THE People’s National Party (PNP) says the guiding principle of its education transformation process is that “each child can learn. every child must”.

“This education mantra is grounded in our deeply held belief that all our children can learn (not just some),” the party said in its 2007 manifesto.

Should it succeed in the August 27 polls, the party plans to, among other things:

. Continue to guarantee that no student is excluded from high school due to inability to pay cost-sharing contribution.

. Build new primary and high schools so as to sustain universal access.

. Continue to subsidise exam fees for CXC/CSEC students and expand the benefit to students taking the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC).

. Mandate compulsory enrolment and attendance in schools as of 2010.

. Continue to build the capacity of our schools to provide a learning environment for children with special needs.

. Build a new university in Western Jamaica to provide training in nursing and teacher education.

. Expand and make the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) more responsive to the needs of the students by increasing the amount of funds in the scheme at more concessionary rates, increasing the grant component to finance beyond tuition, normal school needs such as buying books and meals.

. Expand the National Youth Service (NYS) to train, re-socialise and equip 20,000 of our young men and women for entry into the workforce per year.

. Increase the number of HEART/NTA Academies to facilitate access to quality training opportunities in skills relevant to the local and global marketplace.

. Launch the Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQ) in October 2007 so that our enterprising Jamaicans can benefit from jobs in the region.

. Aggressively promote the High School Equivalency Programme (HISEP) to enable creative and industrious Jamaicans to fulfil their educational advancement and job promotions.

. Ensure that the curriculum at all levels of the sector continues to undergo changes to make it more relevant.

. By 2010 give Physical Education, Music, Visual Arts, and Technology Skills the same focus as other subjects in our schools.

. Ensure that by 2015 all students in Grades one to six are exposed to Spanish as a second language.

. Create a world-class education system informed by a culture of discipline, and placing a premium on punctuality and diligence.

. Create alternative special facilities for students who repeatedly breach discipline in schools.

. Develop and implement strategies to improve male performance up to the secondary level and matriculation to the tertiary level.

. Develop two types of schools in the entire system (Kindergarten to Grade six; and Grade seven to Grade 12).

. Expand e-learning programme currently being introduced in 128 Secondary schools.

. Eliminate the shift system beginning with 11 schools in September 2007 and another 100 in the course of the school year 2007/2008.

. Rewrite, debate and pass by September 2009, the Education Code and the Education Act to make the education system more management-friendly to all stakeholders.

. Ensure that graduates from a teacher education institution will graduate with a University degree – BA, Teacher Education in Early Childhood, Primary or Secondary by 2015.

. Retain retired teachers of excellence on fixed contract after retirement with a focus on supporting after-school supervision for homework and special assignments.

. Strengthen the administrative and managerial capacity of schools, especially the leadership capacity of our principals.

. Introduce licensing of early childhood and basic schools.

. Complete the development of Early Childhood Curricula by September 2007.

. Reorganise the Ministry of Education to be policy-making and supervisory body rather than being directly involved in the day-to-day running of schools.

. Introduce performance management systems with agreed targets for schools and students by 2008/09.

. Achieve 100 per cent literacy within five years.