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MEDIA RELEASE
FOOD FOR THE POOR LAUNCHES JAMAICA 50 CAMPAIGN
Campaign Receives Resounding Endorsement From Education Minister and ECC Chairman
Spanish Town, St. Catherine- (June 14, 2012): Food For The Poor created history yesterday
by initiating the most far-reaching infant school building programme in the island, by launching
its Jamaica 50 Campaign, which will build and or upgrade 50 early childhood institutions within
50 months, in commemoration of Jamaica’s Golden Jubilee. The launch and groundbreaking
ceremony took place at High House District in St. Catherine, which will be the site of one of the
new infant schools.
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(From left) Andrew Mahfood, Chairman, Food For The Poor(FFP); Professor Maureen Samms-Vaughan, Chairman, Early Childhood Commission; Rev. the Hon. Ronnie Thwaites, Minister of Education; and Rosalyn Gayle, Principal, High House Basic break ground for the construction of the new High House Basic School in St. Catherine. Looking on is FFP’s Clive Spencer(2nd right- background), Senior Field Officer in the Construction Services Department. They were participating in the launch of the FFP Jamaica 50 Campaign on Wednesday, June 13.
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Andrew Mahfood, Chairman, Food For The Poor (FFP) explained that the FFPJamaica 50
Campaign will upgrade schools that have been deemed unfit spaces for children to learn, and
will also construct new schools. “The first three schools in the project will be officially opened
in September this year. After this, at least one school will be opened each month, for the
remainder of the 50 months,” the FFP Chairman said. Mr. Mahfood disclosed that so far, 29
schools, which need to be constructed and or upgraded, have been identified in the parishes of
Clarendon, Portland, St. Ann, Kingston, St. Catherine, St. Thomas, Manchester, St. Elizabeth,
Westmoreland and St. James.
Each institution will accommodate between 40 and 100 children. The infrastructural features
of each school are as follows: an office, sick bay, kitchen, sanitation area, and one large
classroom that can be subdivided into three learning spaces. “The Basic Schools will be built in
communities where the Early Childhood Commission, in consultation with Food For The Poor,
has identified the most dire needs for pre-primary facilities.”
The FFP Chairman also announced that a component of the Jamaica 50 Campaign is the
training of 500 teachers over a period of 5 years. “Starting this September, FFP will be providing
scholarships to Basic School teachers who need to upgrade their qualifications, but lack the
financial resources to do so,” explained Mr.Mahfood.
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Mr. Andrew Mahfood, Chairman of Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica greets Rev. the Hon. Ronald Thwaites, Minister of Education, during the Launch and groundbreaking ceremony of Food For The Poor’s Jamaica 50 Campaign which will build/upgrade 50 basic schools within 50 months. Also sharing in the occasion were (from right) President Terry Leslie, Spanish Town Rotary Club; Assistant Governor Shirley Gayle, Rotary Clubs in Jamaica and President Pearl Smith, Portmore Rotary Club. Standing in the background is Deacon Ron Burgess, Senior Director of Recipient Services at FFP.
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Rev. the Hon. Ronnie Thwaites, Minister of Education, and Keynote Speaker welcomed and
endorsed the Jamaica 50 Campaign as a tremendous effort and “extraordinary gift to Jamaica”
in helping to advance early childhood education. He said the schools would provide the
children with the right preparatory learning for achievement at higher levels of the academic
system. “And so the Food For The Poor dedication to early childhood education during this
50th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence is a big thing and we are lured into this important
consciousness of future behaviour by our friends at Food for the Poor,” declared the Education
Minister.
He said the 50 schools being built by FFP will receive future government assistance in
the training of its staff and educational support to the students: “These 50 schools will be
characterized as Infant Schools and therefore will receive the full support of the government of
Jamaica.”
The Education Minister has urged Jamaican communities to treat the education of children
with priority attention. Pointing out that tending to the children of the nation is the biggest
responsibility, which Jamaica has, the Minister appealed to Jamaicans to view the
sector as “an investment industry”. He pledged that the government will be encouraging
significant investment in early childhood education by the private sector.“ No longer will
early childhood be the ‘Cinderella’ of the education system. It must take pride of place. It must
come first, not last,” emphasized Minister Thwaites. He also implored churches to start and or
expand early childhood institutions.
The Education Minister encouraged the parents and communities, which will benefit from
the new/upgraded FFP schools to treasure and care for the facilities and provide a nurturing
environment for the children.
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Students of High House Basic School entertain the audience at the Food For The Poor Launch of the Jamaica 50 Campaign, by singing Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All”. Enjoying the performance are (from right): Andrew Mahfood, Chairman of Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica; Rev. the Hon. Ronald Thwaites, Minister of Education; Professor Maureen Samms-Vaughan, Chairman of the Early Childhood Commission; Jean Lowrie-Chin, Board Member of FFP Jamaica and Rosalyn Gayle, Principal of High House Basic School
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His comments had resonance with Professor Maureen Samms-Vaughan, Chairman, Early
Childhood Commission (ECC), who also addressed the launch event. Professor Samms-
Vaughan reminded the parents and community that they would have to play their part
in ensuring a quality-learning environment. “If we place them (the children) in a violent
environment they will become violent. If we place them in a loving environment, they will
become loving…if we provide them with high quality learning environment, they will reach their
highest potential,” the ECC Chairman outlined.
The ECC Chairman commended Food For The Poor for the Jamaica 50 Campaign, which she
believes will have a positive ripple effect on the nation’s children and teachers. She expressed
confidence that the programme will ensure that scores of Jamaican children, have a quality start
in life. “We want to commend Food For the Poor for the scholarships being given to teachers.
The training of teachers is the single most important factor impacting the development of
children, ” commented Professor Samms- Vaughan.
She also recognized FFP for the ongoing role it has played in partnerships with the ECC over
the years, in repairing and replacing several early childhood institutions damaged by hurricanes.
Professor Samms-Vaughan pledged the continued collaboration between the ECC and FFP.
Rosalyn Gayle, Principal, High House Basic School expressed appreciation on behalf of
the school community for the new facilities, which will be provided by FFP. Among the other
speakers at the launch were: Deacon Ron Burgess, Senior Director, Recipient Services, FFP;
Jean Lowrie-Chin, Board Member, FFP; and Gifton Wright, Gleaner Children’s Own Spelling
Bee Champion 2012 and 4th place finalist in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the US, who
is a beneficiary of FFP’s educational programmes. The students of High House Basic School
entertained the audience.
The FFP Jamaica 50 Campaign is a part of the ongoing support by the charity to address the
socio-economic challenges in Jamaica. Since its inception thirty years ago, FFP has made a
significant contribution to Jamaica’s education through the payment of school fees of needy
students, distribution of school furniture and supplies, the construction of 41 basic schools since
2004, and the upgrading of sanitation facilities at schools.
Contacts:
Erica James-King|Communication Manager | PROComm l
(876) 564-5277 or (876) 926-6740
Petri-Ann Henry | Public
Relations Officer: (876) 564-2886 | petri-annh@foodforthepoorja.org
Public Relations Dept. (876)
907-3664
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