Stabroek News, a regional newspaper in the Caribbean, recently covered Universalia’s involvement in the "Advancing Education of Boys in Jamaica" initiative. The article can be found here: http://www.stabroeknews.com/2013/news/regional/06/06/jamaica-leading-project-to-address-underachievement-in-boys/
In April 2013, Universalia was contracted by the Commonwealth Secretariat to develop and support the implementation of a School Improvement Strategy aimed at addressing the underachievement of boys in Jamaica. This consultancy aimed to contribute towards the higher objectives of the Commonwealth Secretariat, namely, to assist Commonwealth Caribbean member states in their efforts to achieve the millennium development goals (MDGs) for education, and the Education for All (EFA) goals by the target date of 2015. The need to focus on boys’ underachievement was identified by Caribbean member states as a regional priority. The project was therefore implemented in Jamaica, in the first instance, by a four-member consultancy team comprising the following persons: Ms Halcyon Louis (Project Team Lead); Professor the Honourable Errol Miller (Project Adviser); Dr Grace-Camille Munroe (in-Country Project Coordinator and Methodologist); and, Mr Mark Daku (Methodologist).
Our analyst, Mr. Robert Stewart, provided support for project implementation. The project was officially launched at the Medallion Hotel in Kingston Jamaica, by the Jamaican Minister of Education, as the Advancing Education of Boys in Jamaica Project. The launch was attended by stakeholders at all levels of project implementation, including the Ministry of Education officials, representatives of the Jamaica Teaching Council, the Commonwealth Secretariat, school principals, students, and members of the Universalia team. The project entailed the execution of a baseline study, using a mixed methods research approach to data collection and analysis, and the development of a School Improvement Strategy comprising strategies for implementation and a programme for monitoring and evaluation. Universalia was responsible for all aspects of project design and implementation, data analysis and interpretation, including report production. The consultancy was conducted over a period of two calendar months.