The event was hosted at Merl Grove High School in Kingston on March 12. A total of 37 schools took part in the competition, representing communities in vulnerable and high-risk areas across the three parishes. These schools are located within seven designated Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs). Participants were recognised with trophies, plaques, medals, and mathematics manipulatives designed to promote active learning, strengthen engagement, and deepen conceptual understanding.

The initiative forms part of the Inter-Ministerial School Support Strategy, and is funded through the Violence Prevention Programme in partnership with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the British High Commission. Executive Director of Citizens Security at the Ministry of National Security and Peace, Dianne McIntosh, told JIS News that since its inception in 2020, the initiative has had a positive impact in targeted communities, helping children improve their performance in literacy and mathematics. “The approach is really to bring all the different agencies together at different periods of time, to say that the issue of solving violence and crime in a particular space is about agencies coming together. Strategic priorities will focus on psychosocial and post-social activities to help youngsters to manage their emotional wellbeing and to promote better wellbeing, manage traumas, and help them cope with it while they are closing [literacy] and mathematical gaps,” she explained.

Senior Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information’s Standards Development Unit, Dr Lamar Edghill, noted that the initiative also aligns with the Government’s efforts to promote the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM), as well as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). “When we think about where we are going as a country and a society generally, we are in the fifth revolution where we talk about innovative approaches that look at technology… [and] STEAM/STEM is the way to go,” he shared. Edghill noted that education once focused on familiar career paths, with students aware of the jobs available upon leaving school. He emphasised that the current priority is preparing students for an uncertain future. “So the best approach is to go STEAM/STEM, where we are adaptable [so that] when you go into a new space you can apply the skills necessary to function,” he added.

Meanwhile, Edghill emphasised that the broader objective is to achieve crime reduction within the seven Zones of Special Operations. He explained that as efforts are made to curb crime in these communities, the Ministry strongly believes that improvements in academic performance will play a critical role in supporting that reduction. “We strongly believe that this math component of the project really looks at ensuring our students can improve their problem-solving skills,” Edghill further stated. (Jamaica Observer)