Gov’t Focused on Closing Gap in Education

The main goal of transforming Jamaica’s education system is to close the inequality gap in students’ learning experiences and outcomes, Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has said.

He noted that critical to accomplishing this objective is standardising resources and strengthening the accountability framework within the sector.

“The objective of the transformation is to keep the schools that are doing well, [doing] even better. But we have to focus on those sectors of the education system that are not doing well and lift up their standards, lift up their accountability and improve their output,” Mr. Holness said.

He was addressing the Office of the Prime Minister’s (OPM) Face-to-Face Townhall Meeting on Education, at Jamaica College in St. Andrew, on Friday (September 9).

Noting that the sector’s transformation is long overdue, Prime Minister Holness urged all stakeholders to support the process.

He said the Government will be emphasising accountability and efficiency in the delivery of education, to remove inequalities in the system and improve student performance across all institutions.

“That is what the objective is, because we’ve got to remove the inequality and inequities of the Jamaican society and start with equalising educational [outputs], not by tearing down those who are doing well, but by pulling [them] up,” he said.

‘The Reform of Education in Jamaica 2021 Report’ was launched in January 2022, with the Ministry of Education and Youth tasked to implement the recommendations.

Prior to this Report, there have been several others. They include the 2004 Taskforce on Educational Reform, the Education System Transformation Programme, which was started in 2010, and the 2012 National Education Strategic Plan.