EDUCATION

LAMP
15-19 August, 2011: the Ministry of Education, Jamaica, in collaboration with the UNESCO Kingston Cluster Office for the Caribbean and Institute for Statistics (UIS) in Montreal, Canada, conducted a training and orientation workshop in the Literacy Assessment Monitoring Programme (LAMP).

LAMP is a UNESCO initiative managed by UIS that aims to develop a methodology for the direct assessment of literacy skills among the adult population by using household surveys. This new methodology, together with reinforced capacities, will provide the foundation for the production of accurate, reliable data on literacy skills among the adult population. The programme is already being piloted in 10 countries (from Africa, the Arab region, Asia and the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean).

Jamaica has been selected as the first country in the Caribbean to pilot the LAMP project. It is hoped that the experience of implementing LAMP in Jamaica can gradually be expanded throughout the Caribbean.

The participating institutions in the LAMP project are: Ministry of Education, University of the West Indies, Planning Institute of Jamaica, Jamaica Foundation for Life-long Learning, Jamaica Council for Adult Education and Statistical Institute of Jamaica.

The main goal of the five day workshop was to raise awareness and assist the Jamaican LAMP project team in designing an Assessment Plan, the National Planning Report as well as adapting LAMP instruments to the country’s needs. Jamaica’s participation in the LAMP project is supported financially by the Inter American Development Bank (IADB). (Source: UNESCO Caribbean)

Visit to UNEVOC centres
In November 2010, UNESCO supported the Executive Director of the HEART Trust/NTA in Jamaica to visit the UNEVOC Centre in Bonn on a study tour of the TVET programmes and systems in Germany. Dr. Carolyn Hayle also visited UNEVOC Centres in Germany facilitated by the UNESCO International UNEVOC Centre in Bonn. UNESCO will promote such study tours for other UNEVOC Centres in the region. (Source: UNESCO Caribbean)

CaribECD website
UNESCO’s support has facilitated the renovation of the CaribECD website,http://www.open.uwi.edu/caribecd , which was re-launched as part of the Jamaica “Early Childhood Development Expo”, held in July 2011. The website has been updated and expanded, making more current, Caribbean-relevant ECD information available, and includes the opening of an electronic forum (e-forum) for visitors to communicate and share among themselves. (Source: UNESCO Caribbean)

TVETIPEDIA
UNESCO launched TVETIPEDIA, an online portal for the exchange of information on technical and vocational education and training (TVET)