PM Underscores Government’s Priority on Early Childhood Education

As part of the Government’s early childhood education thrust, over 400 teachers are being trained to improve their skills in early childhood education and another 200 trained teachers are to be engaged to work in early childhood education under the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP).

Making the announcement today, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller said: “Early childhood education is a priority and we are putting our money and resources where our rhetoric is."

The Prime Minister was speaking at the handing over of a facility provided by the National Housing Trust to the Paradise Court community in Trench Town which will be used to house the National Baptist Basic School. The facility is funded by the NHT to the tune of J$27 million.

The Prime Minister also announced that further assistance is to be provided by Food for the Poor which will see another three rooms being added as well as the provision of desks, chairs, a refrigerator, stove, beds for the sick room and whiteboards. Petrojam and Ashtrom have also committed to assist the facility.

In commending the NHT for the initiative, Prime Minister Simpson Miller said the mandate of the Trust is not only on building houses but impacting the social well-being of beneficiaries. The Prime Minister also used the occasion to appeal to parents and community members to be responsible in the development of their children.

This project is part of a broader BASICS Initiative Project being undertaken to improve the quality of 28 basic schools in the constituency of South St Andrew.

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