The National Education Inspectorate (NEI) will be carrying out inspections of the education system, commencing with primary and secondary schools this September.

Chief Inspector of Education Elaine Foster-Allen, speaking at a technical working group meeting at Christar Villas Hotel in Kingston on Thursday, said that the inspections will be phased over three years.

"We will start with schools and institutions offering teacher training in year one, and maybe the regional educational authorities (REAs) in the latter part of year two and going into year three with that programme," she informed.

The recommendations from the inspections, she said, should bring about improvement strategies in the education system. "When we have done the inspections and (presented) the findings and the recommendations, those should now be integrated into the school improvement work and then the school improvement must be evaluated," she said.

quality control

Education Minister Andrew Holness, in his sectoral presentation last year, announced the establishment of the NEI as a quality-control and assurance mechanism across the education system. The body will provide rigorous, independent evaluation of schools against set standards and undertake a comprehensive programme of inspection of those institutions, whose work impacts on schools, including REAs.

The NEI will also evaluate and monitor improvements in weak and failing schools; ensure that appropriate remedial action is taken; hold REAs to account for ensuring that improvements take place; publish an annual report on the standards and quality of education in Jamaica's schools; publish inspection reports in accordance with the terms of the Access to Information Act; and recommend minimum standards and policy initiatives to the Ministry of Education.