Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has recently announced that an Early Childhood Development Centre for innovation is set to be constructed in St James East Central this year.

The construction of the centre is estimated at US$1.5 million.

Bartlet who was speaking at a fundraising dinner to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the East Central St James Education Fund on Saturday (January 14), noted that the construction of the centre should be completed by the start of the 2023/24 academic year.

He outlined that the centre is expected to change the concept of early childhood education in Western Jamaica.

“We feel that something is missing in terms of our own programme, and we have to start at the right place, so we decided that we must make amends. That gave birth to the concept of the Early Childhood Development Centre for Innovation, which will cater to 100 children at a time on a revolving basis,” Bartlett noted.

The tourism minister also noted that the institution will contribute to the development of the human capital in the constituency.

“This [early-childhood development centre] is the next step in building the human capital in the constituency. We have graduated doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers, policemen and preachers. Currently, we have students in every high school in the county of Cornwall and other high schools outside of the county. We have students in every teachers’ college in Jamaica, in every university in Jamaica and in universities in the United States, in Canada and in China and Spain,”

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett

He further noted that the institution will define early childhood education both locally and internationally through teacher support, exchange programmes, likewise parent engagement and training.

Minister of Education, Fayval Williams also noted that the centre is closely aligned with the transformation of education that is currently taking place in Jamaica.

Bartlett continued noting the focus on early childhood education comes in light of a programme that saw 10,000 primary, secondary and tertiary students being benefited from $60 million in scholarships over the years.

The Minister said he is pleased with the impact the scholarships have been having on the lives of students.

–Jamaica Information Service