ST JAMES, Jamaica (JIS) – Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Ruel Reid, says two of the main goals of the ministry are to ensure that teachers are well trained and are given the necessary tools to carry out their tasks.

Speaking recently at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) CONFINTEA VI Sub-Regional Follow-up Meeting for the Caribbean, in Montego Bay, he emphasised that for teachers to be successful, they have to be empowered and motivated.

“We want to highlight the fact that teachers must be empowered as a critical step towards quality education and sustainable societies,” the minister said.

“It is, therefore, fitting that UNESCO has partnered with the Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL) to train teachers of adult learners in literacy and numeracy. The in-service teacher training was delivered islandwide under the ‘Enhancing Outcomes for Trainers of Adult Learners’ Project,” he added.

The project, Reid pointed out, focused on best practices in demonstrated methodologies and the importance of linking and extending content in the learning material, making it relevant to the lives of the youth and adult learners.

“The overarching goal was to clearly contribute to outcome two of Jamaica’s Vision 2030 plan, that by 2030, Jamaicans are empowered to achieve their fullest potential, and envisions the development of a world-class education and training system,” the Minister added.

He noted that modules included personal reflection and attitude, psychology of adult learning, skills of collaboration and the delivery of the curriculum for the Foundation’s Lessons in English, Numeracy and Survival (LENS) programme.

“This project had an immediate impact on the approximately 7,000 youth and adult learners enrolled in JFLL centres across the island, with a residual multiplier effect of approximately 100 per cent within a 12-month period,” he said.

The minister pointed out that there are approximately 1,500 adult learners enrolled in the JFLL’s high-school equivalency pilot, with another 3,000 waiting to come on stream in the next phase.

Senator Reid said this represents an increase of 100 per cent over the previous year.