Amitabh Sharma, Features Coordinator

The fifth graders at St. Jago Preparatory School in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, on Tuesday, flooded a group from the Independent Jamaica Council for Human Rights (IJCHR) with questions exhibiting their shared concern for the Jamaican society.

"We are very impressed by their level of maturity and knowledge," said Wayne Denny, Privy Council legal officer with the IJCHR, the human rights lobby group.

Puzzled children

The classroom, where the presentation was held, resonated with enthusiastic 10-year-olds who wanted to know why the sea was being polluted with chemicals and, one child asked, why people were killing each other as if it were their right to choose a political party,

"Why do we need rights at all?" asked another student.

"This is what makes us different from animals (and) gives us dignity," replied Joel Koerler, of IJCHR.

"These students are a part of an environmental group," said Andrea Baugh, principal of St. Jago Preparatory School, "so they are aware of the issues facing the communities and the country".

The IJCHR group was visiting St. Jago Prep as a part of a series of presentations across the island coinciding with Human Rights week. 'As a child, I have rights and I have responsibilities' was the message given to the students.

In the presentations, children from grades five and six were told they should know their rights and understand their responsibilities.

Rights and responsibilities

"You have rights to be heard and rights to be loved," Denny told the students. "But at the same time, you should have the responsibility of listening to others and taking care of others."

The participants were given a book on the 50th anniversary of declaration of human rights and a colouring book that detailed child rights and responsibilities.

"We wanted the children to understand that rights come with responsibilities," said Mr. Denny. "And this is the message for them."

amitabh.sharma@gleanerjm.com