• A multipurpose classroom, valued at $25 million, was built at the Granville Place of Safety in Trelawny.
• A new multipurpose building, valued at approximately $16 million, was constructed at the all-boy St. Augustine Place of Safety in Clarendon.
• The first Transitional Living Complex under the Transitional Living Programme for Children in State Care project was completed at a cost of $135 million.
• The Muirton Child Care Facility in Portland was renovated at a cost of $40 million.
Early Childhood
• 12 of the planned 126 institutions under the 0-3 Brain Builders Programme became operational.
• More institutions were certified, with the number increasing to 128.
Youth Development
• Two Youth Information Centres (YICs) were launched in Westmoreland and St. Catherine and a recording studio opened at the St. Catherine YIC.
• More than 255 young people completed the first phase of training under a partnership established with Junior Achievement Jamaica for the provision of entrepreneurship training through YICs.
• Mobile YICs and homework centres were established in St. Catherine, Portland, St. Ann, St. James, Hanover and Clarendon through funding provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/ Ministry of Education Partnership for Improved Safety and Security in Schools.
Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH)
• Literature books were provided for students on PATH at all levels of the secondary system at a cost of $120 million.
• $26 million in payments for insurance provided for students on PATH and wards of the state at all levels.
• $2,000 allocated to each PATH student to cover the cost for IDs and uniform-related items.
• Book vouchers have been provided for the neediest students to purchase back-to-school supplies.
• Grants were provided to cover Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programmes, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes, curriculum support, and other special requests.
INFORMATION
• Two contracts, valued just under $356 million, were signed to supply equipment to the Portmore Information Parks in St. Catherine and the Montego Bay Terminal in St. James.
• The Records and Infor-mation Management (RIM) Policy Implementation and Sensitisation Programme was launched. It aims to ensure that all activities and decisions of the Government are fully and accurately documented, managed and monitored.
• The Ministry partnered with the Mexican Embassy in Jamaica to boost the Government’s capacity to digitally preserve the nation’s archived records and historical data.
• The Access to Information Unit launched its youth information booklet, titled, ‘Abby and Friends ATI Adventure’, which educates young people about the Access to Information Act (ATI) through storytelling.