MONTEGO BAY, May 2 (JIS):

More than 120 newly trained teachers, specialising in subject areas such as English and Mathematics at the primary and secondary levels, are set to enter the education system in September.

The recent graduates of the Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College in Montego Bay were presented with Bachelors of Education (B.Ed), associate and advanced degrees for successfully completing their programmes of study, during a valedictory ceremony on April 25 at Calvary Baptist Church in St. James.

The 2024 graduating class included 46 students who specialised in primary education, 17 who completed their four-year course of study in early-childhood education, nine in special education, and nine in school counselling.

At the secondary level, three teachers specialised in biology and mathematics, six in English Language and Literature and three in modern languages.

There were 16 graduates with advanced degrees in primary education, 11 in early childhood and three with associate degrees in collaboration with the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.

President of the Jamaica Methodist District, Bishop Christine Gooden-Benguche, who delivered the keynote address, charged the graduating class, as they enter the school system, to “see each day as an opportunity to live life with quality while igniting minds”.

She urged them to learn from their successes and failures, see possibilities through new engagements and innovations, and to build healthy partnerships and relationships.

“Keep your minds stimulated with new thinking and seek divine guidance,” she added.

Principal of Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College, Ricardo Bennett, said that the institution continues to grow, innovate and redefine itself as a multifaceted and multidimensional learning environment under a new strategic plan spanning 2023-2028, entitled ‘From Decisions to Action’.

Over 120 Trained Teachers Graduate…2

The plan, he noted, is supported by six pillars of development – agile positioning and partnership, curriculum and instruction, total quality management, institutional capacity, operational efficiency, and entrepreneurship and research and innovation.

The teachers’ college is also exploring international partnerships to offer master’s and doctoral programmes.

Valedictorians for the Class of 2024 are Chantalle Smith and Debbie-Ann Allen-Christie, who are graduates in primary and early-childhood education, respectively.

CONTACT: SHARON EARLE

JIS REGIONAL OFFICE

MONTEGO BAY

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

More Caribbean countries are acknowledging the State of Palestine as Trinidad and Tobago on May 2nd, formally recognizing them as announced in Cabinet, according to the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs in a Press Release. 

Dr Amery Browne, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs is reportedly a key player who influenced Trindad and Tobago’s decision as it was made on his recommendation.

In the release, the Caribbean island expressed that it has for a long time, supported Palestine’s right for self determination.

The release also says this move is in line with Trindad’s respect for the law.

“This is our consistent foreign policy position, which is founded on Trinidad and Tobago’s respect for and adherence to international law and to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”

To emphasize their support for the nation, the release also said “ the recognition of Palestine is moral and just and demonstrates Trinidad and Tobago’s acknowledgement of and support for the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.”

The country follows Jamaica and Barbados, which recently announced their recognition for Palestine.  

The full report can be found here: https://foreign.gov.tt/documents/1454/Recognition_by_Trinidad_and_Tobago_of_the_State_of_Palestine.pdf

Garfield Ekon

Staff Writer

The world is facing an annual financing gap of about $4 trillion to achieve sustainable development, leaving countries with hardly any resources to invest in better education, healthcare, renewable energy, or social protection.

United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Antonio Guterres who made the remarks at the 2024 Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Forum on Financing for Development, said there needs to be a “surge in investment” to give developing countries a chance to build better lives for their people.

“The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are hanging by a thread, and with them, the hopes and dreams of billions of people around the world,” the Secretary General said, adding that countries should push for the SDG Stimulus of $500 billion annually in affordable long-term finance for developing countries, which he proposed in February 2023.

“Now it’s time to move from words to action and deliver affordable, long-term financing at scale,” he said, while also calling for “greater representation” of developing countries in global financial systems.

“The countries who need these systems and institutions most were not present at their creation, a lack of representation that continues to this day,” he said, emphasising the urgent need for change.

He highlighted that the Summit of the Future Opens in a new window, which will be held on September 22, and 23, 2024, in New York, and the 2025 Financing for Development Conference in Spain as “key opportunities” to gather world leaders to reform the global financial architecture.

“Let us make the most of these opportunities. Now is the time for ambition. Now is the time for reform. Now is the time to shape a global economic and financial system that delivers for people and planet,” he said.

For his part, President of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis told the forum that a “relentless focus’ needs to be on the financing crisis, as the 2023, the global public debt reached a staggering $313 trillion and over the last decade, increasing far more rapidly in developing nations than in developed ones.

“Worse, developing countries are paying twice as much in interest on their total sovereign debt stocks than developed nations, hobbling them further as they try to ascend the development ladder,” he said.

Adding that nearly half of humanity, or 3.3 billion people, live in countries that spend more on interest payments than on education or health, he stressed that “no nation, I repeat, no nation, should be forced to gamble with their future, countries must be enabled to channel their resources towards uplifting their communities and building resilience rather than servicing excessive debt,” Mr. Francis stated.