Jean Hastings

In an effort to improve performance in the island's schools, the Ministry of Education is working on reconfiguring the regional education boundaries.

The reconfiguration will move the number of Regional Education Agencies (REAs) from six to seven.

Director of the Education Transformation Programme at the Ministry of Education, Jean Hastings, said with the changes, educational authorities in the regions would be expected to give direct support to schools, in addition to supervising them.

"The real benefits to the school will be as a result of the change in the functions of the regions, as the authorities are to provide more direct support to the schools to ensure success," she told The Gleaner in an interview.

The reconfiguration of REAs forms part of the Ministry of Education's modernisation programme, which is aimed at increasing the level of efficiency and accountability in the education system.

Difficult to manage

The director said the decision was made to restructure because the regions crossed parish boundaries and were difficult to manage.

"We now look at the composition of each region in order to make it manageable and, therefore, increase effectiveness," Hastings said.

St Catherine and Clarendon, which are currently in Region Six, are to be separated, as the number of schools in each parish is in excess of one hundred.

While Hastings could not provide a timeline for the restructuring exercise, she said the changes would take place soon.

nadisha.hunter@gleanerjm.com