Jamaican popular music. The competition is organised annually by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, through the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC). Many artistes compete to have the winning song that will...

As consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, in Westmoreland, Dr. Darren Fray brings more than medical expertise to the operating theatre; he is passionate about healing, patient care, honesty, empathy and service. "I grew up in Montego Bay [St. James]. I went to Cornwall College, then Montego Bay Community College for CAPE. I did my medical training...

As consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, in Westmoreland, Dr. Darren Fray brings more than medical expertise to the operating theatre; he is passionate about healing, patient care, honesty, empathy and service. "I grew up in Montego Bay [St. James]. I went to Cornwall College, then Montego Bay Community College for CAPE. I did my medical training...