JN Foundation honours 15 early childhood pioneers

Fifteen early childhood educators, researchers and academics were recently honoured for their long-standing contributions to the advancement of early childhood education in Jamaica by the JN Foundation, in celebration of the legacy of Dudley Grant, widely regarded as the father of early childhood education in the country.

The awards were presented in collaboration with The University of the West Indies (UWI) School of Education Dudley Grant Early Childhood Resource Centre, at a special function held under the theme ‘Building a Legacy of Excellence in Early-Childhood Education’ at the JN Group Corporate Offices on Oxford Road, New Kingston recently.

Among the awardees were Professor Emeritus Errol Miller, former chair of the Jamaica Teaching Council and principal of The Mico University College, who was recognised for pioneering scholarship and policy leadership in teacher education, advancing professionalism and equity within Jamaica’s education system, and Professor Emerita Elsa Leo-Rhynie, former UWI principal and chair of the Dudley Grant Memorial Trust (DGMT). She was honoured for groundbreaking leadership in research and policy that institutionalised early childhood governance, monitoring and parental engagement in Jamaica.

Other award recipients included Fay Corothers, founding secretary of the DGMT and co-founder of the Jones Town Basic School in St Andrew; Professor Maureen Samms-Vaughan, first chair, Early Childhood Commission, for leadership in teacher education and research; Joyce Jarrett, Project for Early Childhood Education team member who conceptualised the Teenage Mothers’ Project and managed the regionally replicated Roving Carers Programme; and William McLeod, founding DGMT trustee and chief executive officer of Van Leer Jamaica, who facilitated long-term funding partnerships through the Bernard Van Leer Foundation.

Also receiving awards were Dr Rose Davies, former head of the Regional Preschool Child Development Centre and Institute of Education at UWI; Myrtle Daley, the first lecturer in early childhood education at the UWI School of Education and co-author of The Early Childhood Movement in Jamaica; Dr Christopher Clarke, senior lecturer in early ehildhood education and former principal of Shortwood Teachers’ College; Ceceile Minott, former DGMT programme manager; Masie Wint, former DGMT projects administrator; Marva Gordon, long-serving governance and compliance officer at the DGMT; Evadne Vennor, head of the Early Childhood Education Unit in the Ministry of Education; Lloyd McLeod, senior education officer in the Ministry of Education; and Maureen Campbell.

Chairman of the JN Foundation, Parris Lyew-Ayee, in commending the awardees, highlighted their enduring impact on the nation.

“We recognise you not just for excellence but for commitment- commitment in the face of limited resources, changing demands, and the simple but powerful act of showing up day after day for Jamaica’s children,” he said.

“Every time you create space for a child to learn, every time you spark curiosity, every time you build confidence where there was once uncertainty, you are carrying that legacy forward.” he said.

Lyew-Ayee noted that, despite environmental disruptions and wider social pressures affecting the sector, educators have remained resilient.

“That resilience is not just admirable,” he said. “It is nation-building.”

He added that meaningful, lasting change requires collaboration across sectors.

“No single institution can do this work alone. It requires the alignment of government, academia, the private sector and communities, each playing their part,” he said, noting that the awards ceremony symbolised a shared commitment to children, educators and the nation’s future.

Earl Jarrett, chief executive officer of the JN Group, also commended the awardees for their contribution.

“The work and influence of Dudley Grant, along with the work each of you has continued, are what brought us to this moment. Like the apostle Paul, you and Dudley wrote, met, and persistently pressed for meaningful change. Dudley’s legacy lies in the structure he built around early childhood education and in uniting public and private partners to improve outcomes for children,” he said.

Dr Kasan Troupe, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, who also attended the ceremony, commended the award recipients and hailed the legacy of Dudley Grant, whom she noted left an indelible mark on the education landscape in Jamaica.

Clarke, former principal, Shortwood Teachers’ College and DGMT trustee, described the recognition as a humbling and unexpected honour. He was awarded for leadership in teacher education and research, which his peers agree assisted to strengthen institutional quality and the training of early childhood professionals.

“I look back with joy, satisfaction and fulfilment at the contribution I was able to make in early childhood education,” he said. “To be recognised for work you loved doing is truly meaningful.”