Fewer books for new school year

Parents can now breathe a sigh of relief as booklists distributed by schools have been reduced for the coming academic term, THE weekend STAR has learnt.

According to reports from the Ministry of Education, booklists to be distributed throughout schools across the island will be considerably lower than in years gone by.

The decrease can be attributed to a recent decision undertaken by the ministry to restrict supplementary textbooks to only those it has approved, and also limiting the quantity required per student in each grade.

Chief education officer in the Ministry of Education, Dr Grace McLean, explained that students at grades one and seven would be expected to purchase a Bible, dictionary, atlas, or similar material. She also encouraged students to make use of libraries and websites for other supplementary and resource materials to supplement textbooks.

McLean added that the ministry will continue to monitor the situation to ensure schools comply with the guidelines for compiling booklists.

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Fewer books for new school year

1,000 books for Western Jamaica students

News

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

HUNDREDS of students across western Jamaica are to benefit from over 1,000 children’s books which were presented to representatives of the Ministry of Education and Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) by passengers of the cruise ship, Festival at Sea, which docked in Montego Bay, St James, last week.The donation was facilitated by the San Francisco, California-based agency, Blue World Travel, in the United States, through its Children’s Book Drive, in collaboration with the operators of Festival at Sea.The project, launched some 21 years ago, enables passengers and other stakeholders associated with the agency and vessel to donate educational literature to youngsters resident in any of the towns or cities, and their environs, where the ship makes a port of call. This, is a kind gesture of gratitude to stakeholders at the destinations visited where the hospitality extended was deemed satisfactory.Addressing passengers from the ship and other participants during the handing- over ceremony at the Montego Bay Ship Terminal, JTB Regional Director Rose Marie Johnson expressed gratitude for the generous contribution, noting that the gesture is consistent with the agency’s ‘voluntourism’ initiative.— JIS

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1,000 books for Western Jamaica students