MONTEGO BAY, St James — The Government has indicated that its rebuilding programme following Hurricane Melissa will result in expanded early childhood infrastructure, including new infant departments at primary schools that have the capacity to accommodate them.

“While Hurricane Melissa brought catastrophe in the country — especially in the western region — and significantly impacted many of our schools, one good that will come from our rebuilding efforts is that for every one of our primary schools that has the space to accommodate infant departments, those will be constructed there,” junior minister in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information Rhoda Moy Crawford told the 7th Annual Professional Development Institute hosted by the Early Childhood Commission (ECC) at Montego Bay Convention Centre on Monday.

Crawford also pointed to efforts to strengthen the island’s brain builder centres, describing them as part of the Government’s wider strategy to improve early stimulation and foundational learning.

She framed the allocation of approximately $30.8 billion — or 19.5 per cent of the education ministry’s recurrent budget — to services for children from birth to eight years old as part of the Government’s continued efforts to strengthen investment in the early childhood sector.

“The Government of Jamaica recognises that early childhood education is the foundation of learning and national development. This is why the Early Childhood Commission remains our ministry’s special-purpose vehicle for early childhood education, with its work complemented by the central ministry through infant schools and departments as well as infants in grades one to three at the primary level,” Crawford said.

The funding, she said, supports teacher placement, maintenance, caregiver stipends, professional development, and institutional strengthening across infant schools, infant departments, basic schools and privately run early childhood institutions.

According to Crawford, the Government remains committed to ensuring every institution registered with the ECC and permitted to operate has access to trained teachers based on the enrolment ratio established under the law. She added that 108 teachers have already been announced, with further placements expected after the commission identifies remaining gaps.

Crawford said within the public school system approximately 81,000 children enrolled in infant schools, infant departments, and grades one to three in primary schools are currently benefiting from the skills of trained teachers. She added that approximately 24,000 children in private early childhood institutions are also taught by trained practitioners.

The junior minister further noted that the ministry provides roughly $10 million annually in scholarship support to assist untrained practitioners in upgrading their qualifications, with the programme administered through the ECC.

Crawford commended the ECC for its outstanding work in improving the standards of early childhood institutions across Jamaica.

She highlighted the commission’s regulatory systems, training programmes, parental outreach, and developmental interventions, which have strengthened early childhood care and education nationwide.

Additionally, Crawford noted the ECC’s strong commitment to building the capacity of administrators, teachers, caregivers and institutions, underscoring that quality early childhood education is essential for lifelong learning, resilience, and responsible citizenship.

“Educational transformation cannot occur without resilient, competent, compassionate, and empowered educators. The work you do every day shapes not only academic readiness, but also emotional security, social awareness, confidence, creativity and character,” Crawford told educators.

“Our success will depend heavily on the strength of the entire early childhood ecosystem — policymakers, trainers, administrators, practitioners, monitors, evaluators, parents, communities and development partners — working together to place the child at the centre of every decision,” she added.