KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Ministry of Education is spending $973.5 million under the National Textbook Loan Scheme and the Primary Textbook Programme, providing textbooks for students at the primary and secondary levels for the 2014/2015 academic year.

Speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ on August 20, Chief Education Officer, Dr Grace McLean, said the Ministry is pleased with the success that has been achieved with the textbook rationalization/reorganization that was embarked on earlier this year.

Over 90 per cent of the required textbooks have been delivered to schools, with delivery of textbooks to primary schools completed and delivery to secondary schools slated to be completed by the second week in September,” she informed.

Dr McLean noted that the Ministry has circulated its supplementary textbook lists that will guide parents and schools in the purchase additional books.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has procured over 6,005 pieces of furniture to be delivered to the most needed infant, primary and secondary schools.

“This year the Ministry is placing emphasis on providing furniture for school teachers,” Dr Mclean said.

Director of Technical Services at the Ministry of Education, Carey Brown, reported that all maintenance grants were submitted to schools for preparation of infrastructure for the new school year.

He also pointed out that several secondary schools have been earmarked for expansion or renovation.  They include  Belair and Mount St Joseph High in Manchester; Belmont Academy, Holy Trinity, Norman Manley and Vauxhall High schools in Kingston and St. Andrew; Anchovy High in St James; Old Harbour High in St Catherine and Hampton High in St Elizabeth.

Brown added that 40 basic schools are now being constructed and will be ready for the start of the school year

These schools are part of the 50 schools in the 50-month project undertaken by Food for the Poor, in commemoration of Jamaica’s 50th anniversary in 2012,”he noted.