The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information is moving to strengthen technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in high schools, including pursuing legislative changes to enable greater involvement by the HEART/NSTA Trust in the secondary-school system.
Portfolio Minister, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, said she wants a greater number of students to leave high school with recognised skills certification in addition to their academic qualifications.
“That’s a fundamental change in the system… but it’s something that I’m committed to working with,” Senator Morris Dixon said.
She was addressing the 62nd Annual Conference of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), held recently at Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny.
The Minister emphasised that technical and vocational education and training (TVET) must become more deeply embedded within secondary education, including traditional high schools, as global demand for skilled labour continues to increase.
Senator Morris Dixon said greater effort is also needed to change perceptions among parents about career opportunities in skilled occupations.
“TVET is dear to my heart… and TVET is absolutely critical. With all the changes happening globally, TVET is the area that is going to take the world forward,” she emphasised.
The Minister noted that shortages globally in areas such as construction, plumbing and electrical work are making skills training increasingly important to students’ future employment prospects.
Dr. Morris Dixon said one of the measures she intends to pursue is an amendment to the legislation governing the HEART/NSTA Trust, allowing the entity to engage more extensively with younger students within the high-school system.
“The legislation says that HEART can only work with children from 17 years up. So, I will be working to change that legislation so that we can have HEART working more in the schools and, therefore, we can get more support for TVET in our schools,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the Ministry continues to invest in modern TVET infrastructure, expanding opportunities in areas such as robotics, renewable energy, mechatronics, digital construction, mechanical and electrical engineering, and virtual welding.
Six schools are already benefiting from autonomous robotics laboratory initiatives, namely Dunoon Technical High School, Knockalva Technical High School, St. Elizabeth Technical High School, José Martí Technical High School, Frome Technical High School and Herbert Morrison Technical High School.
TVET laboratories are set to be established in 15 additional technical high schools.
Minister Morris Dixon said the aim is to ensure that students are trained using technology that reflects developments and innovations in modern industries.
