WESTERN BUREAU: In an effort to identify and effectively solve the problems affecting education in St Elizabeth, the parish’s Homecoming Foundation in collaboration with the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), and the Ministry of Education, have commissioned an education study for the area.

A four-member team of persons, led by market research analyst, Daniel Francis, is undertaking the study. The other team members include past principal of the St Elizabeth Technical High School, past principal of the Maggoty High School, and Samuel Watson and lecturer at the Bethlehem Moravian college, Rupert Linton.

“The main reason for the study is that the St Elizabeth people think that our students can do better… so we really want to look and see what we have, and see how we are using what we have,” explained Foundation president, George Watson.

“For one thing, we will know the state of education in the parish such as the number of students who have access to education, what the physical conditions of the schools are and what it is that causes students to drop out of school,” he added.

The study, which is being undertaken at a cost of approximately half of a million dollars, was launched in early August and will continue through to November of this year. A draft document of its findings is expected to be presented at an education conference next month during the annual St Elizabeth Homecoming week of activities.

Once completed, Watson said that an action plan will be prepared to determine how the study’s recommendations will be implemented.

Meanwhile, preparations for the St Elizabeth Homecoming Week of activities are well underway.

The week’s activities are being undertaken at a cost of between $5 million and $6 million. The celebrations will kick-off on October 27 with a dinner at Beadle Hall in Santa Cruz, and will continue through to December 2, when the Art & Craft and Food Fair and a Love concert at High Street in Black River will conclude the activities.

The annual Golden Awards Banquet will be the high point of the celebrations, and will be held at the Hilton Kingston Hotel for the second year running.

The traditional thanksgiving service will be held at the St Thomas Anglican Church in Lacovia on November 25, along with a VIP luncheon and a gospel concert at Port Kaiser later that same day. On November 23, the education conference will be held at the Lewisville High School at New market, following four days of career and motivational talks between students and successful parish personalities. There will also be a two-day Information Technology Expo between November 29 and 30 at the St Elizabeth Technical High School.

And for the “party” lovers, a community concert will be held at the Balaclava Square on November 26 to be followed by another on November 27 at Junction Square. There will also be an Oldies Show at Independence Park in Black River, and a Soca party at Coconut Grove in Santa Cruz on November 30. The annual Holland Bamboo 5k and 10k run is scheduled for December 1.