A joint initiative led by UNESCO, UNICEF, FAO and WFP is supporting Jamaica’s Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information to strengthen education through more connected and inclusive digital systems. The SDG Joint Programme on Digital Transformation for Education has now entered its pilot phase, bringing new tools and systems to 54 schools selected by the Ministry. Teachers and school leaders are central to testing and shaping these solutions.
According to Nichole Thompson, National Project Officer for Digital Transformation at the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean, this phase will test digital solutions designed to strengthen teaching, learning and decision-making. She was speaking at a recent sensitization session in Mandeville, approximately 90 km from Kingston, attended by school leaders from Elletson Primary and Infant, Mile Gully High, Cross Keys High and Hazard Primary.
The wider aim is to build a more connected education system, where information flows more easily, school leaders can make better-informed decisions, and teachers and administrators spend less time navigating fragmented systems.
Digital transformation is about creating systems that help educators access the information they need, when they need it, so they can provide stronger support for students.
Marcia Phillips, Acting Senior Director in the Ministry
A flagship initiative is the expansion of the Education Management Information System (EMIS), which is expected to bring together information currently spread across multiple platforms. The improved system is designed to make data more accessible and timely, strengthening planning and decision-making and improving services for students, teachers and schools.
UNESCO is also working to strengthen the collection and reporting of teacher data. Information is currently spread across multiple systems, making it difficult to access and use efficiently. Rather than creating new systems, the goal is to improve how existing platforms work together and digitize key employment processes for teaching and non-teaching staff.
Recognizing that technology alone cannot transform education, the Programme also emphasizes building teachers’ capacity and confidence to integrate digital tools into their daily work. An upcoming workshop planned for early 2027 will focus on digital transformation and artificial intelligence, helping principals and school administrators understand emerging technologies and explore how they can be used responsibly to support school leadership.
We want school leaders to understand the opportunities technology presents and be equipped to lead that change within their schools.
Nicole Bella, Head of the Education Program at the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean
Teachers, administrators and school leaders will play a key role in refining these digital solutions and informing how they can be scaled across Jamaica’s education system.
