Topic: Ministry of Education
Passport2Success relocates
The Passport2Success program is relocating to the University College of the Cayman Islands.
Consultant’s report calls for schools shake-up
A move to put some government schools under private sector control has been proposed despite concerns that a “business minded” approach to education could see some children pushed to the margins.
Hands-on business course reaches out to students
A new business program that merges classroom learning with on-the-job training has taken on its first two students.
Pension cases stagger through courts
Nearly a year since the Cayman Islands complaints commissioner declared nonpayment of worker pensions “a national crisis,” instances of pension violations being resolved through the court system appear to be few and far between.
Official: Credit card expenses ‘not in public interest’
A senior civil servant says it's not in the public interest to disclose government credit card statements.
Freedom of – or from? – information
Redacting information relating to who used government credit cards and where they used them undermines the spirit of the Freedom of Information Law.
Ministry records leave out card charge details
Confusing and incomplete records of govenment credit cards statements are issued related to former officials in the Ministry of Education.
Schools chief to lead gov’t reform unit
Schools chief Mary Rodrigues is leaving the Ministry of Education after being appointed to lead a new unit responsible for making cuts across the civil service.
Pencils down: Who’s responsible for schools report?
Education officials must clarify who determined what edits were made to school behavior report.
Educator claims she didn’t alter report
A veteran educator has denied any involvement in “altering or doctoring” a damning report on behavior in Cayman’s schools.
Passport2Success students sought
The Passport2Success training program is looking for its latest round of participants.
Mothballed education law back in motion
Legislation modernizing Cayman’s education system, including outlawing strapping and moving towards free schooling for all, will finally be enacted next year, according to officials.
Business input ‘key’ to tourism school success
Hospitality leaders are being urged to transform their boats, back offices and kitchens into training centers for young Caymanian students to learn the tourism trade on the “front lines.”
Summer camps prompt questions
As children head to summer activity camps,, questions are being raised about whether camps should be regulated.
Academies no ‘magic bullet’ for Cayman schools
UK academy operator ARK says it has no plans to run schools in the Cayman Islands, despite speculation that government is looking to partner with the charity.
National Internship Program places first intern
Chaquira Hodgson, the first successful candidate of the National Internship Program, began her internship in May.
John Gray leads list for suspensions
Authorities at John Gray High School have handed out more than three times as many suspensions to students with behavior issues as have their counterparts at Clifton Hunter in the past four academic years.
Education minister mulls UK-style academy system
Public-private partnerships could be used to revolutionize education in the Cayman Islands, Minister Tara Rivers said Monday.
Clifton Hunter cost $6 million to ‘fix’
In its first year of operation, Grand Cayman’s Clifton Hunter High School incurred some $6 million in repair costs and another $2.4 million in operational expenses.
The unaffordable lessons of Clifton Hunter
From the outset, the high schools project was ill-conceived, ill-constructed and break-the-bank unaffordable for Cayman.
Review: New $8 million disability center needed
A new centrally located learning center is needed for the growing number of adults with disabilities in the Cayman Islands, but budget constraints mean the $8 million facility is not part of government’s immediate plans.
Report: Primary schools dealing with sexual abuse fallout
An increasing number ofprimary school children are displaying “sexualized behavior” as well as reporting allegations of abuse from older men, according to a consultant’s report on Cayman’s schools.
Cayman schools: The need to raise our standards
We are becoming inreasingly troubled as we examine the circumstances and documents related to a 2012 review of behavior in public schools.
John Gray students celebrate graduation
Some 168 students officially graduated from John Gray High School last week, celebrating the milestone in a ceremony at Agape Church hall.
Gov’t: Report ‘disproportionately negative’
Education officials paid around $33,000 to a UK inspector for a report on behavior in schools which it ultimately deemed unfit for publication.
School inspections unit revived
The dormant schools inspections unit is being revived in an effort to better monitor performance in Cayman’s education system.
Youngsters get free composition books
Two local companies hand out 4,000 composition books to students from 12 primary schools.
Shelved report: Fire bad teachers
An independent inspection report has highlighted serious concerns over management of bad behavior in local classrooms.
Teachers’ salary review planned
A salary and incentives review is planned in an effort to keep good teachers in Cayman’s schools.
Minimum wage committee members appointed
Members of the Minimum Wage Advisory committee have been appointed and will present their recommendations to Cabinet by the end of October.
Steel pannist wins Young Musician award
Sixteen-year-old Ethan Whittaker has been honored as Butterfield Young Musician of the Year 2014 for his performance on steel pan.
Government budgets for 100-plus staff increase
The Cayman Islands government plans for a modest staff increase during the 2014/15 budget year.
Criminal charges in Nation Building Fund probe
Criminal charges are filed in connection with a $50,000 grant from Cayman's former Nation Building Fund.
Students schooled in Caymanian culture
Year six students at government-run primary schools are undergoing their last few lessons in Caymanian culture and heritage through the Heritage Arts Program.
One year progress report (not just Tara)
Some Cabinet ministers seem to confuse the issuance of guidelines, reviews, frameworks and policies with real action or meaningful results.
Education minister touts successes
Government has released a “one-year progress report” touting the “many key accomplishments” of Minister Tara Rivers and her counselor Winston Connolly in their first year in office.
Business in brief
A roundup of this week's business stories May 21, 2014.
Child sexual abuse ‘under-reported’
Official statistics of the number of children in the Cayman Islands who are victims of sexual abuse merely scratch the surface, according to a Red Cross campaign highlighting the issue.
Praise for Passport2Success
ICCI president was impressed by graduates of education and training program.
Young teacher honored
Kimone Chambers, a 23-year-old masters graduate who campaigned against substance abuse in the Cayman Islands, has been regonized by the Proud of Them initiative.
After-school program costs reach $90,000 a month
The cost of an after-school activities program for children has reached $90,000 every month, with the majority of the cash being spent on wages for "volunteer" staff.
UCCI seeks tuition fee increase
An increase in tuition fees is desperately needed to help deal with a mounting financial crisis at the University College of the Cayman Islands, president Roy Bodden has warned.
‘Click’ your way to a world-class education
We just received a piece of good news we couldn't wait to share with our readers, concerning the future of education in the Cayman Islands.
Department of Labour and Pensions hamstrung
The government's pension and labor enforcer hobbles along without two key management positions.
Three GT library windows smashed
Three hurricane-proof windows have been “accidentally” broken at the George Town Public Library’s new addition on separate occasions, officials said, costing the government $12,500 to replace.
Women’s rights advocate focuses on next generation
Glenda P. Simms, a longtime advocate for women’s rights and a motivational speaker from Jamaica, told it “like it is” to Cayman women - and a few men - at the islands’ first National Conference on Women on Saturday.
Political neutrality made tough by Cayman's size
Cayman's small size and penchant for poltiical change makes civil service neutrality a must, the deputy governor says.
National conference on women to 'inspire change'
The Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs is hosting its first National Conference on Women this month.
Business in brief
A roundup of the week's business briefs.
Retiring teacher bids farewell
Favourita Blanchard is returning to her homeland of Barbados after 21 years in the teaching profession in the Cayman Islands.
Pilot program successful in training Caymanians for jobs
A small step towards solving the National issue of unemployment among Caymanians was made through an out-of-work pilot program - where 18 Caymanians secured permanent employment at various local businesses.
New president for ICCI
The International College of the Cayman Islands has appointed David Marshall as the new president of the college.
Bodden Town hoping to knock out bad health among youth
The Cayman Islands Government and the CI Boxing Association are taking aim at Bodden Town residents.
Departing teachers highlight school troubles
Violent behavior from pupils, lack of backing from officials and changes to pay and contracts are among the reasons highlighted by teachers for quitting Cayman in transcripts of exit interviews.
Ex-UCCI president arrested in Switzerland
After more than five years on the lam, Former UCCI President Hassan Syed has been arrested.
Pensions Office FOI request bogged down for 18 months
A request for pension records takes 12-18 months to sort out.
New computer screens for school
A donation of computer monitors got the thumbs up from students of Savannah Primary School.
Skate park back on track
Grand Cayman’s skate park has been taken over by a new non-profit organization which hopes to rid the venue of vandalism, bullying and drugs and use the sport to inspire young people.
Woman arrested in Nation Building Fund probe
A local woman is arrested in connection with a criminal investigation into the Nation Building Fund.
Questions raised over Olympic ‘scholarships’
Two students were given ‘sports contracts’ of $28,000-a-year to train independently for the 2016 Olympics without any input from the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee or Ministry of Sports, an internal government investigation into the Young Nation Builder’s Scholarship Fund has revealed.
Library services looking to boost computer literacy
The need appears to be significant, and the public library system is trying to meet it – the demand for computer literacy and a working knowledge of computers and the Internet.
Learning through play
A reading program for children aged three to five has launched in libraries in George Town and West Bay.
Youngsters rise to reading challenge
Readers between the ages of 6 and 17 logged nearly 37,000 minutes of reading as part of a library summer reading program.
Brac student chosen new tourism ambassador
Cayman Brac’s Anitha Velusamy is Cayman's new teenage Tourism Ambassador.
National Trust battling fiscal woes, building relationships
The National Trust for the Cayman Islands is not in good shape when it comes to finances was heard at an annual general meeting at Barcadere Yacht Club Thursday.
Primary schools adding second language classes
More young Caymanian children are saying “yo hablo espanol” – I speak Spanish - thanks to an initiative to make the language more available in government primary schools.
Tourism board faces grilling
Gilbert Connolly occupied a hot and uncomfortable seat on Friday, facing a barrage of questions from legislators about potential fraud and misappropriations at the Tourism Attraction Board, pursuing alarms raised by the Auditor General.
Editorial for September 20: Baraud takes action
We lend our full support to Baraud's new back-to-work initiative.
Recruiters launch back-to-work program
Baraud is partnering with government to provide employment opportunities to 20 Caymanians, as a start.
Nation Building Fund payments investigated
Police have confirmed that local authorities are conducting an investigation into more than CI$50,000 received by a Cayman Islands resident from the former United Democratic Party government’s Nation Building Fund.
Literacy to span all generations
George own Public Library partner with Rotary Sunrise Literacy is for life organisation, Rotary Club Grand Cayman Central and Cayman Islands Information Professionals to host International Literacy Day.
Changes ahead for current, former college chiefs
University College of the Cayman Islands President Roy Bodden has renewed his contract, while International College of the Cayman Islands President Tasha Ebanks Garcia, has dropped hers, joining the Ministry of Education.
