More than 100 primary and secondary school students from institutions across Kingston, St James, and Westmoreland participated in the 2026 Mathematics Problem-Solving Competition finale.

The event was hosted at Merl Grove High School in St Andrew last Thursday (March 12).

A total of 37 schools took part in the competition, representing communities in vulnerable and high-risk areas across the three parishes. These schools are located within seven designated Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs).

Participants were recognised with trophies, plaques, medals, and mathematics manipulatives designed to promote active learning, strengthen engagement, and deepen conceptual understanding.

The initiative forms part of the Inter-Ministerial School Support Strategy, and is funded through the Violence Prevention Programme in partnership with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the British High Commission.

Dianne McIntosh, executive director of citizens’ security at the Ministry of National Security and Peace, told JIS News that since its inception in 2020, the initiative has had a positive impact in targeted communities, helping children improve their performance in literacy and mathematics.

“The approach is really to bring all the different agencies together at different periods of time, to say that the issue of solving violence and crime in a particular space is about agencies coming together. Strategic priorities will focus on psychosocial and post-social activities to help youngsters to manage their emotional well-being and to promote better well-being, manage traumas, and help them cope with it while they are closing [literacy] and mathematical gaps,” she explained.

Dr Lamar Edghill, senior education officer in the Ministry of Education’s Standards Development Unit, noted that the initiative also aligns with the government’s efforts to promote the disciplines of STEAM and STEM.

“When we think about where we are going as a country and a society generally, we are in the fifth revolution, where we talk about innovative approaches that look at technology… [and] STEAM/STEM is the way to go,” he shared.

Edghill noted that education once focused on familiar career paths, with students aware of the jobs available upon leaving school. He emphasised that the current priority is preparing students for an uncertain future.

“So the best approach is to go STEAM/STEM, where we are adaptable [so that] when you go into a new space, you can apply the skills necessary to function,” he added.

Meanwhile, Edghill emphasised that the broader objective is to achieve crime reduction within the seven Zones of Special Operations.

He explained that as efforts are made to curb crime in these communities, the ministry strongly believes that improvements in academic performance will play a critical role in supporting that reduction.

“We strongly believe that this math component of the project really looks at ensuring our students can improve their problem-solving skills,” Dr Edghill further stated.

The Ministry of Education is engaging schools in a wide range of mathematics- focused activities throughout March.

This forms part of its broader observance of National Mathematics Month under the theme: ‘Mathematics for All: Building Communities, Confidence, Competence, and Creativity’.