Education Ministry addressing concerns

Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Santia Bradshaw, assured persons that her ministry has heard the concerns expressed by employers and students, and is currently working on responding with the necessary changes to the educational curriculum.

Bradshaw stated this while delivering remarks during the 2019 World of Work Showcase that took place at the Frank Collymore Hall yesterday morning.

She noted that even though the skills for the future in the world of work demanded the application of technological skills, there was still a parallel need for persons to acquire soft skills.

“It is with all these changes in mind that the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training continues to focus on the development of the human capital and is committed to the creation of multiple pathways for all to ensure success in the current technological environment. We have heard the concerns of the potential employers and also students who are seeking employment and we are responding with the various necessary changes in the curriculum,” she said.

As such, she revealed that efforts were being made to strengthen literacy and numeracy skills in students as these are considered the foundation of technological skills.

She said that there was a pilot programme being undertaken at level one in two secondary schools as a direct solution to the need to fill the skills gap in numeracy and literacy.

“And I want to sound the alert to all that there will be more of these types of reforms coming. It is no longer the traditional forms of examinations that we will continue to see, as I believe that there are different ways to how students learn and I believe that it is time for us to adapt as a society and certainly as a government,” she said.

She went on to note that she was of the view that no child should be left behind and it is in this regard that the Ministry has sought to expand the curriculum at the schools of Ann Hill and Irving Wilson to include the CVQ and certifications in Electronic Document Preparation and Management at the CSEC level.

She was proud to report that they were already seeing the success of these initiatives and took it to mean that they had taken a step in the right direction.