Welcome to New Approach Learning and Resource Centre

Tamar McKenzie is an entrepreneurial prodigy. At 15 years old, she demonstrated exemplary business acumen and passion as an educator by starting her New Approach School on her mother’s verandah in Portmore while she was still a student at Campion College. Initially created out of need, the initiative which saw her tutoring children from her church on Saturdays, assisted significantly with funding her own secondary education.

Over a two month period, the group outgrew the small verandah and she relocated to the gazebos of Hope Gardens with a group of ten students. As she worked with the students to prepare for their GSAT exams it was clear that one day a week was not enough and during the rainy periods, the gazebos became uncomfortable. As a result, she approached her then Principal, Mr Radley Reid, who allowed her to use a classroom at Campion. She was now a student and teacher at the same school, and the challenges grew with both her teachers and her peers. Within six months of being at Campion, however, she saved enough funds from the business and started renting a shop at the Liguanea Post Mall.

Shortly after completing 6th form, Tamar received a partial scholarship to the Georgetown University to study Law, but she returned home after three months and resolved to invest in New Approach. New Approach became a registered business in June 2010 and produced earnings which funded her university education at the University of the West Indies, where she completed a BSc in Human Resource Management.

Her successful and constantly evolving business is now called New Approach Learning and Resource Centre, which operates from the Gateway Professional Complex on Constant Spring Road. With a dedicated staff teaching complement of twenty-six full and part-time teachers.