Education
Fairness Questioned, School Lunch Program should be for Every Child
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, January 23, 2023 – As the cost of living crisis affects families at all levels across the Turks and Caicos, Magnetic Media has asked the question of officials: what is being put in place for families above the poverty line who need help as well.
The query follows the Government announced school feeding program aimed at providing support for the lowest income earners, a part of a suite of revolutionary legislative initiatives which will accompany the change to minimum wage from $6.25 per hour to up to $9 per hour as of April 1st, 2023.
The cost of the program, which also creates free daycare and free after school care is attracting a $4 million dollar price tag, informed Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Special Needs.
The feeding program, earmarked for a September 2023 start, will introduce the certainty of at least one meal a day for students who meet the criteria helping provide them with a nutritious lunch and easing the burden on parents.
But does this limited focus exclude families who, while being higher earners, have also found living historically more expensive?
Groceries in The Turks and Caicos went up 38 percent in 2022; an almost unfathomable increase which all families have had to bear. The Government stepped in to help with a freeze on duties for bread basket items, evening extending it but that tax exemption excludes many of the lunch-leaning foods that children favor.
A dent in grocery bills thanks to guaranteed lunches would help all families, including those above the poverty line with multiple children.
Our media house reached out to government members to get an explanation of the rationale behind the program and former in the Ministry of Education, Wesley Clerveaux, who is now moved as the Permanent Secretary of Tourism explained there was nothing blocking families from being on the program and they should apply if they need the help.
“Funding was provided to support the majority of the student population in the assumption that there will be a small percentage of students that may not register to participate,” he said.
The MOE has not yet announced an application process, in particular only maintaining that teachers would look out for students who did not have a healthy meal.
The situation is the same with the daycare plan, while Turks and Caicos islanders will benefit expatriate workers, who make up the majority of the workforce, are not included as beneficiaries of the government plan.
Education
Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture Announces Launch of Scholarship Secretariat Social Media Platforms
Kingston, Jamaica, May 5, 2025 – In just three years of being in the classroom, Shanique Pryce has cemented her name in the annals of Jamaica’s education sector.
An educator at the Immaculate Conception High School in Kingston, she was recently honoured with the prestigious title of ‘2025 Mathematics Teacher of the Year’.
A graduate of Camperdown High School, Ms. Pryce reflects on a challenging childhood that was impacted by misfortunes. After losing her mother at the age of seven and growing up without her father, she moved among various family members throughout the Corporate Area.
In high school, Ms. Pryce developed a passion for Mathematics, largely due to the influence of an exceptional teacher, Ms. Bailey.
“She had a remarkable ability to simplify the most difficult concepts, making them easier to understand,” Ms. Pryce recalls in a recent interview with JIS News.
After high school, her attempt to continue her studies at the tertiary level was short-lived due to a lack of financial and emotional support.
“I was enrolled at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus, but had to drop out after a year. I then pursued short courses at HEART/NSTA Trust while seeking employment wherever I could,” she recalls.
In 2017, Ms. Pryce learned about a scholarship that the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information offered specifically to individuals seeking to pursue studies in the Sciences or Mathematics.
She applied and was awarded a full scholarship to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education, with specialisation in Mathematics at The Mico University College, in Kingston.
“I am forever grateful to the Ministry of Education for the scholarship, which covered meals, boarding and tuition,” she shares with JIS News.
Ms. Pryce completed her studies in 2020, graduating with first-class honors. However, it was in 2022 that she began her first teaching job at Immaculate Conception High School, teaching Mathematics to students in grades seven, 10 and 11.
“Nominating Ms. Pryce for the 2025 Mathematics Teacher of the Year award was an easy decision. It was a no-brainer,” Principal of Immaculate High School, Stacey Reynolds, tells JIS News.
“Mathematics is usually a difficult content area for most of us, but Ms. Pryce makes it seems easy and fun. In just her third year at Immaculate, she brings an infectious level of energy to her teaching,” she adds.
The school facilitates classroom observations, either by visiting a class unannounced or planned, or by casually walking the blocks to listen and observe.
“When I visit Ms. Pryce’s classes, I always feel the urge to participate, and I leave learning something new. She fosters a student-centred
environment and implements a rewarding system for her students. Additionally, she is receptive to feedback, both positive and constructive, and actively seeks suggestions. Even if I leave her class before it concludes, she will seek me out to get my feedback,” the Principal says. Ms. Pryce is described as resourceful, creating her teaching aids and manipulatives, and consistently incorporates games and real-life situations into her lessons.
According to Mrs. Reynolds, she epitomises the fact that you do not need to have years of experience to be good at your craft. Her success shows that years of experience are not a prerequisite for excellence; you just need to have the passion, a willingness and be open to learning.
“Once she continues doing what she does, I have no doubt that she will seize every opportunity that comes her way,” the Principal tells JIS News.
This year’s competition received 51 nominations from both primary and secondary schools across seven education Regions. The nominations were thoroughly reviewed, leading to the selection of regional semi-finalists. Each semi-finalist was observed while conducting a Mathematics lesson, ultimately leading to the identification of 15 outstanding finalists for Round two.
During the second Round, the regional finalists underwent a rigorous evaluation process, including a second observation and interviews focusing on critical pedagogical areas related to teaching mathematics. Based on a weighted scoring system, the top regional winners emerged, and from this group, five candidates secured their place as national finalists.
The final stage of the competition, Round three, showcased the talents of these national finalists through a third observation and a 25-minute presentation on innovative strategies to enhance student engagement and performance in Mathematics.
Utilising a weighted scoring system, the combined scores from both the observation and presentation were tallied to determine the 2025 Mathematics Teacher of the Year.
Mrs. Shauna-Gaye Young Henry, one of the three Mathematics Coordinators who observed the nominees leading up to the final selection, says Ms. Pryce demonstrated a consistent and excellent teaching method.
“During her engagement with the ladies at Immaculate, it was evident that this is how she interacts with them normally. Her teaching isn’t just a performance; the consistency highlights her authenticity,” Mrs. Young Henry says.
“The questions she asked her students and the activities she gave them were not just regular but they go beyond the ordinary, skillfully linking them to real-life situations while integrating other subject areas. She also encourages her students to discover concepts on their own, which aligns perfectly with our goals,” she adds.
Mrs. Young Henry points out that “for a teacher with just three years of professional practice, Ms. Pryce’s performance is commendable”.
“She demonstrated a high level of skill, particularly in her approach to teaching and learning mathematics, especially considering she was competing against individuals with considerably more experience in the field,” she says.
Ms. Pryce’s unwavering commitment to excellence and her dedication to her students’ success are a testament to her winning the prestigious award, and it is also reflected in the 100 per cent pass rate in external examinations over the past two years.
She was presented with a trophy, a laptop, gift certificates and membership to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) .
The National Mathematics Teacher of the Year competition was launched in 2013 and is designed to select from a pool of teachers at the primary and secondary levels. It is a critical part of the Ministry of Education’s strategy to change the culture towards Mathematics, due to the central role the subject plays in the learning of other subjects.
BY: JUDITH A. HUNTER
CAPTIONS:
Michael Sloley Photo
Header: Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dr. Kasan Troupe (right), presents the ‘2025 Mathematics Teacher of the Year’, Shanique Pryce, of Immaculate Conception High School in Kingston with the winning trophy. Occasion was an awards ceremony, held recently at the Caenwood Auditorium in Kingston.
Photo contributed
Insert: The national ‘2025 Mathematics Teacher of the Year’, Shanique Pryce, teaches a class at Immaculate Conception High School in Kingston.
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