Free medical care, more transport

More than two billion dollars is expected to be spent by the Ministry of Education as part of its School’s Construction and Rehabilitation Programme for the period of 2003 to 2006.

Additionally, repairs to existing schools during July and August will cost $40 million. This is part of the Ministry’s move to ensure that quality education is made more accessible to all children, according to a release from the Ministry yesterday. The Ministry, the release said, has promised textbooks for all primary school children from September, as well as text book rentals/loans for Forms One and Two students of all Public and Private Secondary Schools in four subject areas as selected by each school by September. Books will be provided in Language Arts, Mathematics, Spanish and Science. No rental or loan fees will be charged during this first phase, it was noted.

Furthermore, a $1,000 Book Grant will be provided for each child placed in Forms three to Lower Six of Secondary schools. The Book Grant initiative is expected to cater for approximately 53,000 Secondary School students. Where Curriculum reform is concerned, the Ministry said there would be a modernised curriculum in ten core subject areas, including History, Geography, Morals and Values to begin in September. Training of teachers and educational administrators will also be implemented to ensure effective supervision in the execution of the new Curriculum. A National Curriculum Council is also expected to be established, in addition to a Teacher Professional Development Init-iative which, it is hoped, will pave the way for a comprehensive integrative approach to teacher preparation and development. This initiative will include Curriculum Writing Teams of Teachers and Curriculum Officers to develop Curriculum for Forms three to five from September.

The Ministry, the release stated, has also provided in-service training for 40 teachers in Visual Arts and Performing Arts up to Post Graduate Diploma Level, 90 teachers in the SEMP Curriculum and 90 specialised craft teachers in the new Technical Education Curriculum. The Caribbean Ad-vanced Proficiency Examination is carded to be inaugurated in secondary schools from September. In terms of technology improvements, the Ministry has made plans to have computers and computer-aided instruction/management software installed in Primary and Secondary Schools.  Some schools will be provided with computers and Internet Access.

Where the School Feeding Programme is concerned, the Ministry yesterday said it would provide 90,000 fully subsidised lunches daily. Schools will also receive 25,000 breakfast meals five days a week by the National School Dietary Service Limited, while a cafeteria-type service will soon be introduced in a number of schools. The School Transport Service is expected to be expanded. PTSC and the Ministry will provide 20,000 seats per day at a cost of $20 million and Maxi Taxis, through sponsorship by the Ministry, will provide 21,500 seats per day also at a cost of $20 million annually. 200 Maxi Taxis will be engaged in providing transport for school children in rural areas, while bus transport will soon be provided for physically challenged/differently-abled school children. In partnership with the Ministry of Health, all children up to the age of 16 are expected to receive free medical services, according to the release. The Education Ministry has also devised several School Intervention Strategies to create and sustain a “culture of peace and civility in the classroom.”

In 2003, 282 primary schools were secured, with security personnel being installed and infrastructure works being completed at a cost of $63.5 million. Five secondary schools are presently being repaired and increased lighting put in place at a cost of $11.31 million. Additionally, 28 high risk Secondary Schools are to receive reconstruction and repair to perimeter fences and security lighting at a cost of $25 million. The renewal of contract for maintenance and security for 83 schools is set at a cost of $88 million.