Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the new academic year is off to a smooth start.

With just a few days left for the start of the 2016/17 academic year, Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, is reminding parents and guardians that no child should be kept at home without a good reason.

During the 2016/17 academic year, the Government will remove 12 more schools from the shift system.

Education Minister Senator Ruel Reid says the Government plans to spend $2.1 billion over the next three years to facilitate the second phase of the Tablets in Schools programme.

Twenty Cuban teachers have taken up positions in primary, secondary and junior high schools across the island in the new academic term, which commences today, September 5.