Education Minister, Fayval Williams says, efforts to prevent student drop-outs will require wider societal understanding, of how children’s absence from school, affects their personal development, and future social prospects.

Mrs Williams was speaking at Wednesday’s official launch of the public expenditure review of the education sector in Jamaica.

Noting that many children are not attending school, due to economic demands within the home, Mrs. Williams said, parents and guardians must understand the long-term impacts, that being a school dropout, can have on the youth.

Mrs. Williams said the government is doing all it can, to encourage parents to continue to invest in their children’s education.

She stressed that children’s job prospects will be better, if they leave school with the appropriate skills and certification.

Education minister, Fayval Williams.