Government Director of the Nationwide Schooling Belief (NET), Latoya Harris Ghartey, is urging college students throughout Jamaica to maneuver past rote studying and embrace the transformative energy of vital pondering.
Talking throughout the STEAM (Science, Know-how, Engineering, Arts and Arithmetic) In Motion Expo held Thursday (January 29) on the Chinese language Benevolent Affiliation in St. Andrew, Mrs. Harris Ghartey described the coed displays as “blueprints for the nation’s growth”.
“Each exhibit, each venture, each interactive show is proof that our college students will not be simply absorbing the data however they’re pondering critically. They’re innovating, and so they’re boldly getting into the world with options which have energy to alter our lives and our communities,” the Government Director mentioned.
The occasion, held in partnership with the British Council, supplied college students with the chance to showcase tasks throughout numerous classes, together with robotics and animation, well being innovation, renewable vitality options, agriculture and meals expertise, environmental advocacy via the humanities, and local weather options.
Mrs. Harris Ghartey highlighted the immense effort and dedication demonstrated by scores of scholars from faculties throughout Jamaica in reaching the stage the place they may current tangible options to real-world challenges.
“You’ve used your curiosity to find an answer to an issue, and there’s that perception that we are able to create options to make a distinction,” she identified.
Mrs. Harris Ghartey additionally underscored the non-public advantages of collaborating in STEAM, noting that it fosters collaboration amongst teammates, faculties, authorities, and the personal sector, thereby creating “an ecosystem of innovation”.
She additional highlighted the monetary advantages, explaining that the concepts behind the tasks may function the inspiration for future enterprise ventures.
The Government Director supplied phrases of encouragement, reminding college students of the significance of resilience within the face of setbacks.
“Keep in mind, each invention, each breakthrough and each answer begins with curiosity and braveness to attempt. You might not get it proper the primary time however in the event you proceed to attempt to construct in your concepts, you by no means know while you’ll have a breakthrough,” she acknowledged.
Addressing the educators, Mrs. Harris Ghartey mentioned: “You’re the champions of this transformation. You information, you problem, you encourage our younger minds to convey us collectively… and due to this, all college students can be profitable, and it displays your dedication of their potential.”
In the meantime, British Council Nation Director, Damion Campbell, expressed his delight at collaborating with NET, noting that the organisation’s mandate is centred on serving to younger folks perceive their position in advancing Jamaica’s future.
The STEAM in Motion Expo served because the culminating exercise of Nationwide STEAM Schooling Week, noticed from January 26 to 30, beneath the theme ‘Creating Options, Driving Change’.
Along with showcasing their tasks, college students had entry to abilities labs in areas reminiscent of synthetic intelligence and coding, artwork and expertise integration (Artwork + Tech = Impression), engineering design bootcamp, renewable vitality and photo voltaic innovation, in addition to robotics and automation.
Coaching periods had been additionally supplied for lecturers, protecting subjects reminiscent of integrating STEAM into the curriculum, making use of design pondering within the classroom, trauma‑knowledgeable apply in submit‑catastrophe contexts, and the usage of low‑value, excessive‑affect STEAM instruments.
NET is an company of the Ministry of Schooling, Abilities, Youth and Info.
