A 26 member committee has been appointed to evaluate Jamaica’s early-childhood policies, programmes, and implementation levels using the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Early Childhood Care and Education–Progress Assessment Tool for Transformation (ECCE PATT).
Early Childhood Commission (ECC) Chair, Trisha Williams-Singh, told JIS News that the diagnostic tool was launched on April 28, and the committee convened its first meeting on May 12.
The committee members are:
• Principal of St. Paul’s United Infant School, Nicholas Johnson
• Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Assistant Secretary General, Dr. Margaret Chin
• Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Winsome Gordon
• Head of Early Childhood Education Department, Shortwood Teachers’ College, Julene McLaughlin
• National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) President, Stewart Jacobs
• Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO, Programme Manager, Roberta Ellis
• UNICEF Jamaica Education Specialist, Dr. Rebecca Tortello
• Child Advocate and National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Diahann Gordon Harrison
• Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund, Chief Executive Officer, Wilford Heaven
• Grace and Staff Community Development Foundation STEM Administrator, Dhira-Mae Brown-Douglas
• Director, Social Security, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Suzette Morris
• Chief Executive Officer, Barita Investments, Ramone Small-Ferguson
• Manager, Policy, Research and Project Management, Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD), Racquel Artwell
• Senior Director, Agency Liaison and Monitoring Division, Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, Desrene Williams-Taylor
• National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) Chief Executive Officer, Kaysia Kerr
• Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) Education Specialist, Romane Sohan
• Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) Statistician, Research, Design and Evaluation Division, Yanique Cameron
• World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) North America and the Caribbean Vice President, Dr. Asiya Foster
• Senior Manager, Social Development, Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), Mona Sue-Ho
• Ministry of Health and Wellness Programme Development Officer, Family Health, Dr. Kemisha Shaw Kelly
• National College for Educational Leadership (NCEL), Camielle Michael-Patterson
• Chief Executive Officer of Christel House Jamaica, Taneshia Stoney Dryden
• Pro Vice Chancellor, University of the West Indies, Mona, Professor Aldrie Henry-Lee
• Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information (Children’s Affairs Policy Division) Senior Director, Hyacinth Blair
• Early Childhood Commission (ECC) Executive Director, Dr. Karlene DeGrasse-Deslandes
• Early Childhood Commission (ECC) Research Manager, Shauna-Kay Williston-Hudson.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Williams Singh noted that leads have been appointed for four subcommittees, each representing one of the main pillars of ECCE PATT.
For Governance and Policy, ECC’s Senior Director, Regulation and Monitoring, Dr. Tracy-Ann Morgan-Smith has been selected.
ECC Manager of Early Childhood Development Assessment Services, Louri-Ann Robotham, has been appointed to lead the pillar on Access and Participation.
For Quality and Relevance, ECC Senior Director for Sector Support Services, Simone Ellis Dixon, will take the lead while ECC Manager, Early Childhood Development Training and Development, Nicole Morgan, will have responsibility for Personnel.
For the pillar on Quality and Relevance, ECC Senior Director for Sector Support Services, Simone Ellis Dixon, will take the lead. Meanwhile, ECC Manager for Early Childhood Development Training and Development, Nicole Morgan, will have responsibility for the Personnel pillar.
“All the committees for the four major pillars have met to start the process of analysing where we are in terms of the rating for the work being done and what further needs to be done,” Mrs. Williams-Singh said.
