Portland Special Education Diagnostic Centre Set for September Launch

A Government-built special education diagnostic centre in Portland is scheduled to begin operations in September.

Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, shared the update on Tuesday (July 7) while addressing the Rotary Club of St. Andrew’s 60th Installation Ceremony at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

The centre is being established at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE). Once open, households in eastern Jamaica will no longer need to journey to Kingston for developmental and educational assessments.

“People who live in Portland [and] St. Mary don’t have to come to Kingston to get their child assessed. They can now do it in Portland. They don’t have to travel this long distance to receive basic support for their children,” Dr. Morris Dixon said.

“This is a part of our policy to have more diagnostic centres across the country,” she added.

By December 2024, construction had already finished on two further diagnostic sites — one at Church Teachers’ College in Manchester and another at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College in St. James.

Drawing on her experience raising a child with special needs and the difficulties that involved, the Education Minister said the Government is advancing measures, including policy action, to widen access to support.

Senator Morris Dixon also indicated that the Ministry is seeking higher enrolment in special education training so the centres can be properly staffed.

“I need people in there who can administer the diagnostic test and provide the reports, and there is a shortage of that in Jamaica. So, building the structure is one thing, staffing it is the other concern, and so we are intervening there in the supply of professional talent,” she noted.

She said scholarships are on offer for study in fields including educational psychology, clinical psychology, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. Therapeutic care for children with special needs may also be supported through funding under the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ Barry Wint Scholarship programme.

“So, if any of you have any young people thinking about where they want to go in life, given this data that we have globally, that there are going to be more special needs children that need care, this is an area I would hope you would encourage young people to go in, and there are scholarships that are available for them,” Dr. Morris said.