Education NGOs and CSOs in Jamaica

There are several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) working in the Jamaican education sector. Many have collaborated with the Ministry of Education and Youth, and the government recognises the important role that these organisations play in assisting the educational process in Jamaica. Some of the notable organisations include: the Jamaica Teachers’ Association, the major teachers union; the Jamaica Organization For Youth, which focuses on the provision of technology and the encouragement of its use in schools and community centres; the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) National Council, which runs a programme geared towards developing the academic skills of young females, and also operates the Early School-Leavers Institutes in over 24 schools; the Western Society for the Upliftment of Children, which functions as part of Save the Children/UK and focuses on returning street and high-risk children to school and monitoring their progress; the YMCA, Kingston, which runs similar education programmes for more than 300 street/working children and out-of-school youth; Youth Opportunities Unlimited, which runs a unique mentorship programme for high school students; and the Jamaica Association for the Deaf Caribbean, which teaches performing arts to students with hearing disabilities in order to inspire confidence through expression.