Ministry to Launch Communication Campaign on Education Transformation

The Ministry of Education and Youth will be undertaking a robust $34 million communication plan dubbed ‘Transforming Education for National Development’ (TREND), which aims to sensitise the public about the transformation process.

With the tagline ‘For a Brighter Tomorrow’, the plan forms part of the work of the Education Transformation Oversight Committee (ETOC), which has been charged with monitoring the implementation of recommendations contained in the report of the Professor Orlando Patterson-chaired Jamaica Education Transformation Commission (JETC).

Addressing an ETOC press conference on Wednesday (October 18) at Jamaica House, Portfolio Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, explained that the communication plan is critical to helping Jamaicans understand the work of the Ministry and giving citizens “visibility into the system”.

She shared that the plan will include jingles, school pop up tours, town hall meetings, radio and television advertisements and social media campaigns.

Minister Williams informed that the first town hall is slated for November 2 and advised that school tours will commence in a few weeks.

For his part, ETOC Chairman, Dr. Adrian Stokes, commended the Ministry’s efforts to improve communication with the public, noting that a professional has been engaged, who has commenced significant work in this regard.

“ETOC is encouraged by the move at the Ministry to bring in talent to augment existing [personnel] so that the communication effort can be ramped up,” he said.

Dr. Stokes advised that the soon to be launched communication campaign will drive greater public awareness and ensure that “we have the support… the buy-in for the transformation process”.