Beginning in the early 1980’s, the Jamaican school system instituted a major policy change in the area of primary education. This was to ensure that graduates achieved functional literacy. Following this outlined policy, secondary education was restructured to provide students with an education sufficient to meet the requirements of the upper tier secondary schools. During the late 1980’s, it was reported that only 10% of students in the lower tier secondary schools were achieving an acceptable level of education. Today the trend shows good improvements however, it is still falling short of the established benchmark.
With an increasingly high unemployment rate, coupled with the continuing decline in the value of the Jamaican currency, the cost of procuring text books, travel expenses and other expenditures are having significant impact, especially on lower income families. These factors contribute to the performance of children and of increase in absenteeism, lower retention rate, and decline in overall literacy. As a result, we strive to combat the issue by providing much needed resources through scholarships, meals, school supplies, transportation and equipment, including computers, books etc.
A primary role of education is to equip individuals with the knowledge it takes to make positive differences in society. Education also helps to instill values, attitudes and behaviors that aligns with those expected in society. As technology and the culture changes, the role of education is also evolving. It is not only important to compete with other schools in Jamaica, but to compete with the rest of the civilize world especially in: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (S.T.E.M).
We believe in the policy that no child should be left behind, so assistance begins at the Pre-K level through high school.
