Fayval Williams, Minister of Education and Youth, states that children from economically and socially disadvantaged families are at significant risk of poor development due to insufficient social services.
Based on our experiences in Jamaica and research in other parts of the globe, it has been proven that students from these communities are more likely to do poorly in school because they lack school readiness.
Minister Williams was speaking at the Salt Spring Safe Passage Project handing over ceremony in Salt Spring St. James on January 27th. He said that it was against this backdrop that the government has committed itself to the execution of its Integrated Community Development Project. It is designed, among others, to provide a safe environment and allow students to travel along certain streets and thoroughfares as well as use bus stops in specific communities.
The Minister stated that these communities either have a history or insufficient social infrastructure close to schools.
She noted that a three-year, Government of Jamaica-funded project, which began in 2020, was being implemented to improve or provide basic amenities to support the holistic development of our children.
It is fundamentally geared towards improving the socioeconomic well-being and quality of life for individuals, families, communities, through better social amenities, access to services, and capacity building.
The Minister praised the management team of the Jamaica Social Investment Fund, which oversaw the project’s implementation and got us to this point.
I also want to thank the Delegation to the European Union in Jamaica as well as the Jamaica Constabulary Force, for their assistance and support to make this a success.
She stated that the Ministry is delighted that children from two local schools, Salt Spring Primary and Infant School and Hartsfield Basic School that offer early childhood services, will be directly benefited by the project.
-JIS NEWS-
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