Jamaica Gleaner

Ministry, UCC partner to offer 5,000 scholarshi­ps

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THE UNIVERSITY of the Commonweal­th Caribbean (UCC) has entered a public-private partnershi­p with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Informatio­n in offering 5,000 new scholarshi­ps under its Early College and Advanced Placement Programme (ECAP).

The ECAP initiative, which begins in September 2018, will provide opportunit­ies for students aged 16 to 18. They will be afforded training and the opportunit­y to improve their skill sets, while working towards their readiness for the job market.

In addition to the job-ready training, ECAP will provide exposure to life-coping skills, personal developmen­t, civics, personal and national values, and the tenets of good citizenshi­p. ECAP will be offered initially through 50 selected high schools from 10 parish clusters across Jamaica.

“We are investing in the young people of this country who have a clear vision and a deep yearning for high-quality student education, and we will support them to build a transparen­t, compelling plan for their academic developmen­t. This is an excellent opportunit­y to establish an academic career with a leading local university with strong internatio­nal connection­s and will play a key role in our ambitious plans for the future,” said Dr Winston Adams, group executive chairman for the UCC Group.

ADVANCED STAGES

ECAP is now at an advanced stage of planning for implementa­tion in July and September 2018 and provides pre-university credits and technical educationa­l training and certificat­ion for young As a child, you taught me how

to spell

Taught me how to read and

write quite well

You taught me geography and

the intricacie­s of the city You showed me how to be brave

and not to wallow in self-pity

From the moonlit hills of Porto

Bello,

You were a sight to behold You were indeed my happy place, my Saint James, my shelter from the cold

You were once revered,

I felt safest in your embrace So imagine my surprise when I

heard you fell from grace

First, you took my father, I forgave you for that deed But then I’m told that in bloodletti­ng, you’re comfortabl­y in the lead You’ve taken at least three

hundred, just last year alone You must feel quite accomplish­ed

in destroying people’s homes

What is the purpose of this

bloodbath?

Trying to feed your insatiable

greed? people, ages 16 to 18, who will be graduating from high school and who are seeking to further advance their matriculat­ion to university. These associate degrees are designed to guide high school students in making informed career choices, thereby providing a deep pool of highly skilled and knowledgea­ble workers.

SKILLS COMPONENTS

Seven skills components will be offered. They which include logistics and chain supply management, constructi­on site management, business administra­tion, informatio­n technology, tourism and hospitalit­y management, among others.

Students will be provided with the necessary learning materials and will also benefit from free access to the UCC online portal for course content offered by its internatio­nal partner universiti­es in the United States. The Students Loan Bureau has also partnered with the UCC to make available loans for students who will be signing up for the UCC degrees being offered in the ECAP programme, as well as 50 per cent scholarshi­ps will also be provided by the UCC Foundation US Inc to students who enrol in the ECAP programme.

The ECAP programme will offer to students both UCC associate degrees as well as the occupation­al associate degrees in collaborat­ion with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Informatio­n. The UCC associate degrees will also allow students to be able to matriculat­e into Florida Internatio­nal University bachelor’s programmes as well as other UCC-accredited bachelor’s degree programmes.

POEM

Or are you building an army? If so, how many soldiers do you

need?

The streets are now blood red,

people’s closest friend is fear Family members are crippled by pain and blinded by rivers of tears

Why have you changed so

drasticall­y?

How did you become so vile? You used to be my happy place, A place that induced smiles Why do you insist on leaving

effigies in your path? Why must you continue to vex

God?

Do you not dread his wrath? Circumstan­ces have pushed us

apart,

I yearn to be close again but How can we be close if you keep making statues of my friends?

You are not even a little rueful No remorse for your hateful

deeds

Oh I wish I had a choice than to watch as my beloved city bleeds

And desist from calling yourself a saint. You have no concept of what it means

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