BOTH the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP) — the two primary contenders for control of the next government — have made big commitments to education, while identifying the sector as crucial to the island’s development over the long term.

“There are few things more important to the future of Jamaica than the quality of our education system. The quality of our schools affects all aspects of our children’s lives and impacts on the quality of life of our nation. Children’s successful outcomes required a shared vision, sound policy based on best practices and a framework for planning programmes that are connected to the transformation programme,” the JLP said its in 2011 manifesto, themed “Building on Our Achievements… A Better Way Forward”.

The PNP, for its part, affirmed its “unequivocal belief in the right of access to quality education… for all Jamaicans”.

“There is clearly an existing and growing need for additional resources if we are to enjoy the desired standard of services in these fields. We remain committed to ensuring that the access to such services should not be determined by the ability to pay,” the party’s manifesto noted.

As such, the PNP promised to carefully review the factors impacting on the sector “to ensure that administrative and organisational efficiencies are maximised and that standards are not compromised”.

According to the JLP, there are five critical challenges facing the Ministry of Education if it is to successfully realise an improvement in the education system — all of which the party intends to meet. Those areas include:

* quality of teaching and learning;

* accountability;

* infrastructure;

* effective parenting and sustained parental participation; and

* safety and security.

Given these needs, the JLP promised to use such entities as the Jamaica Teaching Council, the National Education Inspectorate, the National Education Trust, the National Parenting Support Commission, the National College of Education Leadership, and the Jamaica Education Tertiary Commission — all of which it said were finalised under its recent administration — to drive the improvements in the system.

The PNP, on the other hand, said it would review the recommendations of the Report on the Education System of the 2004 Task Force that was appointed by then prime minister, PJ Patterson. The idea, the party said in its manifesto, themed “People Power: Leading the Agenda for Progressive Change”, is to make the necessary adjustments to the document, which it said has “become the blueprint for the development of the sector”.

The adjustments are to be consistent with “the objective of an educated citizenry operating at world-class levels and enjoying the quality of life which flows from their achievements”.

As such, the party has promised:

* a laser-like focus on enhancing teacher quality;

* ensuring continued priority to literacy and numeracy;

* interventions targeting the 20 lowest performing primary and secondary schools that fall below and established performance threshold;

* fast-tracking new institutional arrangements that will facilitate each of their goals;

* refocusing on quality and access issues at the early childhood education level; and

* reviewing the various tertiary education loan financing models “including the one introduced in the UK, with a view to arriving at the most appropriate model or mix of models in consultation with the relevant stakeholders”.

Like the JLP, the PNP have also declared an intention — should it form the next administration — to improve teacher quality while improving “the stature and public regard for teachers”.

It proposes to do so though, among other things, supporting a technical assistance and financing programme for institutional strengthening and improvement of the infrastructure of teacher-training institutions; facilitating continued professional development opportunities for current members of the profession; and developing a comprehensive programme, including scholarships to tertiary level and special post-graduation opportunities, aimed at recruiting high-performing secondary school leavers into the profession.

Also like the JLP, the PNP has promised improvements to schools and to make this happen, proposes to:

* undertake the strengthening of the National Education Inspectorate “to enable the entity to undertake comprehensive evaluations of selected schools;

* establish school improvement services at the regional level;

* initiate a national volunteers call-up to identify high-performing and competent teachers and principals who have retired, but who possess the experience and competence to lead or be members of school improvement teams.

The JLP, meanwhile, have put on the table a curriculum review, which it said will form “a major focus” of theirs should they be returned as the ruling party when Jamaicans vote on Thursday. According to the party, the Ministry of Education is currently completing a revision of the primary curriculum and is looking to develop a secondary curriculum, which is to include a national school leaving certificate programme.

“The National Curriculum Policy will also be finalised to provide a regulatory framework that will provide clear and specific guidelines for the development of curricula of the highest quality. It will specify the necessary provisions for their efficient implementation,” the JLP said.

“Similarly, the Positive Behaviour Change Management Methodology will be fully embedded throughout the system and the Critical Incident Management Alliance effecting trauma support and bereavement therapy will be strengthened,” the party added.

At the same time, the JLP said they intended to finalise all pending education policies, including the Special Education Policy, while focusing on address the gaps in existing legislation. They have also pledged to have the Information Communication Technology (ICT) in Education and Education Media policies as new additions to their offerings to the education system.

“They will enable the framework to guide the transformation of all of the nation’s schools, giving all students access to current technologies while equipping all teachers with ICT skills to complement the development and delivery of the curriculum,” the JLP said.

“The Education Media Policy will also facilitate the use of existing media content celebrating local culture and talent as well as the development of additional relevant media content for use in schools. Since the availability and use of ICT supports the offering of high quality, appropriate curricula in schools, this policy naturally complements the National Curriculum Policy,” the party added.

Also on their list of things to do is improving skills training through the HEART Trust/NTA, which they described as being “a pivotal and strategic arm of the Ministry of Education (and one that is) critical to Jamaica attaining its Vision 2030 goals.

The PNP, in refocusing on early childhood education and the early primary level, have noted that the necessary policy and implementation plans already exist — based on the work of the 2004 Task Force and the Early Childhood Commission — and that all that was left to do is to:

* promulgate the necessary support for the introduction of the promulgated standards within all institutions;

* target the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education Fund and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund to support the work necessary to certify institutions;

* pursue alternative financing models to increase equity of access and quality across the national early childhood sector; and

* ensure the introduction of the recently developed curriculum within all institutions with the necessary oversight to ensure the use of appropriate delivery by classroom practitioners.

Also a requirement to realise quality outcomes as per the focus on early childhood education and the early primary education level, the party said, is:

* to incentivise the training and assignment of qualified teachers to the early primary level;

* to enhance the competence and quality of practitioners through the buttressing of the HEART Trust/NTA and the National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training programme; and

* to introduce a quality assurance body to monitor and certify institutions to minimum delivery standards for the training of early childhood practitioners.

Universal literacy and the tertiary education sector are not to be ignored.

“The PNP recognises that no country can attain sustainable development with a vibrant and modern tertiary sector. Adequate financing of the sector continues to be one of the most urgent demands with an increasing number of those entering the sector having limited ability to pay,” the party said.

“The PNP does not believe that the ability to pay should be the determining factor in accessing tertiary education and will, therefore, explore various options to supplement the funds available through the Students’ Loan Bureau at concessionary rates. This will include seeking private sector partnerships to match public funds,” the party added.

The PNP has also promised to prioritise the development of the Tertiary Commission “with its mandate being to stimulate and co-ordinate policy and programme development within the sector”. They also said that should they form the next government, they would provide institutional strengthening for the University Council of Jamaica, the Council of Community Colleges and the successor organisation to the Joint Board of Teacher Education.

In the end, the party suggested that partnerships would be key to helping to make a success of the education system.

“Strong and effective partnerships will be forged with key stakeholders in the sector, including faith-based institutions, trusts, the local private sector and Diaspora interests, for both school improvement and the provision of additional facilities,” the PNP said, adding that they would also explore opportunities with international institutions or exchange programmes aimed at global education experiences to improve (the island’s) competitive capability in specific fields”.

Some JLP promises

• Improved quality of teaching and learning.

• Accountability.

• Infrastructure improvement.

• Promotion of effective parenting and parental participation.

• Improved safety and security at school.

• Curriculum review and development.

• Enhanced skills training.

Some PNP promises

• Improved teacher quality and profile.

• Improvement of school infrastructure.

• Improve access to tertiary education.

• Alternative financing for tertiary education.

• Refocus on early childhood education and the early primary levels.

• Universal literacy.