The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information’s inaugural Higher Education Summit concluded on Friday (May 11), with production of a ‘Declaration on higher education in Jamaica.’ The document, which emerged out of two days of deliberations by stakeholders at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston, is expected to guide the development of legislation on governance, quality assurance and regulation of tertiary education.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MOEYI), in an effort to boost Jamaica’s skilled workforce, has introduced a new Associate Degree in Occupational Studies to enhance its Upskilling and Retooling programme. Launched in December 2016, by the Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, the Associate Degree aims to create higher-learning opportunities for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information will be investing $20 million in the construction of a sixth-form block at the Mount St. Joseph Catholic High School in Manchester. The project will include classrooms, science laboratories, two visual arts rooms and space for students who are pursuing courses in engineering, auto mechanics and technical drawing.