Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

The Government has announced a treatment programme for some 2,700 students who performed below average in the Grade Nine Achievement Test (GNAT) and did not earn automatic placement in a secondary school.

According to Maxine Henry-Wilson, 'The Student Empowerment Programme', which is expected to begin in September, will provide corrective instruction as well as enrichment activities to bring the students up to the functional level where they can benefit from formal instruction in the secondary school system.

The Education Minister made the announcement this week at the 42nd annual conference of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), held at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.

Students will be taken out of their regular classroom setting and placed in special centres. Mrs. Henry-Wilson said the students would be reintegrated into the secondary school system after benefiting from the programme.

Curriculum

The Education Minister told the conference that the students will be exposed to a curriculum revolving around five subjects, English language, mathematics, integrated sciences, social studies and information technology. She said students will do at least one vocational subject.

Mrs. Henry-Wilson said a major feature of the intervention will be routine visual and auditory screening, as well as diagnostic testing and educational and psychological assessment prior to and during their involvement in the programme.

This is to diagnose their major strengths, weaknesses and learning disabilities in order to design and organise the appropriate activities and instruction that will treat with the specific needs of students.