School leaders encouraged to take advantage of $75-million allocation to improve literacy and numeracy

School leaders are being encouraged to take advantage of a $75-million allocation by the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information to implement targeted intervention programmes aimed at improving student literacy and numeracy outcomes.

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry, Senator Marlon Morgan, said the funding will support schools that develop innovative strategies to help struggling learners achieve their full potential.

Addressing the ministry's Region One Back-to-School Conference at the Grand Palladium Resort in Hanover on Tuesday, Senator Morgan urged principals and their leadership teams to design interventions tailored to the specific needs of their students.

Senator Morgan explained that the funding has been earmarked specifically to support school-based remedial initiatives.

"So, if at your school you have devised... a particular remedial literacy or numeracy intervention, you can engage with the ministry, because there's that window that has been made available for support in relation to these activities," he said.

Senator Morgan noted that several schools have already implemented innovative programmes that have produced encouraging results and urged others to build on those successes.

The Parliamentary Secretary encouraged school leaders to continue developing creative approaches to improving student performance.

"So, it's very important for you to dig deep, pull your team together, and reach your respective children by way of devising fit-for-purpose interventions and remedial engagement for them. And the ministry is seeking to better cater to that by way of this $75 million that has been made available," he said.

Senator Morgan acknowledged that additional resources would be beneficial, but said the allocation represents an important step towards strengthening support for students requiring extra assistance.

"We would have wished that it were $75 billion but it's a step in the right direction, and we do have a window that is available, and I'm imploring you all to seek to tap into that as you go along," he added.

- JIS

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