Black Immigrant Daily News

Through the creation of an incentivized teaching scholarship programme, the University of the West Indies, Mona (UWI) in partnership with the NCB Foundation aims to slow down the migration of our teachers from Jamaica.

The Building Out Our STEM Teachers (BOOST) Scholarship which started in 2021 facilitates the advancement of teachers in pursuit of specialisation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

With the Foundation now on board with a whopping $9 million investment, special emphasis will be placed on producing high-quality teachers in digital studies.

Scholarship recipient Thea May was delighted for the assistance to complete the final year of her computer studies major in education and liberal studies. Her passion for inspiring a love for digital studies remains resolute as she prepares to enter the education workforce.

“Jamaica is in dire need of more proficient educators. We have so many young minds that are curious about the way things work and how to make them better. My role as a teacher is to inspire, motivate and make learning enjoyable,” said May.

With the resignation of 400 teachers since the start of the year, the BOOST programme will help to make teaching more attractive. Through the programme, student teachers will receive grants to cover their student loans and an increase in their salaries. Scholarship recipients will also benefit from specially-designed mentorship schemes, summer training, outreach programmes, and networking opportunities.

Successful NCB BOOST scholars will be placed in high schools to teach subjects such as Information Technology, Webpage Design, and Programming at the high school level.

“The shortage of qualified teachers in Jamaica has significantly impacted the development of the human resources within the island. Through the BOOST programme, the UWI will aid in creating a steady supply of quality STEM educators,” stated Professor Michael Taylor, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology at UWI’s Mona campus.

In her remarks at the signing of the partnership agreement on July 28, CEO of the N.C.B Foundation, Nadeen Matthews Blair is ready to expand the pipeline of digital talent in Jamaica. “The N.C.B. Foundation is on an urgent journey to enable the digital transformation of our country through expansion of the pipeline for digital talent, but these digital practitioners can’t teach themselves,” stated Blair.

She explained that it is critical for the country to find innovative ways to attract and retain its teachers. “BOOST is a win-win. The NCB Foundation is also delighted that it provides a pathway for our own digital scholars to give back after getting their tertiary education fully funded by the N.C.B Foundation,” said Blair.

For more information about the BOOST Scholarship programme visit the UWI Science and Technology homepage www.mona.uwi.edu/fst/.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

Dear Editor,

It is quite ironic that when we find ourselves stepping up in the socio-economic ladder, we tend to allow the human components of empathy & humilty to vanish from our modus of operandi.

As a manager & moreso as a Christian, I will confess that I have witnessed some unethical & unscrupulous practices among my colleagues, in the way  how they go about with an “undertone” of hiring and promoting  persons up the cooperate ladder, especially in the Statutory & Public sector.

Such practices has now forced me as a Christian to ask the question, does the ” knee in the neck ” syndrome exist on the job sites?

Just about 2 years ago,  we heard about George Floyd, an Afroamerican man, met his untimely death due to a knee that was placed in his neck by someone who was considered to be in authority. Obviously, discrimination & exercising power was a part of that screen play.

Interestingly, it is my view, that the same “knee in the neck” syndrome exists on the job sites of today.. Similar to Mr. Floyd, who was at the time pursuing his own ambition, an employee likewise, has as one of his or her own ambition to climb the cooperate ladder, some day.

Unfortunately & sad to say, some persons on the job never fulfill their ambitions because they become a victim of discrimination, and hence, are been overlooked or get pushed at the back of the bus or even have the corporate ladder pulled from under them inspite of the hard work & dedication they put into the  organization. As a result, within the walls of the workplace you can silently hear the voices ” I am dead but I am still breathing “.

Of course, I will certainly agree & also give kudos to those of us who,  as employees work feverishly & academically to get to the top of the cooperate ladder. On the other hand, for some unforeseen circumstances others may just cruise their way just to get themselves to the next level. Still kudos to them!

Regardless of the situation, each employee should be looked at in a fair manner & be treated with utmost respect. On the job, all employees should be faced with a level playing field.

As managers, many of us may have a different style of managing however, we should operate on a common ground of professionalism, fairness, empathy and invoke the Christian principle of ” do unto others just like you would like others do unto you”.

Of course, it is expected that the heads of every organization will set a standard and a criteria for hiring and promoting individuals. Be that as it is, the process of hiring or promoting should be impartial,  so that what goes for one…. should go for all, regardless if that person is a friend, a family member, is liked or otherwise.

Sadly, I have seen friends, family members & close associates of managers been highered or promoted all because of that ” knee in the neck syndrome ” of nepotism or cronyism, thus causing other staff members to be stifled on the job. Strange enough, some of these persons who have been hired or promoted may not even have the proper work ethics or the required qualification for the job.

We are now in the 21st century where we as managers are better trained than before. As a result, I am making a plea that we become more cognizant of the health & culture of our organizations. Sometimes, the way we operate & the way treat our subordinates tend to be the source of creating an environment of hostility & demotivation within the workplace.

Let us avoid been kings & queens of all survey and act more professional & impartial towards our staff. Remember today may be for us but who knows, tomorrow that coin may flip and that day may just be for them.

Fitzroy

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The 2022 Population and Housing Census, which is to get underway in September, will cost the Government more than $2 billion.

The disclosure was made by Finace and the Public Service Minister, Dr Nigel Clarke, at the official launch of the island’s 15th Population and Housing Census at the AC Mariott Hotel last Wednesday.

Clarke said that more than 7,000 people will be employed as census takers across the island between September and December.

“This is an exercise that costs approximately $2.4 billion. So not only is it a big deal, it is a big investment, as well,” Clarke stated.

He pointed out that the data collectors will be drawn from “areas close to the areas they will be collecting data from”, to ensure that they are familiar with the communities that they will be working in.

In keeping with international standards and best practices, censuses are conducted every 10 years. The last census in Jamaica was conducted in 2011 and should have taken place last year, but was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Clarke, the data collected from the census will not only provide an estimate of Jamaica’s population size, but it will inform Government policies and programmes, including where to build schools, clinics and other government services.

Another element of this year’s census, said Clarke, is the use of technology to improve the efficiency and safety of the data collected and its subsequent processing.

“As Jamaica moves towards a digital society or a digitised society, and it is significant that this is the first census that will be conducted using tablets — no paper.

“… But, as we move towards being a digital society, understanding the distribution of ICT access and use and prevalence is abundantly important,” he declared.

Meanwhile, the minister noted that although census day is on September 12, “the data collection will take place over three months.”

He added: “So the census takers will be going around between September and December, but the questions they ask you will be with reference to September 12.

“So I ask you, nuh badda go out on the night of September 11, and yuh forget that weh yuh do on September 12, because that is the reference day for the census,” Clarke pleaded.

NewsAmericasNow.com