The draft Higher Education Policy is in the final stage of review, ahead of being submitted to Cabinet for approval.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams said the timeline for approval is subject to Cabinet’s agenda.
“But I would expect that before the end of this fiscal year, which ends March 31, it should be a public document, open for scrutiny,” the Minister added.
She was speaking during the Jamaica Union of Tertiary Students (JUTS) Capacity Building Workshop, at the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean in Kingston, on Friday (February 17).
The Policy is intended to streamline Jamaica’s tertiary sector cohesively and efficiently, to drive better outcomes for students and the economy at large.
Minister Williams said the document was drafted in consultation with several stakeholders, including members of JUTS.
While noting that Jamaica’s tertiary enrolment levels need to be improved to better facilitate a significant percentage of the population being certified, she said the Ministry is aware of the financial constraints impacting some persons desirous of accessing higher education.
“I know it is not easy financially. In fact, in the Policy, when it came to me initially, that [aspect] was… missing. I charged all those who were putting together the Policy to come back with substantive portions of it dealing with the financing of tertiary education,” Mrs. Williams stated.
Meanwhile, the President of JUTS, Christina Williams, who sits on the Policy Committee, told JIS NEWS that student leaders from various tertiary institutions were part of the consultations.
“They (presidents) have been able to [articulate] the different interests and the desires of the students they represent. It [will] be great to announce to the world that Jamaica has its first Higher Education Policy, and we look forward to a strong implementation process,” she said.
The workshop was aimed at supporting student leaders to effectively execute their roles at the tertiary institutions they attend.
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