JonesWESTERN BUREAU:
A RESIDENTIAL camp for troubled teenaged boys held 17 months ago in Nutshell, Tre-lawny, did not achieve its desired objectives, the Ministry of Education and Culture has acknowledged.
The programme, dubbed a 'truancy camp' since it was aimed at boys exhibiting various disciplinary problems, had targeted more than 100 participants from Kingston, St. Andrew and St. James.
However, a spokesperson at the Ministry, Dorrett Campbell, last week told The Sunday Gleaner that the programme fell short of its objectives and is now being revised.
EVALUATED THE PROGRAMME
"We have evaluated that programme and have come to the conclusion that it did not fully realise all its objectives and as such it is being reconfigured. That's all I can say for now," Ms. Campbell said.
In light of this, Rev. Adinhair Jones, Executive Director of the National Youth Service (NYS) which had administered the programme, said there is no immediate plan to resume the camp. At the time of the boys' graduation after the month-long camp, Rev. Jones had named the programme "a success".
"There is no immediate plan to resume the camp at this time. We did a consultative study on it and (the recommendations) are now with the Ministry of Education. Any decision as to any intervention such as a truancy camp or a similar programme will have to come from the Ministry," Reverend Jones stated.
The camp, which was held in September 2002, had a rocky start as 19 boys were booted out within hours of the camp opening its doors. Those who were thrown out had engaged in fighting and other disruptive behaviour. A few days later, another 29 boys were expelled from the programme for similar reasons.
The camp was an initiative of the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, targeted boys having problems with absenteeism linked to conduct in school and learning disability.
D.C.
