FOLLOWING strident calls by Tamar McKenzie, president of Jamaica Independent School Association (JISA), for private schools to be drafted into the education transformation plan in a meaningful way, Education Minister Fayval Williams on Friday, in admitting that they had been left out, promised the grouping a seat at the education round table.

“I know we have not really engaged as deeply as we should with the independent schools about transformation, that’s missing and we will do that; we will begin a deeper engagement with the independent schools,” Williams said while addressing the JISA annual general meeting (AGM) at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St Andrew.

In noting that the presence of education ministry officials at the AGM was “undoubtedly testament to the shared commitment we have together as we work to transform education for national development”, the education minister said, “going forward you will be invited to our quarterly press briefing and any other meetings that we have on transformation because our independent schools are obviously part of the education sector and part of this transformation effort as well. So as we holistically and emphatically embrace the future of education here in Jamaica, transformation is at the centre”.

“All the members of JISA, in your work with the children in your schools, we see those results and we know that you are working hard, we envy some of those results as well that you are getting and, therefore, for us working closely with you it will be helpful to us as well to understand some of the things we need to do,” Williams stated.

McKenzie, speaking with the Jamaica Observer in September, had questioned the absence of any true indicators to measure the success of the Transforming Education for National Development (TREND) programme.

According to the JISA president, information on the indicators of success of the transformation programme — driven by the education ministry to improve the system in line with the recommendations of the 2021 Professor Orlando Patterson Jamaica Education Transformation Commission Report — has been disturbingly sparse.

“Some of the challenges that we have from JISA with the transformation in education would include, but are not limited to, for example, the indicators of success that were given. To date, we have not seen an itemised list of the indicators of success to manage or at least measure the programme. We have seen the launches, we have seen the different activation activities, but we have not received what it is that the Ministry of Education, its technocrats, its consultants, will use to measure the success of the programme,” McKenzie told the Observer at the time.

In acknowledging those concerns on Friday, Williams said, “The Education Transformation Oversight Committee has been formed and follows the developments, [and conducts] weekly meetings with the education ministry to indicate progress. That committee has a responsibility to report to the nation on a quarterly basis; going forward I am going to ensure that the invitation goes to the president who can bring others along so that JISA is there as well.”

In the meantime, she said the overall transformation, which is estimated to take eight years, is currently in year two.

The education minister also responded to JISA’s call for help with recovery efforts following Hurricane Beryl, which left some $50 million in damage to several private schools.

“I know that in some of the parishes that are hardest hit, that schools will have a hard time there, especially independent schools, we are going to see how we can help the situation. One of the things the president pointed out is that the damaged schools could benefit from technical assistance from the Ministry of Education. While we may not be able to provide dollars, we could provide the services of our building officers to do assessments and to help you; that will help you as well because you would have had to pay for that expertise,” Williams said.

She said, too, that the issue will be raised with permanent secretary in the education ministry, Dr Kasan Troupe, regarding deployment of building officers and other technical persons by the agency.

“I know we cannot do this alone, collaboration is key and this Administration recognises the importance of partnership with the private sector, with civil society and, of course, with JISA. Independent schools have been on the education landscape for a long time. You have been a vital part of the educational ecosystem, providing diversity and choice in the types of education available to Jamaican families and we, too, do utilise your services, especially independent schools that have a focus on the special needs area,” Williams told the meeting.