Jamaican government will be investing in the early childhood sector as the country's economy experiences more growth.
Senior Advisor in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information Robert Miller addressed the Dudley Grant Memorial Trust, Early Childhood Development Conference held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston last Friday.
The Dudley Grant Memorial Trust, which was established in 1989, commemorates the contribution to early childhood development of the late DRB Grant. Among the objectives of the trust are advocating on behalf of the early childhood development and informing national policy, and facilitating improvement in the management practices of the basic school system.
Themed "Changing the Landscape of Early Childhood Development: Pathways to a Better Society," the conference focused on how to resource the early childhood sector in order to achieve sustainable educational development.
The country's economy grew by 2.3% in the July-September quarter, and it is projected to continue growing by 2% for the October-December period.
"We have reasons to be optimistic, let us continue to work for the building of Jamaica, where businesses can be increased," Miller said.
The conference looked at ways to improve the teaching and learning process, as well as helped sharpen the skills of teachers and other persons within the sector.
Earlier last month, Jamaica Information Service reported that the government will be increasing the support for primary schools in the next financial year. From an average of $800 per student, it will be raised to $2,500 per student.
Moreover, $15 million will be given per parish in order to ensure the reliable maintenance program for primary schools.
This was revealed during the Pledge 2 Build Campaign, which is an initiative of the Jamaica Diaspora Education Task Force. It aims to encourage Jamaicans living overseas to contribute in the investment for the development of education and educational infrastructure in the country, starting with early childhood and teacher empowerment.
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