Minister Williams hails diaspora for contribution to education

Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams has hailed Jamaicans in the diaspora for their continued contribution to the development of the schools they attended in the island and the wider education sector.

“Jamaica’s diaspora communities across the United States (US), Canada, the United Kingdom (UK) and elsewhere play a significant role in contributing financial and other resources to development projects here, over many decades,” she said.

“They were exposed to the rich tapestry of our education system and upon migration, still want to be connected to home, and they do so by helping students now attending the schools where they had their early-childhood, primary or secondary-level education,” the minister noted.

She was speaking at a ceremony held at the Camperdown High School in Kingston on Monday, for the official handover of a gazebo, commercial printer, tablets and scholarships by the alumni’s Florida Chapter.

The event also included the presentation of a book, titled ‘The Story of Camperdown High School’, written by Ambassador Dr Basil K. Bryan.

Minister Williams welcomed the support to the 92-year-old institution.

She noted that Camperdown High has emerged from humble beginnings as a private school to becoming a notable institution in the Jamaican education sector.

She said the school has built a “strong reputation” for outstanding performance in education and sports, and today “continues to provide an opportunity for nearly 1,500 students each year to pursue their academic dreams”.

The minister encouraged individuals and organisations at home and abroad to continue investing in education in Jamaica, noting that “this will redound to our collective benefit”.

“We often say that education is a national project requiring the input of everyone – parents, students, educators, the business community and civil society groups. We all benefit from a better-educated, better-trained society, and this is well appreciated by our compatriots, who spent their formative years in Jamaica,” she pointed out.

JIS