Petrina Francis, Education Reporter
THE DIOCESE of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands is to establish an education fund to assist with the training of 100 young members of the Anglican church, who are entering the teaching profession.
The training is to be done over a five-year period and two students, who are a part of the thrust, are already enrolled at Church Teachers' College in Manchester.
Philip Hamilton, director of Anglican Schools, told The Gleaner yesterday that his church took the decision to set up the fund because there are a number of students who want to be trained as teachers but do not have the funds to finance their education.
Additionally, Father Michael Allen, director of Christian Education at the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, said that there is a need for more Christian teachers to instil values and discipline in the education system.
GREATER CONTRIBUTION
"Like all Jamaicans, we are concerned with values and attitudes in our country and we believe that as a church, we can make a greater contribution in our schools," said Father Allen.
"We would like our church, through our members, to play an active role in our school community so that our school community can make a difference," he added.
The Anglican church owns more than 100 learning institutions in Jamaica, 11 of which are high schools and one a teachers' college.
The Anglican Teacher Education Fund will be launched on February 3 at a fund-raising banquet at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston.
Mr. Hamilton said the plan is to raise $10 million to set up a sustainable fund.
The proposed education fund at the Anglican church comes weeks after the church's announcement that it wants to reassert its influence in schools in a bid to reduce widespread social decay as well as the escalation of violent crime.
Speaking at a Gleaner Editors' Forum in December, the Reverend Roderick Hewitt, moderator of the United Church of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, said the church has a desire for greater control of schools. However, he noted that it was a difficult task, and one that would require more funding.
