Petrina Francis, Education Reporter
SOME 4,600 young persons islandwide will benefit from the National Summer Employment Programme, following a $40 million injection by the Government.
This was disclosed according to the Rev. Adinhair Jones, executive director of the National Youth Service.
Rev. Jones said the programme is being run in two phases: one beginning on Monday and the other in August.
He noted that 70 per cent of the students who will participate in the employment programme are from fourth and fifth forms at the secondary level while the remaining 30 per cent are from tertiary institutions.
The NYS executive director said that students will be working in the public and private sectors mainly in clerical and information technology. He also noted that a large number of the students is supporting the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture's Enhanced Summer Literacy Programme.
Since the programme was established in 2001, under the directive of Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, some 19,000 young persons have benefited with the Government expending $170 million up to 2004.
SUCCESS
In his contribution to the 2005/2006 Sectoral Debate recently, Dr. Donald Rhodd, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture, said the programme was developed to provide employment for inner-city youth but has been expanded to every parish as a result of the success.
Rev. Jones told The Gleaner that the summer job programme has been "extremely successful" based on the feedback that he has received from employers and participants.
He also noted that the programme has assisted in the self-development of the participants.
