MILE GULLY, Manchester — Member of Parliament for North West Manchester Mikael Phillips wants private sector companies to seek to fix Jamaica’s development challenges by making more investment in the education sector.

Phillips, who was addressing a recent town hall meeting of the Centres of Excellence (COE) programme at Mile Gully High School, said that without greater investment in education the country would not make progress.

“Education, I am sure, to all of us is paramount; not only for our children but for our country. I always say that no matter how we can fix the macroeconomic side of our country, if we do not fix our education and educational structures we will be perpetually going around in circles in trying to fix our country. If we don’t get the education of our children right, Jamaica will suffer in the long term for it,” he said.

The Centres of Excellence initiative was created through a partnership involving the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) that formed the Mutual Building Societies Foundation (MBSF).

The MBSF aims to “implement social development projects which serve as models for effective partnerships that lead to sustainable national development”.

The four-year Centres of Excellence programme is the premier activity of the foundation.

Mile Gully High School is one of two Centres of Excellence in Manchester. The North West Manchester MP said that the programme is meaningful for the school and community and he was saddened that it is coming to an end.

“I got a little piece of sad news… that this programme comes to an end next year,” said Phillips. “I think that we should send a cry out to our private sector companies to join Jamaica National and Victoria Mutual in believing in our children, in believing in education. Not only for us to buy into the schools that we are past students of; but for the schools that are worse off than those on top, for us to try to save them.”

The other participating schools are: Porus High in Manchester; McGrath High, St Catherine; Godfrey Stewart High, Westmoreland; Green Pond High, St James; and Seaforth High in St Thomas.

Dr Renee Rattray, programme manager at the MBSF, told Observer Central that the schools were selected based on criteria such as the vision for the school as demonstrated in a business plan, their needs and rural setting. She said that these schools can be considered as the pilot project and are all improving.

“Mile Gully is so small but so powerful. It is the smallest amongst the six, yet Mile Gully always shines and surprises,” said Dr Rattray.

“I am honoured to be a part of it (the programme) because it shows that private sector companies do have real interest in making education better. Jamaica National and Victoria Mutual have a vested interest because they are going to be receiving students that Mile Gully produces,” she added.

Through the Centres of Excellence programme, the science lab at Mile Gully High was equipped. The school has benefited from a reading specialist, a three-week summer intervention programme in mathematics and English for the incoming grade seven students, a study tour at Jamaica College, a behaviour modification camp, an entrepreneurship camp, a professional development camp for heads of department and other teachers and leadership activity for the principal and the school board.

It was revealed at the meeting that an increasing number of students at the school are sitting the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination and that the Parent/Teachers’ Association is now more engaged.

“Since the MBSF, Mile Gully High School is a better school. There will be no turning back for Mile Gully High School. It only will be forward, forward, forward,” Principal Ulit Brackett said with conviction.