Gov’t Invites Investment in Education Sector

Jamaicans locally and within the Diaspora are being encouraged to partner with the Government in providing critical support for the development of the nation’s education system.

Making the appeal on April 7, Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, implored persons wishing to contribute to the sector to channel those resources through the National Education Trust (NET), which is tasked with enabling and maintaining investments in education.

“Not only do we reach out and speak to the more than 130 alumni associations of Jamaican schools that are on the eastern seaboard of the United States alone and scores of others in Canada, in the United Kingdom and throughout the Caribbean Basin, but we speak to the countless Jamaicans, who are interested in investing in making money in an education system that is a social industry of repute and of great prospect,” he said.

Rev. Thwaites was addressing a breakfast meeting with diplomats and business leaders hosted by NET at the Terra Nova All-Suites Hotel in St. Andrew.

The Minister said the meeting was not only held to solicit donations for the education system, but “we wish to posit education as being a worthy recipient of investment in Jamaica.”

He pointed to various areas of possible investment in the early childhood sector, as well as at the primary and secondary levels.

Rev. Thwaites said NET will make it easier for investments to be made in the education system, and also ensure that resources are channelled into areas of greatest need.

“Persons who are abroad, persons, who wish to assist in any way, must contact the NET. We do not wish to take over and extinguish the fire of your private generosity or the brand recognition that you legitimately expect , but what we do wish to do, is to channel it to the situations of real need…if only to ensure that you are not confounded by the various procedures that have to take place,” he said.

The Minister assured prospective donors that the NET is a reputable institution, which is accountable, and can be trusted in every respect.

“Efficiency is one of their hallmarks…NET does what it has to do efficiently, within time and within budget. You can have confidence that it is an essential link in the transformative move, which is inevitable and essential to our progress as a people,” he said.

NET is expected to be the focal point for investment and philanthropic contributions, especially from the Jamaican Diaspora.

The goal of the NET is to have philanthropy directly aligned with the needs of the Jamaican education system so as to expand quality educational access to the nation’s children, empower a disenfranchised people, increase social mobility and build human capital.

The meeting was hosted as part of the NET’s thrust to deepen the engagement of key external stakeholders in its drive towards resourcing the education system.