The camps are being funded with the JMD 4.5 million proceeds raised from the European Union’s 5K & 10K race staged in March, under the theme ‘All Together Against Crime and Violence.’

The Ministry of Education and Youth, and CLBL Foundation are jointly hosting the camps in an effort to improve literacy levels and reduce the vulnerability to crime and violence.

The students who attend Edward Seaga Primary, Holy Family Primary & Infant, and St Andrew Primary will participate in the programme from July 9 to July 26. Last year 19 students benefited from the proceeds of the EU Run/Walk.

In her address during the handover ceremony, European Union Ambassador Marianne Van Steen said the summer camps can be truly life-changing for the children who have fallen behind in their learning process.

“Education is a cornerstone of the European Union's global agenda, and it holds special significance in our partnership with Jamaica. We firmly believe that every child deserves access to quality education and the opportunity to succeed,” she said.

Joseph Matalon, chairman of the CLBL, thanked the EU for its support over the last two years, noting that the increased funding from the race will allow the foundation to increase its scope and impact substantially.

He added that the CLBL will mobilise two coaches, three mentors and 16 trained teachers to serve the students.

“The learning session will provide supervised immersive practice for our trained teachers and give participating students a jump start in reading to prepare for the new school year,” said Matalon. 

“We aim to deliver 80 hours of training and professional development for each teacher, exposing them to all aspects of the programme as they engage students with varying learning needs,” he added. 

Matalon explained that participating teachers will nominate participating students from their September 2024 classes who will be assessed to identify their strengths and weaknesses.

“This will be followed by 50 hours of instruction, providing the opportunity to close learning gaps by at least one grade level during the summer,” he said. 

The teachers who were in attendance at the handover ceremony were delighted with the opportunity the programme provides for their students.

EU Del Jamaica

Principal at St Andrew Primary School Colleen Gordon said the programme will provide students and teachers with the necessary resources to carry out their tasks in meaningful ways.

“Overall, I think it’s a good programme as we have heard testimonials from a school that was a part of the programme and the students are showing marked differences in their reading capabilities,” she said.

For Principal at Edward Seaga Primary School Shernet Clarke Tomlinson, the programme is designed to support all students in reaching their potential, regardless of their learning styles or challenges.

“It is hoped that addressing students' learning deficits through the initiative will lead to improved literacy and numeracy levels. Ultimately, better academic results are expected as a result of this comprehensive support system,” she said.

While Principal at Holy Family High School Mrs Phillipa Williams McGregor said, “We are elated to be a part of this intervention programme because we believe that this programme will improve our literacy rate at our school.”

Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams who was also present at the handover ceremony said the programme is a welcomed addition to the ministry’s efforts to address areas of weakness in literacy, in how it is taught and how it is learned in Jamaica. 

“Educators all over the world are being constantly challenged to refine existing methodologies or develop new ones to meet the many needs of their student population and this effort will help in that regard,” said Minister Williams.

The EU currently provides budget support and technical assistance to the All-of-Government’s Citizen Security Plan. This initiative is seeking to implement more coordinated, data driven and effective interventions to improve the security environment for citizens and address some of the root-causes that contribute to crime and violence.