City and Guilds engineering programme to be expanded into high schools
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The City and Guilds engineering programme will be expanded into secondary schools to give students an early introduction to the field.
The collaboration involving the international training institute, the Ministry of Education and Youth, and the Overseas Examinations Commission (OEC), aims to provide an opportunity for students to acquire the requisite academic skills for entry into higher education programmes in the engineering field.
Addressing a discussion forum at the ROK Hotel in Kingston on Wednesday, portfolio Minister Fayval Williams, said the initiative is in keeping with the Ministry’s focus on incorporating more science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) disciplines in the school curriculum.
“We are not only raising the bar for the quality of engineering education but also setting a new standard while preparing our students to thrive in the increasingly complex global community… and shaping the next generation of engineers,” she noted.
Williams said it is also intended to ensure more equitable and inclusive educational offerings in institutions across the country.
“The ethos of our work is to achieve universal access to quality education. I believe, as a country, we have long achieved access to education; now we want to continue to raise the bar for quality education,” she said.
Director of City and Guilds International, Mandy Smith, commended the Ministry for the transformation of the education system to align with industry standards in preparing students for the workforce of the future.
“We want to continue building on this. I look forward to collaborating to embed engineering in your curriculum,” she said.
City and Guilds is a global leader in vocational education and apprenticeship, offering qualification examinations in various technical areas.
The institution is recognised across the region for excellence in technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
The OEC administers the City and Guilds exams along with the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exams, Cambridge, and National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET).
– JIS
