Newly appointed Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon, has pledged to work to unlock the potential of every child impacted by the ministry's institutions. Morris Dixon's appointment comes as her predecessor, Fayval Williams, assumes duties as finance minister. Speaking during a tour of the education ministry's head office in Kingston on Wednesday, Morris Dixon reiterated the importance of an effective education sector to national development.
"This ministry is about our children, and there are so many beautiful, bright, young children out there who can do big things for Jamaica and for the world. They just need us to move some things out of the way," Morris Dixon said. Among the key focus areas she highlighted was early-childhood education, citing this as one of critical importance.
"We are going to have to focus there because, throughout the entire system, we are re-mediating every step of the way. So, yes, we have to continue the re-mediation, but we have to ensure that we get early childhood right," Morris Dixon stated. She added that children with special needs, as well as youngsters in State care, will also be of priority as she settles into her new position.
Literacy and numeracy are also high on the list of priorities. "We cannot have any child leave our schools not able to read. We should not have any child who is not proficient in mathematics leaving our schools, and that's our great challenge," Morris Dixon stated.
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