Ministry to lobby broader stakeholders support for education transformation
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of Education and Youth, Fayval Williams, says the Ministry is committed to engaging all stakeholders in dialogue to solicit their support for the continuing transformation of the education sector.
“The focus will be on implementing the recommendations of the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission. As you know, if we don’t implement the recommendations, we cannot expect to see different results,” Williams said.
The Minister was speaking during a back-to-school broadcast on Sunday, September 4.
The Education Transformation Commission report, which was launched in January, is a blueprint for establishing a comprehensive strategy to improve student performance and educational productivity across the sector.
The 342-page document has 54 prioritised recommendations addressing governance and accountability, early-childhood education, teaching curriculum and teacher training, tertiary education, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), infrastructure and technology, and finance, among other areas.
Meanwhile, Williams noted that the Ministry is mindful of the significant strides that have been made in the sector.
“We have just celebrated 60 years as an independent nation and we at the Ministry of Education and Youth believe that, notwithstanding challenges, we have made notable progress over the many decades and this should be appreciated,” she stated.
Williams added that the debate is currently rightly focused on where it should be, “on the quality of education and how we can get more of our students performing at a higher level”.