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A few weeks ago, I made a pronouncement on the recent Primary Exit Profile (PEP) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results that highlighted significant deficit in learning and mastery at these two levels particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-based subjects.  One of the recommendations is to have teachers’ colleges revisit how their teachers are trained for […]

The announcement of the appointment of Jamaica’s Finance Minister, Dr. Nigel Clarke, as Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, with effect from October 30, 2024, has triggered an avalanche of public commentary and discussion.  One of the positions highlighted is the question of whether the IMF has changed from what it was forty,

The educational landscape is a truly dynamic space; every so often, a new concept, theory or approach becomes the new “buzzword”. Maslow and Bloom seem to have lost the traction they have held for quite some time and; fresh in the minds of stakeholders in education are: 5Cs, 4Es, STEM/STEAM/STREAM. The 5Cs refer to  Critical

The Government of Jamaica had indicated it would introduce the Sixth Form Pathway Programme that would seek to improve the educational outcomes of many high school leavers. By engaging in courses to make themselves more marketable, school leavers through pursuing CXC/City and Guilds subjects, skill based subjects, this initiative also contributes to the improvement of

Effective leadership in every sphere requires the existence of trust.  A leader’s believability and the willingness of others to carry out instructions and act in the organization’s best interests, even in the absence of explicit situational instructions, are all dependent on trust between the leader and those he or she leads.  The ability of members

In 2022, teacher migration intensified in Jamaica.  In responding to the developments, the Caribbean Centre for Educational Planning (CCEP),conducted a series of interventions including staging seminars and carrying out field research to elicit the views of teachers.  The seminars engaged school administrators whose views on the causes, and proposals of the solutions including their management

Hurricane Beryl, the first hurricane of the 2024 Hurricane Season hit Jamaica on July 3, 2024. At the time of writing (August 7), it was approximately four weeks since the event.  The hurricane’s impact on the island was disproportionate with sections of parishes on the southern and southwestern sides (Clarendon, Manchester, St. Elizabeth, and Westmoreland)

Shopping for traditional schools (brand schools) such as Campion College, Westwood High School and the Wolmer’s Schools just to name a few is the norm for Jamaican parents, teachers and students. In years gone by, and possibly, to a lesser extent, passing examinations for a non-traditional high school would be synonymous to a major, even

The Government of Jamaica tabled the report of the Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC) and the accompanying Ministry Paper No 1/2024 of the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs. I asked myself the question, having read the report, “is this reform or just partisan realpolitik?”. Reform suggests that something noble, radical, visionary, audacious, selfless, game-changing is

Jamaica’s democracy faces some clear dangers which remain contemporary. Thought and industry leaders in the society (in academia, civil society groups, the church, and the private sector) who choose to ignore these risks become complicit to whatever costs the country incurs from such risks.  Even in circumstances in which such costs arise from cowardism (fear),