Damion Mitchell, Staff ReporterWENTWORTH GABBIDON, president of the Jamaica Tea-chers' Associa-tion (JTA), said yesterday that the level of indiscipline and violence in some schools must be viewed with 'alarm and concern'.
He was, however, quick to point out that while children must be held responsible for their actions, parents and guardians must also be blamed for the improper behaviours now being exhibited in educational institutions.
"As adults we must accept that it is a failure on our part to guide our children," said Mr. Gabbidon.
He was addressing the more than 4,000 students, teachers, civic and business leaders at the opening ceremony of the National Children's Expo 2004 at the National Arena in St. Andrew yesterday.
Within the last two weeks, three students have been killed by their peers at school.
POSITIVE VALUES
AND ATTITUDES
According to Mr. Gabbidon, very often the inappropriate behaviour of children, reflected those displayed by adults. "It is a sad thing to say that some parents have abdicated their responsibilities to inculcate the positive values and attitudes to make their children worthwhile citizens," he noted, adding that, "Some (parents and guardians) have even gone further to verbally and physically abuse teachers and others who dare to discipline and guide children who behave contrary to established guidelines."
Mr. Gabbidon added that while teachers were charged to focus on the academic and skills development of children, they too should attend to their character enhancement and civic development.
However, he said the state must honour its responsibility to provide the necessary resources for the effective functioning of educational institutions.
The JTA president had earlier told the children that they can be successful if they work at it. "You are a promise, you are a possibility and you can be the best at whatever you want to be. Just believe in yourself and work on it," he said.
In the meantime, Tina Myers, marketing manager of KFC/Rest-aurants of Jamaica major sponsors of the National Children's Expo, said her company was also concerned about the development of children. Against this background she said KFC had committed to increase its sponsorship of the expo by 50 per cent to $750,000.
HOTLINES
Meanwhile Camille Facey, the deputy chairman of Cable and Wireless Jamaica Foundation, announced that her company would be underwriting the costs for telephone services used by the Jamaica Foundation for Children to provide toll free, the Friends Hotline', 'Friends Fact Line' and the 'Parenting Hot-line'. These hotlines provide counselling and support mainly for children.
"As adults we are very concerned that the behaviour to which you are exposed are not the right behaviours," she told the children while stating that her company was also concerned about child abuse.
"In Jamaica, we need to do a much better job caring for, protecting and nurturing our children or we will surely continue to reap the grim consequences," she noted.
Established in 1984, the National Foundation for Children staged its first National Children's Expo in 1991 as part of the activities for Child Month. The expo, which runs until Sunday, is dubbed 'Nurturing our children for a better tomorrow.'
Daniel Gordon, chairman of the National Child Month Committee and Richard Lumsden, chairman of the Jamaica Foundation for Children also participated in the opening ceremony.
The Jamaica Foundation for Children contact Numbers are: Friends Hotline: 1-888-991-4505 and 977-5754, Parenting Hotline: 1-888-991-5121 and 977-6738 and Fact Line: 1-888-991-5140.
