Educate and train for a better tomorrow - Thwaites

Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites says education and training are essential foundations for persons who want to achieve in life and for the country to progress.

"We are at a stage now where we have to recognise that Jamaica has very little future that is sustainable unless it becomes a society highly regarded for knowledge and for skills," the minister argued.

Thwaites was addressing participants at the opening of the Joint Committee for Tertiary Education (JCTE) Annual Conference, held at the Holiday Inn Resort in Montego Bay, on Wednesday.

The theme of the conference was: 'Transformational Leader-ship: Enhancing High Performance in Tertiary Institutions'.

Double tertiary cohort

The minister observed that Jamaica was among countries with the lowest proportion of persons in the tertiary cohort. He said that it was the policy of the Government to double that number within five years.

"Government plans to double the number after that as well if we hope to be the home of robust private businesses and personal endeavours that blossom into larger enterprises and if we hope to be the recipient of continuing levels of foreign direct investments," Thwaites said.

The minister contended that all stakeholders in the education arena must become part of the transformational process.

"Our institutions must operate in accordance with international best practices and standards in terms of programme accreditation. In this regard, we commend the work being done by the University Council of Jamaica in the area of quality assurance, even as we join in the chorus to ask and to be in a position to provide the resources that will allow them to adjudicate on quality and courses in a quicker time," Thwaites said.