Program

Education

OverviewProgram DescriptionActivities

Program Description

Jamaican Context

Fourteen percent of females and twenty-six percent of males in Jamaica are illiterate. Approximately 142,000 youths are out of school and out of work. The out-of-school population is largely male, rural and poor, with limited exposure to secondary school. Boys’ under-achievement at all levels of education is problematic. With Jamaica’s homicide rate being third highest in the world in 2003, the Jamaican education system must help address the problem of youth violence and develop socially and emotionally well-adjusted children. Moreover, education is critical for the growth of developing countries, as it fosters human resources needed for economic growth. Poorly skilled human resources currently inhibit Jamaica’s ability to rise to the challenge of global competition.

USAID’s Assistance

USAID has a long history in improving basic education in Jamaica. In 1998, USAID applied experience from prior projects to develop and guide implementation of strategies to improve literacy and numeracy in more than seventy at-risk schools throughout the country. USAID’s current assistance will build on these past gains with special attention to fostering sustainability, scaling up best practices, and involving the private sector in school partnerships. A multi-sectoral approach will improve the quality of education for youth who are at risk of dropping out, as well as for those in poorly performing schools. Assistance will also address the resource constraints of Jamaica’s schools by engaging parents, communities, and the private sector as partners in education.

Expected outcomes of USAID assistance include:

• Improved Literacy and Numeracy in Targeted Schools
  While progress has been made, efforts to change the way teachers instruct, the environment they create, and their relationships with students have been challenging. Therefore, activities that strengthen classroom teaching quality and educational outcomes will continue to be a priority for USAID. School management is another area where there has been progress, but requires additional effort by scaling up activities and strengthening the management role and skills of principals, both of which USAID will emphasize in its assistance.
• Improved Quality of Interventions for Out-of-School Youth
  Activities will aim to improve the education of a significant number of at-risk youth. To improve the status of street and working children, USAID will support programs that encourage these children to return to school and programs that address truancy.
• Increased Stakeholder Support for Transformational Education
  Activities will focus on increasing community involvement in education, including support from parents, community organizations, and faith-based organizations. Efforts to engage the private sector will also be a key component of USAID’s program. It is expected that these initiatives will mobilize significant additional resources for education in Jamaica to supplement the government’s funding.

Improved literacy and numeracy, improved quality of interventions for out-of- school youth, and increased stakeholder support for transformational education—all anticipated outcomes of USAID’s assistance—will help to prepare well-rounded skilled youngsters who can contribute to Jamaica’s regional and global economic competitiveness in the future.