Rev. Thwaites Hails International Community for Supporting Education

Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, has expressed gratitude to international agencies and countries for their various programmes of assistance, which have contributed to the continued transformation of Jamaica’s education system.

“It is the assistance through international lending agencies and bilateral arrangements…that have changed the landscape, for example, of secondary education in Jamaica…your countries have a record of extraordinary generosity towards the Jamaican education system, for which we offer copious thanks and hopes for continuing future engagement,” he said.

The Education Minister was addressing members of the diplomatic community during a briefing session at the Knutsford Court Hotel in St. Andrew on February 11.

Specifically, Rev. Thwaites singled out the assistance of the people and Government of Brazil in the refurbishment of the HEART Trust/NTA’s College of Construction Services (NCC).

He noted that this US$5million two-year  project, allowed for the most modern equipment to be brought to Jamaica to improve the country’s construction skills by enabling thousands of students to  eventually  advance in this area.

The Minister also praised the Unites States Agency for International Development (USAID) for contributing to the enhancement of student’s literacy competences, with the provision of direct support to 420 primary schools through the deployment of reading coaches across the island.

“These coaches give special support to teachers at the Grade One to Three level,” he explained.

Rev. Thwaites also thanked the people and Government of France for their role in fulfilling an important element of  Jamaica’s 2030 vision, of becoming a multi-lingual society, through its Alliance programme “that has long existed that has benefitted thousands of Jamaicans and we hope will continue to do so.”

“The same is true of the programmes of the Latin American and Spanish countries which, because of their greater number, have assisted us in so many respects. All of the Latin American and Central American countries have helped us with the insertion of many of our students, and the programmes of the Embassy of Spain, have had particular prominence in this regard, as our friends, the Cubans,” he said.

The session was part of the programme of activities to mark the 17^th annual staging of Diplomatic Week, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

The Week will be observed from February 8 to 13 under the theme: ‘Building Partnerships for Sustainable Development’.