[{"bbox": [96, 151, 1134, 339], "category": "Text", "text": "HCI score of 0.5 implies that a child born today, will be only half as productive as a future worker, as (s)he would be, if (s)he enjoyed full education and good health. The HCI 2020 Update noted that, building blocks for success will include better-prepared teachers, better-managed schools, and incentives that are aligned across the many stakeholders in education reform. It is within this context that Jamaica has positioned a well-functioning system of education, as the primary engine of social and economic growth. Importantly, it is recognized that in this regard, teaching constitutes the most important element of the education system and must be the priority focus of attempts to improve performance outcomes linked to learning<sup>7</sup>."}, {"bbox": [96, 364, 615, 392], "category": "Section-header", "text": "*Economic diversification, entrepreneurship and MSMEs*"}, {"bbox": [96, 391, 1134, 631], "category": "Text", "text": "Jamaica's private sector exhibits a dualistic structure with a few large, often multisectoral, successful firms and many micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Although large firms contribute significantly to GDP, they account for just under a third of jobs. They are most active in tourism, finance, electricity, and agro-processing. MSMEs, on the other hand, provide more than two-thirds of jobs and are mostly engaged in wholesale, accommodation and food services, and agriculture. International trade is primarily conducted by large firms and some successful MSMEs, many of which are not linked into global value chains (GVCs) and have low local value-added components. Only 4.5 percent of small firms are involved in exports, compared with 33.5 percent of large ones. Most firms in Jamaica are young, with limited export activity, high dependence on imports, and low innovation capacity<sup>8</sup>."}, {"bbox": [96, 656, 1134, 789], "category": "Text", "text": "It is against this background that Jamaica's ongoing activities towards transitioning to a digital economy and society is the focus of this Action. The Action: *The Digital Transitioning Programme for Jamaica (Digital Jamaica)* is a Sector Reform Performance Contract with three components: (1) broadband and connectivity infrastructure expansion, (2) integrating digital skills trainings into the public education system and (3) digital transitioning support for MSMEs."}, {"bbox": [96, 814, 1134, 947], "category": "Text", "text": "More broadly, *Digital Jamaica* will be an important contributor to the facilitation of the expanded application of inclusive digital technologies in Jamaica's climate change and environmental management strategies, governance, national security, as well as the education and business sectors. *Digital Jamaica* is in alignment with the EU's human-centric approach, bringing benefits to all, while protecting human rights, both online and offline, and ensuring a safe and secure cyber space, where data are protected in line with international standards."}, {"bbox": [85, 962, 354, 993], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [96, 1007, 1134, 1354], "category": "Text", "text": "**Broadband coverage in Jamaica:** The Government of Jamaica (GoJ) recognises the role of digital technologies in transforming the nation into a leading digital economy and society. It has therefore articulated a series of policies and strategies to establish state of the art, secure and affordable broadband infrastructure, implement an enabling regulatory framework and accelerate the adoption of digital technologies across the economy. Jamaica's Vision 2030 positions the ICT sector as a pivotal element in transforming it into a prosperous country. The National ICT Policy of 2011 further advocates for ICT access and its wide use by all Jamaicans. The goals of the policy are (i) establishing world-class high-capacity ICT infrastructure and services, (ii) improving national productivity, and (iii) expanding the use of ICT across all sectors, with a focus on the creation of a knowledge-based society. Given its multi-sector characteristic, related aspects of the Government of Jamaica ICT Policy are reflected in its MSMEs and Entrepreneurship Policy, as well as its ICT in Education Policy. Within this context of ICT being both a sector in and of itself, as well as an enabler of all other sectors - at the technical level -activities implementing Jamaica's ICT Policy and by extension its Digital Agenda - are reflected in the 2021/22 – 2024/25 budgeted strategic business plans of several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)."}, {"bbox": [96, 1379, 1134, 1513], "category": "Text", "text": "Currently, both fixed and mobile broadband penetration in Jamaica are highly skewed to urban centres while the vast majority of the rural population remain unserved and underserved. There is also a monopoly on international connectivity and a lack of competition for business-to-business services outside of Kingston, the capital city. This leads to inadequate and expensive connectivity, which contributes to low economic growth, stifling of entrepreneurship and FDI and a falling behind globally on key ICT readiness indices."}, {"bbox": [85, 1549, 666, 1573], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁷ The Jamaica Education Transformation Commission 2021 Report."}, {"bbox": [85, 1572, 927, 1622], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁸ https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/8a4f6312-2423-4514-ae78-a5109a7a0012/CPSD-Jamaica-Summary.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=o2kCLHE"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1681, 1143, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 6 of 42"}]