Jamaican Diaspora Summit- January 18-21, 2014

 Family, the past week was filled with much excitement as the Jamaican Diaspora hosted the Advancement in Education  Summit in Jamaica  between February 18-21st. It was promoted as Jamaica's first education summit, with its focal point  being on the critical needs, limitations and strengths of Jamaica education  system.

Being involved with the diaspora and seeing their enthusiasm as they seek to  elevate the Jamiacan  education  system thereby ushering  in a dynamic new approach  to learning for our youth  made us eager to see the results of the summit.
The Advancement in  Education  2014 is a new project that has been endorsed by- Minister of Education Hon. Ronald Thwaites, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Hon. Arnaldo Brown, along with President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association, Mr. Mark Nicely.

The Summit was hosted in two locations; with the first being  held on Tuesday February 18th at the Rose Hall Hilton Resort in  Montego Bay, St. James. The second being held Thursday February 20th at, the Cedar Grove Academy in Portmore, St. Catherine. The Summit included presenters from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Ministry of Education, Jamaica Teachers Association, Joint Board of Jamaica Teachers Association(J.T.A),Early Childhood Commission,other key organizations and members of the Jamaican Diaspora and the Jamaican Prime Minister- Hon. Portia Simpson Miller.

As stated by Leo Gilling  Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board Member for the West/Midwest Region of the US "The Education Summit 2014 was developed out of collaboration with the Jamaica Awareness Association of California which conducted a Mini Summit in Montego Bay in June, 2013. The idea has mushroomed into a national plan so that all schools, colleges and universities can  benefit from the potential outcomes of collaboration and the vision of bringing improvements to the overall system of education in Jamaica, throughout Jamaica and remain in line with Jamaica’s Vision 2030."

This  summit was endorsed and attended  by over  400 members  within the education sector  in western Jamaica along with representatives  from around the world. Numerous organizations who have been  championing the cause  for  Early Childhood Education and Education as a whole were represented at the summit.  These included; Jamaica Impact Inc., Crayon Counts,The RKMFoundation, Inc.,Chicago for Concerned Jamaicans,Jamaican American Association  of Northern California, Jalawelo, JAAC, UJAA  and other organizations.

 We are honored to be involved with this movement of reforming the education system  in our Island home.

Family, as you all know we are passionate about our little ones and their learning process.We donate books to schools because we want to promote reading, we donate toys because we want to promote change through the concept of imaginative play.
Education  is vital and it is important  that we all help in championing the cause  for the benefit of our little ones.

Much love &Walk Good!!!