Education minister calls for closer cooperation with alumni umbrella group

NEW YORK:

Education Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon has called for greater cooperation between the ministry and the US-based Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (UJAA) to help move the sector forward in the country.

To this end, the minister has invited the president of UJAA to join the National Education Board, and has committed to exploring how others in the association may be appointed to other education bodies.

“And this is where you – our alumni, our diaspora, our partners – come in. You have already given so much. Your scholarships, your mentorship programmes, your contributions to school infrastructure have touched lives in every parish. But as we look ahead, I must ask you to walk with us even more closely,” she said.

“The National Education Trust should be your first port of call when opting to support your alma mater. Through NET, we can develop structured programmes with your schools with a definitive, accountable mechanism. This is on top of the custom-free assistance NET can provide,” she said.

Dr. Morris Dixon was speaking on Sunday at the 35th anniversary luncheon and awards gala held at a country club in New Rochelle, New York.

Minister Morris Dixon suggested that the association broaden its support for individual schools, through mentorship, technology and digital transformation among other areas.

“You should review the National Education Inspectorate (NEI) Report for your school. They are available online for all to see. The NEI reports provide a clear, data-driven picture of each school’s strengths and weaknesses, from student performance to teaching and leadership capacity to the security of their environment. A review of these reports can help you pinpoint the specific areas where support is most urgently needed – whether in literacy, numeracy, infrastructure, or student welfare. This can magnify your impact by ensuring that your intervention is targeted and is fully aligned with the real needs of the school community,” she told the audience.

Access to technology

Stressing the need for a more broad-based approach, the minister pointed to the depth of human resource which the diaspora represented as leaders in business, medicine, law, engineering, technology, education, and the arts and more.

“Imagine the difference if every Jamaican child had access to a mentor in the diaspora like you, guiding them and opening doors. Imagine the impact your values and experiences can have on their lives. Imagine how that could accelerate their development. So many bad habits can be avoided. So many hurdles can be side-stepped. The next great innovator doesn’t have to come from Silicon Valley – they can come from St Mary, from Clarendon, from Montego Bay. From anywhere in Jamaica with your help,” she added.

In the area of technology and digital transformation she said that Jamaica’s leap forward depends on access to technology. She encouraged the association to partner with the ministry in donating devices, supporting STEAM labs, and facilitating training for teachers in digital instruction to ensure that students are exposed to the latest in the world of technology.

“We will facilitate their importation. Items for education purposes through the National Education Trust (NET) can be imported under low to no duties. The Government is here to support you,” she said.

The minister said that when the country speaks about growth it can only happen through education

“When we talk about eliminating poverty – the answer is education. When we talk about strengthening democracy – the answer is education. When we talk about building resilience to disasters –the answer is education. When we talk about growing our economy – the answer is education. When we talk about sowing confidence and pride in our people – again, the answer is education,” she said.

She said that under the ASPIRE Growth strategy, the education of the Jamaican people is central to a Jamaica that is advanced, secure, productive, innovative, resilient, pointing out that there has to be a Jamaica where every child receives a world-class education.

UJAA is a United States-based not-for-profit organisation that is an umbrella for more than 60 alumni associations across the diaspora.

The major award, ‘The Trailblazer Award’, was given to former consul general to New York, Ambassador Derrick Heaven, who is credited with being instrumental in the formation of the association.

The UJAA “Lifetime Achievement” award was president to past president LesleyAnn Samuel.