Ministry to Expand Application-Based Education
By: , September 14, 2022
Photo: Yhomo Hutchinson
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (right), consults with Education and Youth Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, during the question and answer session at Friday’s (September 9) town hall at Jamaica College, in St. Andrew. The meeting was organised by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).The Full Story
The Ministry of Education and Youth is looking to expand application-based education, to better equip students for careers of the future.
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the disclosure during an education town hall meeting at Jamaica College in St. Andrew, on September 9. The event was hosted by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).
Mr. Holness indicated that the HEART/NSTA Trust and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system will facilitate the undertaking.
“A follow on from the document that has been prepared by the Orlando Patterson Commission is a study on our post-secondary technical and vocational education system. We are looking at HEART and TVET, and how we can expand application-based education to bring relevant education experience to our youth. That is being undertaken right now, as we speak, and will form part of the transformation,” he informed.
Noting that more than 40 per cent of Jamaica’s population comprises young people, aged zero to 24 years, the Prime Minister said it is critical to engage this demographic in the process of continuous education and training in relevant fields, to equip them with the skills to compete in the global labour market.
“When we talk about transforming education, this is a social imperative because, as our society evolves, we have to ensure that we empower the minds of our young people so that they can cope with the challenges of the time they presently inhabit and the future that they will create,” he emphasised.
The Jamaica Education Transformation Commission was launched in July 2020 by Prime Minister Holness.
The Commission conducted a comprehensive review of the public education system, covering early childhood, primary, secondary, vocational, and higher education.
Recommendations from the review are aimed at creating a world class educational system designed to develop the skill base and human capital for Jamaica to successfully compete in the 21st century global economy.