Education Ministry’s budget expenditure amounts to $15.5B in six months

Aug 13, 2016 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

In the first six months of 2016, a sum of $15.5 billion, or 38 percent of the total budgeted sum of $40.3 billion, was expended in the education sector. This is according to information provided in the Ministry of Finance’s half year report on government spending.
According to the report, the Ministry of Education recognised the need to promote the pure sciences, in an effort to mitigate the dearth of related professionals across an array of fields ranging from the social to the economic sectors and investments to equip schools with both teachers and laboratories.
“These interventions have contributed to 384 more students opting to sit for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Science subjects in 2016, reflecting a 9.1 percent increase over the 2015 levels, with 46 percent of the total increase attributed to physics.
Of that amount, $1.9 billion was spent on the capital programme efforts to integrate Information Technology (IT) in schools continued, when nine IT labs were established in selected primary schools,” the Ministry outlined in the report.
Additionally the Ministry reported that six schools, the National Centre for Educational Resource Development, and the Ministry of Education Complex have been connected to the Government’s fibre optic network through the e-Government Project.
“An additional 40 sites are expected to be connected to the network in the final half of the year. This intervention will result in increased access to information, via connectivity, as well as reduced service costs. “
The Ministry noted that money was also expended to facilitate the hinterland food feeding programme and towards rehabilitation and expansion of several school building.
One such school is the Kato Secondary School complex which has been under review by the government due to shoddy works done by contractors
According to the Finance Ministry, the completion of the Kato Secondary Complex continues to face challenges.
“A recently completed audit has indicated that the school will require extensive works to make it habitable.”
Additionally there is ongoing construction, rehabilitation and maintenance will continue during the second half. Facilities earmarked including Bishops’ and St. Rose’s High Schools and science laboratories in Annai, North West, Canje and Woodley Park.
Meanwhile focus continues to be placed on ensuring that our children are well rounded learners. Technical and vocational education and training continue to be an ongoing endeavour within all technical institutes and training centres.
At present, 202 persons are enrolled in electrical engineering courses, 212 in motor repairs and 111 in Information Technology/Computer Science. Further, the Kuru Kuru Training Centre has expanded its training programme to include a garment construction course.
In the area of teachers’ training, the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) is currently involved in curriculum revision for Physical Education, Music, Art and Information Technology, as these programmes will be offered as majors from September.
Overall, it is anticipated that another 415 teachers will graduate from CPCE this year to supplement the over 5,000 trained teachers currently employed in the public school system.
In the area of music education training, significant progress has been made as nine of the ten regions have already received training, through the Ministry of Education, benefitting 90 teachers.
Earlier this year, at the budget presentation Minister OF Finance Winston Jordan pointed out that “the transformation of any economy is dependent on the ability of its citizens to think cortically and apply appropriate solutions to advance the economy.”
To this end, the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education to meeting the needs of a modern economy were emphasized.
Under the Secondary Education Improvement Project, he said that a total of 1,125 tablets will be distributed to seventh grade students and math teachers in eight pilot schools, facilitating better learning outcomes through the use of technology.
He promised too that school participation in the national science fair will be expanded and partnerships with the private sector will be pursued.

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Education Ministry’s budget expenditure amounts to $15.5B in six months

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