The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, continues to implement measures to re-engage students in western Jamaica who have not returned to school following Hurricane Melissa.
“There are many interventions we’re doing. We have police even going out with us into the communities to remind parents that it is important for their children to come to school,” said Portfolio Minister, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon.
She was responding to a question during Wednesday’s (June 29) Post Cabinet press conference at Jamaica House.
Dr. Morris Dixon acknowledged that some older students in the disaster areas, particularly young men, have not been attending school.
“They are, as we know, trying to help their families to rebuild, and so that’s been prioritised,” she said.
Senator Morris Dixon informed that during her tour of school-rebuilding projects in Westmoreland earlier this week, she spent some time reminding community members about the importance of ensuring that children attend school.
“Our teenagers need to be in school and a lot of them did not return. We’ve been able to get many back because of our interventions…going into the communities and actually speaking to the community members and getting neighbours to convince their next-door neighbour to send the children to school. So, we’re doing a lot of work there,” she pointed out.
Dr. Morris Dixon noted that the Ministry is also implementing a new Education Management Information System to track attendance more easily and intervene quickly where necessary.
