Act amended for community colleges to issue degrees

Prior to the amendment of the CCCJ Act in July of this year, it was not explicitly stated that the agency was authorised to issue degrees, but it has not been in any breach by issuing degrees, although the Act has just been amended.

Executive Director of the CCCJ, Dr. Donna Powell Wilson, says the entity is pleased with the amendment.

“Thanks to all our Ministers of Education,  more so our current Minister of Education, Fayval Williams, who helped us on the way to amend the CCCJ Act. This explicitly gives the CCCJ authority to award degrees, so all along we were certifying students, we were giving degrees, but our Act was not explicit on that. We weren’t doing anything wrong, our Act was just not explicit, so now it is explicit,”  Dr. Powell Wilson told JIS News.

She explained that amendment to the Act has removed the possibility for speculation on whether the CCCJ could award degrees.

“Prior to the amendment, it indicated that the CCCJ has authority to provide examination curricula leading to an award. In some quarters, persons questioned the clarity as to what the CCCJ is to do. So, the Ministry of Education has been working with us in this regard. The legal minds queried what it is that the Act said, because our certificates are signed by the Ministry of Education,” Dr. Powell Wilson noted.

The amendment of the CCCJ Act does not put limitations on the level of degrees awarded.

The CCCJ is an agency of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information that has supervisory responsibility for community colleges in Jamaica.