KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica will benefit from a five-year partnership with the British Council to enhance cooperation in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM).
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which will guide the arrangement, was signed last week between the acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Maureen Dwyer; Executive Director, National Education Trust (NET), Latoya Harris Ghartey; and Country Director, Jamaica, and the Caribbean Islands, British Council, Damion Campbell.
Dwyer later said the signing represents an expansion of the relationship with the British Council regarding STEAM and Science Technology Education and Mathematics (STEM) education.
“Just last year, a study was conducted in the Jamaican education sector to see how well prepared we are for teaching methodologies related to STEM and the teaching of STEM itself. The British Council sponsored that research, and when the results were collated, they presented it to us,” she said.
She noted further that a team of local educators conducted a successful tour of the British education system, and “we learned a lot [which will inform] our thrust now to build seven STEM schools in Jamaica.
“What they have done now with the signing …is to expand the relationship to other areas to see how well they can continue to support us both in training and our build-out of the infrastructure. So, we are very pleased for this partnership, and we are looking forward to what it brings,” Dwyer added.
Campbell said that the collaboration will create more educational opportunities for young people.
“For the Council, it means we can connect more young people in the UK with Jamaica to share their experiences, expertise, open up their understanding to a more global world but more through the lens of what STEAM education is,” he added.
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