Principal’s Visit To China

Principals take on education mission in China 

Published: Thursday | May 22, 2014

chinavisit

Jermaine Francis, Staff Reporter

A delegation of 10 school principals will today leave the island for China in an effort to strengthen ties between Jamaica and the Asian country in the classroom.

The trip will provide the senior educators, who are interested in establishing Confucius Classrooms in their respective schools, with first-hand experience of China’s language, culture and education sector.

The mission will include visits to some of China’s main cultural sites, secondary and tertiary schools, and informal discussions with educators, along with visits to the cities of Taiyaun and Beijing.

Nadine Molloy, principal of Ardenne High School and one of those who will be attending, said the trip was planned with the assistance of the Confucius Institute at the University of the West Indies, Mona, to further expand the teaching of the Chinese language.

She said the principals, who are drawn from the Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools, are all looking forward to the tour and the fruits that will be borne from this.

“We will be spending 12 gruelling days learning as much as possible,” she said.

“We have a chance to see the best of their education system and, hopefully, establish linkages and opportunities for our students to study there, especially in the area of technology. So it’s very exploratory for us.”

She said the 10 principals had made a courtesy call on Education Minister Ronald Thwaites last week, and he fully endorsed the trip.

The principals are responsible for their return tickets to China and the Taiyaun University of Technology as offered to cover all their costs for transportation, accommodations and cultural tours while they are in China.

jermaine.francis@gleanerjm.com

List of principals

  • Heather Murray – Hampton High
  • Esther Tyson – Tarrant High
  • Lloyd Fearon – Dinthill Technical
  • Colleen Montague – Wolmer’s Girls
  • Walton Small – Wolmer’s Boys
  • Nadine Molloy – Ardenne High
  • Hazel Cameron – Clan Carthy High
  • Heather Reid-Johnson – St Hilda’s High
  • Audrey Williams – Denham Town High
  • Albert Corcho – Calabar High

Article  Courtesy of The Jamaica Gleaner Company May  2014.