In an effort to recover from the learning loss and gaps that have resulted from a predominant closure of face to face classes since March 2020, Education Minister, Fayval Williams says the government will soon implement a Recover Smarter – National School Learning and Intervention Plan.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday (June 29) the minister stated that the Recover Smarter – National School Learning and Intervention Plan (NSLIP), which is to be institutionalized into the education sector will involve three components namely: the National Summer School, the National Extra Lesson Classes and the National Homework Programme.

According to Williams, “the Recover Smarter – National School Learning and Intervention Plan (NSLIP) will allow for an improvement in the academic performance of students enrolled in the programme over the summer period and during the school year to come. (As well as) it will also provide academic enrichment activities for students through its intervention framework.”

She noted, that the ministry’s response “to teaching and learning since the confirmation of Jamaica’s first case of COVID-19 in March 2020 has been the closure of all primary and secondary institutions as a means of curtailing the spread of the virus,” a preventative measure which unfortunately resulted in “approximately one hundred and twenty thousand students (120,000),” not being consistently engaged giving rise to learning gaps.

Williams, therefore, argued that “without being addressed, these learning gaps are likely to adversely affect students’ progress as they move throughout the system. (For this reason) the Recover Smarter – National School Learning and Intervention Plan (NSLIP) is designed to support the Ministry in identifying and addressing learning gaps and support schools in efforts to get students back on track with their studies.”

The NSLIP is designed to guide school administrators, the regional authorities and the central ministry in the development and the implementation of strategies which are intended to: asses learning gaps, improve student performance in core subject areas, reduce learning gaps among students in Grades One – Nine, improve the social and emotional well-being of all students and foster and engender improved school – home and school – community relationships.

The NSLIP will take place using a bottom up approach, “beginning with the development of school level plans, which are to be reviewed and approved at the regional level, and supported through the provision of technical and financial assistance both nationally and regionally,” said Williams.

For further information regarding how the NSLIP will be implemented the education ministry is inviting members of the public to attend a Virtual Townhall meeting slated for Wednesday, June 30 at 6 pm.