The BAU International University in Washington DC has established a scholarship in honour of Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid. The decision to set up the ‘Ruel Reid Transformational Leadership Scholarship’ was taken by the University to recognise Senator Reid’s lead role in arriving at a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry and the University for the provision of 107 scholarships, over three years, worth $378.2 million (US$3 million).

President of the Mico University College, Dr. Asburn Pinnock, is pledging the institution’s full commitment to contributing to the further development of Jamaica’s education landscape.

He says the 180 year-old institution, considered to be a leader in teacher-training in the Caribbean, sees itself as having a key role to play in transforming the country’s education system by improving standards in teaching and learning, and supporting research to address needs at various levels.

The Government is to expand its partnership with the Mico University College, to fill gaps in the area of special education, so that more students with learning challenges can receive timely intervention. State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, says despite gains made in tackling the issue of learning by some students, “significant gaps still remain among the nation’s teachers to detect children with special needs, and appropriately address them.”