Moving Ahead in Jamaica

Excerpt from the Jamaica Observer column published on Monday, February 07, 2022

By Jean Lowrie-Chin

These past two weeks have given us hope that we are moving ahead in Jamaica.

The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) through the dedication of previous chair, Professor Maureen Samms Vaughan, and current Chair Trisha Williams-Singh has roused us to the importance of the first 1,000 days in a child’s life, and have been certifying early childhood institutions and training teachers. They have also created the 1st 1000 Days, a free app, which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.

Additionally, under the leadership of Executive Director Karlene Deslandes, the commission has established 115 Brain Builder Centres at early childhood institutions throughout the island, closing in on their target of 126.

ECC Commissioner David Salmon was the ideator for the Year of Early Childhood in Jamaica, resulting in Governor General Sir Patrick Allen’s proclamation on January 25. It reads in part: “I …do hereby proclaim the year two thousand and twenty-two as the Year of Early Childhood Development and encourage all citizens of Jamaica to support the Early Childhood Commission in its efforts as we commit the resources of our country to ensure that Jamaica’s children receive the best education in the world.”

We welcome the tabling of legislation for the Jamaica Teaching Council by Education Minister Fayval Williams. According to Jamaica Information Service ( JIS) reporter Latonya Linton, the legislation “seeks to establish a governing body for the teaching profession and a licensing and registration regime for all government-paid teachers”.

Standards must be established for those in whom we entrust so much. However, let us not forget the heroines and heroes in our teaching profession. Recently TVJ‘s Ray of Hope featured principal of Central Branch All-Age Michael Sutherland, who conducts classes for parents and teaches them catering skills. My post on social media brought dozens of positive comments from his past students at Westwood and Queen’s.