Retired teacher Adlyn Wilson (centre) is fired up with smiles as she is presented with an award by Spanish Ambassador to Jamaica, Jess Silva (left), at the Edmund Bartlett Educators' Award Ceremony, at the Rose Hall Resorts and Country Club in Montego Bay, last week. Looking on is Member of Parliament Edmund Bartlett, who initiated the programme. Three hundred teachers received awards. - Noel Thompson/Freelance Photographer

Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Teachers in the East Central St. James con-stituency are getting a further boost to qualify themselves through a continuing initiative by Member of Parliament Ed Bartlett.

The MP announced that he would be making $1 million available to award scholarships to 10 teachers for this academic year.

"There is a catch to this, however," he said. "Thirty-eight of the 60 schools in the constituency are early-childhood education institutions and five of the 10 scholarships will be to teachers in that field," Bartlett announced to resounding applause.

He was addressing hundreds of teachers at the Edmund Bartlett Educators' Awards Ceremony at the Rose Hall Resorts and Country Club last week where 300 teachers received awards for service to education.

Citing the problem of dyslexia and other learning disabilities which exist among some children, Bartlett said sometimes they were scolded by teachers who did not seem to understand the psychosocial factors impacting the children.

It was against this background that Bartlett said he was awarding half of the scholarships to teachers specialising in early childhood education.

Bartlett said $2 million had been spent to provide scholarships for students over the past five years.

"Last year, we inaugurated the first Teachers' Scholarship Programme and spent $500,000 on scholarships for nine teachers."

He said $2.5 million hadbeen provided for the Food Sufficiency Programme introduced in schools in the constituency three years ago.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education and Youth has endorsed Bartlett's initiative, stating that he has recognised the educators who have made significant contributions to education, describing it as a demonstration of love.

"The ministry believes in the involvement of stakeholders in the education process. The ministry also believes in teamwork, and endorses the formation and function of the East Central St. James Education Council," said Jean Reid, education officer at the ministry.