JAMAICA:  The Education Challenge Jamaica Faces:

Although there have been significant advances in education systems in Jamaica, the existing systems continue to face severe shortcomings.  Underprivileged children in rural and poor urban areas particularly suffer from unequal access to quality education.

The existing Basic, Primary, Secondary and High School educational systems fail to provide access to and/or deliver an adequate education to hundreds of thousands of students, especially those located in underserved urban and rural communities.

Jamaica’s educational system requires transformation in order to provide all children with the opportunity to learn and excel.  By providing all students with equal opportunities to attend quality schools, Jamaica can meet its responsibility to provide an educational system of true excellence.

There are Six (6) Basic Needs to Meet in order for Children to Have Meaningful Access to Quality Education:

CEF CHILDREN’S "MUST HAVE":

1. Basic transportation to get to and from school, after-school programs and activities.
2. School uniforms and accompanying attire the schools require for attendance
3. School books and school supplies to necessitate learning
4. Proper, nutritious meals in order to learn lessons (breakfast, lunch, late afternoon snacks)
5. School fees to pay money to high and secondary schools that those education institutions mandate.
6. Access to computer technology from an early age.

How CEF is Breaking the Cycle of Under-education in the Jamaican Community

There are three key obstacles which impede access to quality education and make it more difficult for underprivileged children to achieve, and CEF is working hard to address them.

1.  Families Lack Financial Resources to Support Children’s Basic Education Needs

First, with education and related costs continuing to rise, the financial resources needed to support even basic education constitute the most serious challenge for many families. 

There are many committed parents who lack the resources to finance their children's education:  bus fares for transportation to and from school and activities, school uniforms, school books, school supplies and nutritious meals.

2.  Schools Lack Proper Nutrition Offerings for Children in Learning

Underprivileged school children lack proper nutrition needed for learning and absorbing teaching lessons. (Jamaica Education Task Force). The school lunches provided often lack needed nutrition for children. 

Families of underserved children also lack financial resources to provide breakfast, lunch and break snacks for students.

3.  Schools Lack Computer Labs and/or Computers

Schools which educate poor children ofen lack funds to purchase computers to foster technologically literate development of each child.  In addition, families of the same students struggle to find food to eat, and is unlikely to have computers in their homes. 

Bridging the Financial Resource and Nutrition Gaps to Education

CEF provides education grant and scholarship support to children and young adults to meet the financial and nutrition gap that often challenge families. 

CEF offers Education Grants to children enrolled in basic and primary schools.  These grants serve to provide children with meaningful access to transportation, school fees, uniforms, books, school supplies and meals.

 

CEF offers High School Education Scholarships to qualified, graduating primary school students who have passed exams and are enrolled or will be enrolled in high and secondary schools. 

CEF offers University Education Scholarships to qualified, graduating high and secondary school students who are enrolled or will become enrolled in universities or technical colleges. 

CEF offers Higher Education Sustaining Scholarships to universities/technical students who have been in universities, but are in danger of withdrawing due to lack of financial resources. 

CEF coordinates Employment Internships for college students to work in organizations so they may receive practical on the job experience and are better positioned to obtain suitable employment upon graduation.

Bridging the Computer Literacy Gap in Public Education

All children must be able to compete in the global economy.  The majority of children in public schools lack exposure and/or access to computers.

CEF conducts Computer Fundraisers to provide schools with at least one computer.  Our objective is to ensure that each school will gain sufficient computers for a computer laboratory where students can become technologically literate and excel in this field.