Jamaica And Mexico Strengthen Ties To Advance Basic Education

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture is this week hosting a five-day workshop with a delegation from Mexico to examine methodologies to advance the development of basic education in marginalized and rural communities in both countries.
The workshop is being hosted under the Educational and Cultural Cooperation Programme 2002-2004 between both countries.
Speaking at the opening ceremony today at the Ministry in Kingston, State Minister for Education, Youth and Culture, Dr. Donald Rhodd said that the workshop would look at the programmes of both countries geared toward disadvantaged and marginalized communities.
The exercise, he said would see Ministry officials presenting information on the Jamaica All-age Schools Programme, Reform of Secondary Education (ROSE) Project, School Feeding Programme, Text Book Programme, Primary Education and Support Programme and the New Horizon Project, which is an assistance programme in developing Spanish curriculum for Primary schools.
“For the future, we are hoping that this level of cooperation will lead to the placement of Mexican Spanish Teachers in our Primary Schools as well as academic exchanges, which will include short immersion courses in English and Spanish,” the Minister said.
Dr. Rhodd said that by way of this exchange programme, the Government of Jamaica would assist Mexico to become more competent in the English Language while they would assist Jamaica to improve proficiency in Spanish.
While in the island the delegation will also visit the Ministry’s regional offices in St. Catherine and St. Ann.
Mexican Ambassador to Jamaica, Benito Andion said that his country stands to benefit from the programme. “We have a special interest in the rural areas in Mexico where a great part of our country is still underdeveloped due to the lack of education in indigenous people,” he said.
“We are very happy to develop this part of the programme . because education is the main goal of the Mexican . it is also the main goal of any country that wishes to go further in development,” he said.
The workshop is part of a bilateral Agreement between both countries, which was renewed in March of 2002. Already Jamaica has participated in a number of visits in areas of Early Childhood Education and Physical Education in Mexico.