Jamaica’s Minister of State for Education commends PACE Canada

By Neil Armstrong

On her first trip to Canada and as part of her first engagement as Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Rhoda Moy Crawford, congratulated Project for the Advancement of Childhood Education (P.A.C.E.) Canada on its work.

Crawford was the keynote speaker at the organization’s fundraising social held in September at The Old Mill Toronto.

Crawford said she was pleased that P.A.C.E.’s mission is centred around early childhood education. She noted that early childhood education is a passion of hers and Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dana Morris Dixon.

She noted that it is a policy initiative of the government to get the earliest days of education right.

Research has shown that the most important years of brain development are the earliest and children who attend quality early childhood programs are more likely to succeed in primary school, less likely to drop out, and far more likely to become productive adults.

“Investing in early childhood is not charity; it is an investment in the nation-building at its most profound level. You are strengthening the base of Jamaica’s education system with us,” said Crawford while referring to the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission Report which called for more resources for early childhood institutions, more trained teachers, and greater integration of early stimulation into the formal system.

In her message, Diana Burke, President of P.A.C.E. Canada, said the organization remains steadfast in its support of early childhood education in Jamaica and Canada.

“We do this through our signature Adopt-A-School program and the annual bursaries for student teachers at George Brown College. This was made possible through the continued generous donations of our members and supporters who were also able to provide more funds for the new OneTab devices.”

Burke also thanked their partners, the Jamaica Early Childhood Commission and the National Education Trust, “who provided support for getting funds to schools and distribution of the OneTab devices to around 300 schools.”

Trisha Williams-Singh of the Early Childhood Commission notes that beyond financial sponsorship, P.A.C.E. Canada has enriched early learning through a wide range of innovative initiatives.

In 2021, they donated 1,000 OneTab devices, and 1,500 additional devices in 2025, in partnership with the National Education Trust (NET) and Barita Foundation. These devices continue to support literacy and numeracy development across Jamaica’s 14 parishes, while empowering children to build 21^st-century skills, she said in a message in the programme.

Marsha Coore-Lobban, High Commissioner for Jamaica to Canada, said in addition to its work in Jamaica, the organization continues to serve communities in Canada, reflecting its holistic approach to education and community development.

P.A.C.E. Canada was founded in 1987 to assist community-based pre-schools in Jamaica in partnership with the Ministry of Education. It has expanded its focus to include the wellbeing of children in Canada and teacher education.

The organization recognizes that the early years are crucial in the development and education of children. As a result, it supports and mobilizes community efforts that help to provide a positive learning environment for their young children.

Individuals can become sponsors by making a financial commitment of a minimum of $1 per day or $365 per year for 3 years. It says every dollar donated to a school through the program goes to the school and tax receipts are provided for the full amount donated.

Kurt Davis, Jamaica’s Consul-General at Toronto, shared a welcome message and pannist Suzette Vidale, Jay Douglas & the Allstars band, and DJ Eugene Chang of Psycho Soul provided the entertainment.

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