Schools to teach human rights

Klao Bell, Staff Reporter

HUMAN rights are to be taught in schools next term when the new academic year begins, to help students understand better their rights as citizens.

The programme, which is to be incorporated into existing primary and secondary school lessons on values and attitudes, has been approved by the Ministry of Education Youth and Culture. It will be piloted at nine primary and secondary schools in the rural areas and in the Corporate Area of Kingston and St. Andrew, come October.

"This programme came out of the realisation that teachers often would like to teach important current issues but do not have the material to support them... When I analysed the section of the curriculum that teaches values and attitudes, it was clear that there was an opening within that area for training in human rights," said Janet Johnson, an education consultant who designed the teaching material.

The programme is the Independent Jamaican Council of Human Rights Education Project, which has been sponsored by the British High Commission, Jamaicans for Justice, and the Mennonite Central Committee.

Human rights will be taught as units of established subject areas. Topics such as "what the great world religions teach about freedom and responsibility" and "nation states of the world and their human rights record" will be a part of lesson plans for subjects such as religious education, geography and history. Lesson plans will also include topics on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Rights and Freedoms in the Jamaican Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

While human rights are not taught in schools as a straight topic, ideas about identity, citizenship and other relevant topics are taught in Social Studies.

"Human rights concepts are embedded in the primary and secondary school curriculum and we support any programme designed to enhance this. A vibrant human rights programme will help students to understand their rights and responsibilities as citizens of Jamaica and of the world," said Phyllis Reynolds, assistant chief education officer of Core Curriculum Development at the Ministry.

But the new programme will focus on teaching specific concepts that should help students form a clear understanding of their rights as human beings.

Students welcome the idea of human rights instruction. "Human rights mean that all people have a right to be free and to talk out and to express themselves about what they see and how they feel. Human rights should be taught in schools, not just straight academics. Students should learn about themselves, what they have inside and that they are someone," said 11-year-old Phillicia Cox.

The Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) has endorsed the programme and will be having discussions with Mrs. Johnson and the Independent Jamaica Council of Human Rights.

"This programme is a good idea and further discussions are to be had on it. We are hoping that it will emphasise that education is not a privilege but the fundamental right of every citizen," said Dr. Adolph Cameron, general secretary of the JTA.

Flo O'Connor, human rights consultant to the Ministry of National Security and Justice, said the programme is an important one, which must focus on two critical areas.

"The programme should highlight as critical areas, the right to freedom of expression and the need to respect people who have different views. Unless we get our kids to understand this from now, we will forever be challenged by a tribalistic approach to politics," Ms. O'Connor said.

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