Michele Taylor, of the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica, plays with niece Gabrielle Jones at the association's church service to commemorate its second anniversary. The service was held yesterday at Holy Cross Church, St Andrew. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

A cleric has challenged parents to take a more proactive approach to child rearing and partner with school administrators in maintaining student performance.

Speaking at yesterday's church service to commemorate the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica's second anniversary, the Reverend Donald Chambers urged parents to intervene before their children plunged into delinquency.

"Don't just go to the school when your child is in trouble. Develop a working relationship with the school for the sake of the child," said the pastor of Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in St Andrew.

Chambers called on teachers in the congregation to view parents as key stakeholders in the education system and harness their talents in improving the school experience.

He also implored teachers to employ less-violent methods of punishing students.

"The days of flogging and bruising are over. The context is different and so it is a challenge for teachers to find creative ways of punishing children," he told the congregation.

More individualistic

Meanwhile, Chambers argued that the Jamaican society had become less community oriented and more individualistic. To this end, he noted that children were becoming more vulnerable to abuse.

He noted that adults are fearful of challenging children.

"No longer does our society protect the weak and vulnerable. It is survival for the fittest.

"(But) if we do not challenge the children and the persons in our communities ..., if we keep silent, we will be held responsible for that," said Chambers.