For the fifth consecutive year, Jamalco has afforded an opportunity to sixty persons who
live in Jamalco’s host communities to continue their education through the Jamalco
Career Enhancement Programme (JCEP).
Through JCEP, the youngsters are given a chance to continue their secondary education
to the Caribbean Secondary Examination Council (CSEC) level in evening programmes
at the Vere Technical and Lennon High schools in Clarendon and the Winston Jones
High school in South Manchester.
The programme, which is organized by Jamalco was designed to give a second chance to
residents from Jamalco’s host communities in Manchester and Clarendon who have
achieved some level of secondary education, but might have “dropped out” of school, or,
have completed school but did not gain the certification or skills required to access
further education and training.
Under the programme, the company defrays the full tuition and registration fees as well
as 50 percent of the cost of the final exams fees for a maximum of two subjects offered
under the programme.
Some 300 persons have benefitted from the JCEP programme since its inception, some
of whom have moved on to tertiary institutions or have gained employment. One of the
beneficiaries, Carol-Ann Mitchell has achieved six subjects and is now a student at the
University of Technology where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Education in Industrial
Technology and majoring in Construction.
Forty three year old Audrey Dean from Mitchell Town was among the students who sat
the diagnostic test at Vere Technical High school recently. She sat English Language and
Mathematics last year and attained a Grade 2 for English. She is determined to pass the
two subjects she will be sitting this time around. Miss Dean was forced to leave school in
3rd form after her mother died. “My mother was a single parent and we had no one else
to turn to so I had to quit school to care for my younger siblings. Jamalco has come to
my rescue so I will be eternally grateful to the company for helping me to continue my
studies,” she said.
Last May was the first time that she sat CXC/CSEC exams and the Grade 2 she received
for English has motivated her to sit more subjects so she can matriculate to a tertiary
institution.