Petrina Francis, Education Reporter
PROMPTED BY concerns over the level of anti-social behaviour in schools, the National Centre for Youth Development (NCYD) is training more than 50 student leaders who will help with some of the issues affecting their peers.
According to the NCYD, the workshop is aimed at equipping student leaders with the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes for effective leadership.
The students are being trained at a workshop dubbed 'Capacity Building Training Workshop' which is being held at the University of the West Indies.
Ohene Blake, director for the NCYD, told The Gleaner that the centre is training the youth leaders as has been mandated by the recently-published National Youth Policy.
He also noted that research has shown that youth usually respond more favourably to their peers.
To this end, student leaders are being trained in mediation/arbitration, anger management, media relations, communication and public speaking, and conflict resolution management, among other areas.
Noting that the rate of sexually transmitted infections among young women is a cause for concern, Mr. Blake said one of the aims of the workshop is to reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy and the spread of HIV/AIDS.
The cost for training the student leaders is approximately $1 million, Mr. Blake revealed.
