More partnerships with Early Childhood Institutions (ECIs) are being considered, as the Ministry of Education and Youth develops an implementation plan for the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission’s (JETC) recommendations to advance the education sector.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, shared details during a recent visit to Kingston College with JETC Chairman, Professor Orlando Patterson.

“The pace needs to be accelerated in terms of creating more government-funded and operated spaces, as well as helping those community-based ECIs that are doing well, to have more trained teachers within them,” Mrs. Williams said.

She explained that this may include forging partnerships with private ECIs, “where they are funded by the Government [but] operate separately within the guidelines of the regulations.”

“So, there is still a lot of work to be done and I totally agree [that early childhood] is the foundation sector. How we treat children in our ECIs will determine what kind of students they become. So, it is key and important for us to get it right,” the Minister emphasised.

The Education Transformation Oversight Committee (ETOC) will facilitate implementation of the report’s recommendations.