Program Goal / Need: Building on Juárez and Associates’ (J&A) 18 years of experience working in Jamaica, the firm is implementing USAID/Jamaica’s Basic Education Project (2009-2013). JBEP is helping to make Jamaica a more secure, democratic, prosperous and stable U.S. partner by supporting the USAID Jamaica Country Assistance Strategy, and the Government of Jamaica’s (GOJ) Educational Transformation Program. In line with USAID’s and the GOJ’s shared policy of sustainable transformation, JBEP incorporates achievements from the previous USAID Expanding Educational Horizons project in assisting the Ministry of Education to roll out tested educational practices in reading (and math).

Program Description: JBEP targets 250 Primary, All-Age and Junior High schools island-wide. JBEP also receives complementary funding from the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative to support activities in 54 of the project schools located in crime prone and volatile communities. The project strives for educational quality, access and gender equity across socioeconomic strata.

Program Results: Principal objectives include increased early grade reading fluency, strengthened public-private partnerships for education, strengthened accountability of principals and teachers, improved performance standards in reading and mathematics, and improved school capacity management oversight. J&A is working closely with a wide range of educational organizations to gain support for educational accountability.

J&A is also providing assistance to expand institutional decentralization of Ministerial functions, namely through technical assistance to the new Regional Education Authorities, the Jamaica Teaching Council, and the National Education Inspectorate to monitor school management, and the National Education Trust in its efforts to increase private sector support of education.