Play is a movement. Not only that it encourages Jamaican boys and girls to exercise their body and minds – but there is a growing awareness among adults of its importance for child development, and that they can join in too! Like a game of classroom telephone that UNICEF was invited to play with first grade students at Half Way Tree… Read more →←
Author: Rebecca Tortello
Oneil Williams was just six years-old when he was killed while crossing the road on his way home from school in St. Ann. The last his father Devon saw of his son was a small hand waving goodbye. What compounded this tragedy was that the school Oneil was attending, Brown’s Town Primary School, was chosen by his conscientious father so… Read more →←
Jamaica launches special needs curriculum After 11 years of trying, Jamaica has finally moved a step further to leaving no child behind in our schools – thanks to the launch of a new special needs curriculum. The Curriculum for Students with Moderate to Profound Intellectual Learning Disabilities, the development of which UNICEF… Read more →←
One of the biggest lessons we can teach our children in life is how to protect the future of our planet. That’s why UNICEF supports the World’s Largest Lesson (WLL), being observed by schools in Jamaica beginning on Tuesday, September 19. Annually the lesson is held with the aim of introducing students to the Sustainable Development… Read more →←
And before we know it the summer will be over and for many children the dreaded month of September will begin and they will be back to school – the carefree days of summer vacation now a distant memory! Meanwhile for parents there is rush to prepare: sorting out uniforms, book lists and other school materials. These can be costly, but… Read more →←
Children vulnerable to mosquitos Mosquitos simply refuse to leave us in Jamaica alone. During rainy season, between June and November, is of course their favourite time to breed. Come September and back-to-school, many children will find themselves in classrooms, some poorly ventilated, which make them even more vulnerable. It is… Read more →←
As parents, summer holidays can seem long for one reason: finding something productive for our children to do. It is actually more important than we think. The summer slide is not a piece of playground equipment. It is the sad reality that many children lose on gains made largely in literacy and numeracy during the school year when… Read more →←
As an educator, and perhaps most of all as a mother, I’ve come to appreciate how much play means to the development of our children. In fact it’s something they teach us: joining in with them we can experience their learning firsthand and build a bigger, stronger bond. Play is at the heart of the Child Friendly Schools movement.… Read more →←
Breastfeeding is critical – for the healthiest possible start in life for all infants, in all countries. Laying that foundation makes breastfeeding vital not just for babies, but for meeting theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of entire nations. We know for a fact that: (i) babies who are fed nothing but breastmilk from birth… Read more →←
It takes just a few minutes a day to have a major impact on your children’s literacy and education. We all want our children to succeed in school. A major and simple way to give them the right start is to help build their vocabulary. A strong vocabulary means an easier path to reading and writing and comprehension. Remember, the more… Read more →←
