Jamaica Basic Education Project gets $173.71 million

KINGSTON — The Jamaica Basic Education Project, which seeks to increase literacy fluency and foundation mathematics skills among grades one to three students, has received a boost of $173.71 million in the 2011/12 Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives.

The allocation will go towards initiatives aimed at achieving a 90 per cent early grade reading fluency in the 250 primary schools in which the project is being piloted,  and boost math acquisition by 50 per cent above the initial baseline in the selected schools, as measured by the early mathematics assessment instrument.

Other targets for this fiscal year are: to increase teacher and principal accountability for improved student performance in reading and mathematics; continue the training of trainers of teachers, and plan teacher training in the education regions; enhance the participation of the private sector in policy formation; and increase the National Education Trust’s private contribution.

The project, which was implemented in September 2009, is being jointly funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government. It is anticipated to be concluded by September 2014.

To date, sensitisation sessions have been staged in the six education regions; reading standards for grades one to three have been developed and presented to the Literacy Advisory Board for review and recommendations; and workshops have been conducted for trainers of teachers in reading standards.

In addition, proficiency levels and early reading assessment instrument have been established for grades one to three; while strategies for the effective teaching of reading, including video clips, have been developed.

By LATONYA LINTON, JIS Reporter