About CAP

General Information

The Career Advancement Programme (CAP) is an initiative of the Government of Jamaica through the
Ministry of Education, Youth & Information to respond to the swelling number of learners who complete
secondary level education without any formal certification and has not matriculated to post-secondary
level education or work. This is focused on providing opportunities for all learners (ages 16-18) to
identify, understand, choose, and prepare for careers and occupations of their choices. This
programme is being facilitated under the Compulsory Education Policy (CEP), which is to ensure that all
children ages 3-18 are attached to, and attending structured learning/education and training
programmes appropriate to their age and development.

The Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL) as an agency of the Ministry of Education, Youth
& Information with responsibility for providing quality, relevant and adult-centred learning
opportunities to the adult learner population from the basic to the secondary level has integrated the
CAP-General programme into the JFLL’s High School Diploma Equivalency (HSDE) programme at the
Basic and Intermediate levels.

The main area of concentration will be:

o The utilization of diagnostic tools and trained specialist to identify Literacy and Numeracy levels.
o The use of age/learner appropriate materials for remedial Literacy and Numeracy in line with
individuals’ special needs such as learners with disabilities, or the delayed learner that engages
and motivates the learner.
o Introductory skills training in at least one technical vocational area.
o Implementation of appropriate systems for evaluating and tracking learner progress based on
internationally accepted best practices.
o Calibration and monitoring of standards involved with the teaching of remedial education.

The purpose of the CAP General programme is to ensure that learners are competent in literacy and
numeracy, and are so enabled to successfully pursue career training in technical and vocational skills
training delivered by the HEART Trust/NTA. This programme is intended to be a pre-vocational
pathway to prosperity. It positions both agencies in a collaborative effort to create a social safety net
for those who might slip through the cracks and fail to take advantage of the opportunity to acquire
the basic academic and vocational educational foundation to sustain themselves.

The CAP General Programme is a two (2) year programme. Training will start at the beginning of each
academic school year. Each level of the programme will last for one year. A learner who starts at the
basic level is expected to complete the programme in two years. However, there is flexibility that
allows a learner to advance through the programme at a faster pace.

The Basic Level is a pre-requisite for the Intermediate Level. It is:

o Aligned to Grades 1 to 6 in the formal education sector

o Covered in 495 of HSDE Basic curricula (approximately 10hrs per week)
 o Comprised of four core subjects:
Subjects Hours per week
Mathematics (Numeracy) 3
English Language (Literacy) 3
Life Coping Skills and Personal Development1
Skills Training 3

The Intermediate Level is:

o Aligned to Grades 7 to 9 of the formal system

o Delivered using a competency based curricula
o Covers 495 hrs of HSDE curricula (approximately 10hrs per week)
o Comprised of four core subjects:
Subjects Hours per week
Mathematics (Numeracy) 3
English Language (Literacy) 3
Life Coping Skills and Personal Development1
Skills Training 3

Delivery Modalities/Strategies

o Employ Competency Based Education and Training (CBET) methodolog

o Less of the traditional chalk and talk method of teaching and learning
o More participatory/interactive experience
o Individualised lessons for each learner
o Delivered through hands on, experiential learning activities
o A web-based learning platform (Autoskills) will also be utilized to reinforce the learning
experience
o Only teachers who are specially trained/experienced in areas of literacy, numeracy, and other
special needs areas will be utilised to facilitate training
o Class size will be standardized to 25 learners to a group
o Infusion of Life Skills lessons to keep learners focused and motivated
Undoubtedly, she is a wonderful wife. She is a mother of two absolutely beautiful young ladies
and an adult son. She simply loves children, and believes they are indeed a blessing from God. A
scholastic woman, she is a graduate of the Sam Sharpe Teachers College where she majored in
Early Childhood Education.

In her spare time, she enjoys interior decorating and cooking. She is sociable, and would
consider meeting people and going out to be a hobby. This woman is a dynamic individual,
having served in many capacities through the years until now. Here are some of her
involvements and responsibilities:

 Kindergarten Teacher – (Her daughter was at Eber prep for 5yrs)

 Presently a Board member (Board Member for 7yrs)
 Past P.T.A President (served for 10yrs)
 She set a standard, a bar so high that at Corinaldi Primary, they still await her return.
 She was the P.T.A president at Supreme prep school for 5 years and a board member for
3 years
 She served as secretary at Content Open Bible Church for 3 years
 She Sunday school teacher and a Motivational speaker

Presently she works at Seagarden Beach Resort in Guest Services. She has served as grounds
manager for Sunholiday Tours at Hedonism II. This woman dares to be different. She is an
excellent event planner. She makes God the centre of everything she does. She believes in
praying as we get our answers from God.

Her favourite Bible verse is, “They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall
mount up with wings like eagles.” She is vibrant, full of charisma, energetic and possesses a
pleasant personality!
Loleta Beckford-Mitchell
Autobiography

Loleta Beckford-Mitchell was born on December 4, in the parish of Westmoreland, in the

small district of Shrewsbury, Logwood. With the help her of family, Loleta came to St. James at
the tender age of seventeen where she attended the Community School of Cosmetology.Here she
obtained a Diploma in Cosmetology. She then pursued her career as a cosmetologist by working
as a junior stylist at ‘Donaldson Beauty Box’ for approximately seven years. Loleta’s dream was
always to become an entrepreneur by owning her very own beauty salon. This dream was then
realized in 1990, where she founded ‘Ver’s Salon Selective’ that has been a thriving and
successful business for the last twenty-six years. Through her profession, Loleta has been able to
build a strong reputation for herself as a stylist and has formed lasting bonds with clients,
suppliers and various individuals from all walks of life.

Due to her strong faith and relationship with God, Loleta has been able to weather the
storms of life, mentor individuals and share her blessings with those around her. Over the years,
Loleta has been able to give back to the community and play a valuable part in the nurturing of
society’s young ladies. She has allowed students from various high schools in the western region
to come into her salon for their working experience, and she also supports students from the
Jamaica Christian School for the deaf. Additionally, she gives inspirational speeches and
demonstrations annually at the Kenilworth HEART Academy in Sandy Bay, Hanover.. Her
mantras have always been “Giving back without expectations and no disappointments”, and “I
can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” She believes that as long as she has breath,
she will continue to give back and push forward and continue to weather all the storms of life
through Christ.