Education Minister Ronald Thwaites said yesterday that his ministry would soon be launching a high-school equivalency diploma for adults.

He was speaking at the launch of an essay competition in support of the new civics programme in schools.

"Early in the new year, the Ministry of Education will be rolling out, through the instrumentality of the Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning and the Jamaica Library Service, among other groups, a high-school diploma. I am hoping that this high-school diploma for adults will also make full use of the civics curriculum," he said.

The programme will include literacy, numeracy, science, information technology, and civics in its curriculum.

"These are five ingredients that can be helpful towards the upliftment of all our people. This diploma will be for people who did not have the chance of achieving high standards in the secondary-school system, but who cannot be left behind," Thwaites said.