Government Committed to Education Transformation
“The education system has to change in order to accommodate this new Jamaica. The education system is going through transformation, and they are trying to change.”
-Prime Minister Holness
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Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the government is committed to transforming the education sector through substantial investments in infrastructure and human resources.
In an interview on Monday (May 20) on CVM At Sunrise, Prime Minister Holness underscored the historical context of underinvestment that has plagued various sectors in Jamaica, including education.
“For the last 40 years or so, Jamaica has not been in a position to make the level of investment in infrastructure and human resources that would keep pace with other countries at our stage and state of development. Jamaica fell behind,” stated Prime Minister Holness.
The Prime Minister pointed out that the economic challenges faced by Jamaica have significantly impacted investments in education. “There is no investment unless you’re going to borrow, which we did, and that got us into more problems. There needs to be a solid economy. And what you have in this government is a government that has managed the economy in such a way as to now give us the opportunity to invest,” he said.
A pivotal aspect of the government’s education strategy is the establishment of the National Education Trust (NET), an initiative that Prime Minister Holness personally championed during his tenure as Minister of Education. He said this initiative was created out of a need to have an entity to manage investments in education.
Addressing the recent increase in violence and gang-related activities in schools, Prime Minister Holness highlighted the importance of transforming the education system to accommodate the new realities faced by today’s youth. “The education system has to change in order to accommodate this new Jamaica. The education system is going through transformation, and they have tried and are trying to change,” he remarked.
In the meantime, Prime Minister Holness also addressed the behavioural challenges within the youth population, particularly in the education sector. He acknowledged the socio-emotional regulation issues affecting students and their impact on productivity and peace.
The Prime Minister concluded by emphasizing that the ultimate goal of these transformative efforts is to cultivate a workforce capable of sustaining economic growth and to nurture a generation of responsible citizens.