The PASS Advisory Committee

The PASS is an intervention response to the incidence of chronic maladaptive behaviours among students at the secondary level. It is designed to reduce the number of preventable obstacles and to contribute to facilitating students through the educational system towards high school completion.

1. The Programme for Alternative Students Support (PASS) Advisory Committee exists to give advice and direction on the management and implementation of the programme. Thus the committee monitors the progress of the activities, evaluating them against objectives for the effective and efficient delivery of service.

2. The advisory committee comprises representatives of non-government organisations, the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), and the Ministry of Education, Youth & Culture (MOEYC) departments.

The objectives of PASS are:

(a) To provide an alterative to extended expulsion, where this is feasible and complementary to codal procedures;

(b) To identify opportunities for professional treatment for students requiring specialised psychological assessment and/or therapy;

(c) To assist students who have been identified by reliable means as presenting severe behaviour problems, to access the special treatment they may require;

(d) To ensure that minimal disruption occurs in students’ education resulting from maladjustment or the concomitant treatment;

(e) To provide school administrators with options for dealing with cases for severe behaviour problems;

(f) To assist parents to identify opportunities to improve their ability to facilitate the development of their children and support their education.