Mic Check – Educational Reform in Jamaica with Acting Principal of Jamaica College Mr. Wayne Robinson

Educational Reform in Jamaica, is it Now Time to Draft Up New Lessons and Change the Teaching Method, Acting Principal of Jamaica College Mr. Wayne Robinson.

Wayne Robinson is the founder of Quality Academics and was the principal from its inception in 1998 to 2016. He was educated at Old Harbour Primary School, Jamaica College, the University of the West Indies where he pursued a first degree in Zoology and Chemistry, and Western Carolina University where he completed graduate studies in Educational Leadership and Supervision.

At Old Harbour Primary he was president of its first students’ Council; at Jamaica College (J.C.) he was Deputy Head Boy, Company Sergeant Major of Cadets and represented the school at cricket, football and table tennis.  He was successful at nine (9) Ordinary Level and two (2) Advanced Level subjects.

At the University of the West Indies (U.W.I.) Mr. Robinson sat on the Guild Executive as Deputy Hall Chairman of Taylor Hall while representing the Mona Campus and Taylor Hall at cricket, football and table tennis.  He was a leader of the student demonstrations against the Government imposed cess on UWI students.

Mr. Robinson has been an educator since 1983; he was the Founder and Principal of the Undergrad School at Taylor Hall UWI for fifteen (15) years then founded Quality Academics in 1998. Over the past 23 years, Quality Academics has developed an enviable record as a leading private school in Jamaica.

He is a past president and executive member of the Jamaica Independent Schools’ Association which represents over a thousand (1,000) private preparatory, high, vocational and special schools in Jamaica. For over 18 years he was instrumental in the development of JISA and its secretariat through constitutional reform, representation on various national and Ministry of Education committees and was a visible leader and voice of private education in Jamaica.

Mr. Robinson served as the Chairman of JISA Sports and has guided the organization of private school sports for over a decade. Prep school Champs, football and netball have thrived under his leadership. He has represented private schools at the Kingston & St. Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) and the Jamaica Athletics’ Administrative Association (JAAA). He has also chaired the JISA Disciplinary Committee and is also a member of the Disciplinary Committee of the Jamaica Netball Association.

He has served on the board of Jamaica College for over 15 years where he was Chairman of the Academic, Admissions and Human Resource Committees. He also mentors, each year, a fifth form class of 40 boys. He was appointed Acting Principal of JC in July 2016.

He served as a member of the Overseas Examinations Commission (OEC) for over 15 years and was the Chairman of the Finance and Human Resources Committee, guiding the financial success and development of that body. The OEC is responsible for the administration of most national examinations including the CXC. Mr. Robinson returned in 2019 to represent JISA at the OEC as Chairman of Finance.

Mr. Robinson was a member of the National Task Force on Training preparing Jamaica’s strategic plan for development to the year 2030; a member of the Ministry’s Policy Committee on Private Schools; a member of the Safe School Policy Committee; and a member of the Committee responsible for creating the guidelines and standards for School Based Assessments in the CXC examinations. He was also a member of the Labour Market Reform sub-committee on Education and Training. He currently serves on the Board of the Vocational Training Development Institute.

Mr. Robinson is the recipient of a number of awards including the Prime Minister’s medal of Appreciation for service to Education.

He is a member of the Pelicans Football club and is treasurer of the David Wagga Hunt Scholarship Fund. He enjoys watching all sports but especially football, cricket, athletics and basketball. He also enjoys listening to music and reading. Mr. Robinson worships at the Swallowfield Chapel. He is married to Donna and is the father of a son and a daughter.