Robert Lalah, Staff Reporter
( L - R ) HEWITT, GARDNER, REID AND MCISAAC
CLERGYMEN HAVE voiced their desire to reassert influence in schools to reduce widespread social decay as well as the escalation of violent crime.
While discussing the issue of lawlessness, and the role the Church should play in tackling the problem, the clerics agreed that the absence of 'spiritual and moral influence' among the youth could no longer be tolerated.
The religious leaders were participants in a Gleaner Editors' Forum held at the newspaper's North Street offices in central Kingston on Monday.
The Reverend Roderick Hewitt, moderator of the United Church of Jamaica and The Cayman Islands, said, "We have a desire for greater control of schools. It indeed is a difficult task, and one that would require a whole lot more funding."
REACHING THE YOUNG
The clergymen said that even as they preach the Gospel from the pulpit, there was a greater need to find creative ways to reach youngsters at an early level. This, they said, could be achieved if churches reasserted their historic influence on schools.
Many of the island's prominent learning institutions - across all levels - owe their birth to the Church. Secondary schools such as Kingston College, St. George's College, The Queen's School, St. Andrew High, Kingsway High and Ardenne High, among others, maintain significant relationships with their religious founders.
But the church leaders admitted that reclaiming their schools would not be an easy task.
The Rt. Rev. Alfred Reid, Anglican Lord Bishop of Jamaica, said: "It is more influence that we would like to assert, and not control. But we cannot do this until we can convince our own (church members) to become teachers."
Bishop Reid noted that this was difficult, as most persons tended to gravitate towards jobs that pay higher salaries.
The Rev. Paul Gardner, head of the Moravian Church in Jamaica, admitted that to some extent, churches were guilty of not doing enough to uphold morality in the wider society.
"It is because we have failed that we have some of the problems that we do in society today. We, therefore, have to now find creative ways to fix them," he said.
And the Rev. Peter McIsaac, of the Catholic Archdiocese, said it was important that churches unite with other agencies and try to make a difference, even outside the schools.
MINISTRY BACKS PLAN
In response to the sentiments of the clergymen, Education Minister, Maxine Henry-Wilson, told The Gleaner that her ministry would welcome a greater input by the Church, in affairs relating to education.
"We would definitely welcome that. In fact, I have attended at least two meetings with church groups, looking at ways we can collaborate. Many churches are involved in our Values and Attitudes Programme. So, absolutely, it would be welcomed," she said.
