New Education Minister ready to continue transformational initiatives

New Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Fayval Williams, says she is ready to continue the transformational initiatives in the Ministry for the benefit of all Jamaicans.

Minister Williams was sworn in by Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, at King’s House on Sunday (September 13).

After taking the Oath of Office, she told JIS News that she comes to the Ministry with a lot of different perspectives with knowledge, having worked at the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, and having to interact with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information then.

“I come with some knowledge to the job on day one, ready to take up the responsibility of the Ministry; ready to engage with the various stakeholders, the teachers, the students and the parents,” Minister Williams said.

“I speak from the perspective of being at the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service and having to interact with the Ministry of Education in terms of its finances. I speak as well from the perspective of the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology, through USF [Universal Service Fund] and e-learning. We provided the technology platforms for the Ministry, we helped with the roll-out of the Tablets for Teachers and pretty soon, e-learning will be rolling out Tablets for Students, particularly the PATH students,” she pointed out.

Minister Williams also noted that in her role as Member of Parliament, she was involved with all the schools in her constituency at different points in time, whether it was school opening, devotions, back-to-school, so she knows the issues that parents face when it is back-to-school time.

“I come to this job with some perspective, with some experience and I’m looking forward to working with all the stakeholders to ensure that our educational system continues the transformation that Jamaicans want to see,” she said.

Mrs. Williams is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) by profession. She has an MBA with concentration in Finance from the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BA (cum laude) in Economics from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

She was elected Member of Parliament for St. Andrew Eastern in the recent general election for the second time.