Melissa exposes critical need for TVET training

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I am writing further to Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness’ statement to Parliament on November 6, which laid out a recovery framework anchored by the principle of “building forward better”. This is a beautiful sentiment, but to achieve it, we must ask a practical question: How can Jamaica truly rebuild when an estimated six out of every 10 citizens lack a certified trade skill?

The tragedy of Hurricane Melissa was not just the damage to infrastructure, but the painful recognition that we do not have enough manpower within the skilled trades pipeline. However, Jamaica can attain genuine national resilience, both in quickly bouncing back from natural disasters and in undertaking significant infrastructure projects, by incorporating vocational skills training as a compulsory element of the high school curriculum.

This single decision will ensure a self-sufficient, skilled workforce ready to support development and promote entrepreneurship among the youth. The National TVET Policy and Vision 2030 Training and Workforce Development Sector Plan both spoke about expanding Technical Vocational Education & Training (TVET) at the secondary level by making TVET compulsory at some or all stages as an objective. Earlier this year as the frenzy intensified over the Chinese mechanics in Jamaica – who proposed competitive rates and better quality and customer service compared to the Jamaican counterparts – Denworth Finnikin in his article in Jamaica Observer, ‘The Chinese mechanics’ wake-up call: Jamaica must now take TVET seriously’, amplified the call that every child regardless of their academic ability should be exposed to hands-on technical, entrepreneurial and industry relevant skills and competencies. He further cemented his call by advocating for the government to mandate TVET integration across the entire high school curriculum.

Integrating TVET into the national curriculum requires more than simply making it mandatory; it also demands a cultural shift in how society and educational leaders perceive technical and vocational pathways. TVET cannot continue to be treated as a fall-back option. Managing Director of HEART/NSTA Trust, Taneisha Ingleton emphasised that TVET must be meaningfully embedded in the education system rather than viewed as a secondary track. Like Dr Ingleton, I also want to encourage parents to remain open-minded and to support their children’s dreams and ambitions to pursue technical and vocational skills, giving these aspirations the same level of prestige, they would extend to careers in medicine, law, or any other traditional profession.

The prime minister’s call to “build forward better” is a commitment to higher standards and safer construction. But a new building code is meaningless without enough certified local workers who can implement it. We must ensure that the hands laying the concrete and running the wires are competent. The Ministry of Education and the Parliament should stop treating TVET as an option and start treating it as a matter of national importance.

JOHN SEIVWRIGHT

seivwrightjohn85@gmail.com