CMU's new uniform group in schools already a hit, says Fritz Pinnock
Published:Tuesday | November 13, 2018 | 12:00 AM
A year and a half after its establishment, the Caribbean Maritime Merchant Marine Cadet Corps (CMMC), the newest uniform group in high schools in Jamaica and an operational arm of the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU), is already showing signs of success, according to Fritz Pinnock, president of the Port Royal-based institution.
Established to counter the lack of discipline, and, at the same time, enhance avenues of opportunity in high schools across the country through the ethos of the CMU, the cadet corps has, so far, attracted more than 1,200 youngsters in 28 high schools, trained by officers from the CMU, and will have its official launch early next year, Pinnock said.
"There is no doubt that this number and participating schools will increase. This new uniform group was initiated on the basis of re-engaging our youth using discipline and a collective approach to developing human capital in the schools, and so far, it has been really successful," he stated.
"The improvement of discipline in our boys and girls at this critical juncture in the country's history is most important to us, therefore, it goes without saying that discipline must be the main by-product from all of this."
Some of the schools include Jamaica College, Haile Sellasie, Denham Town High, Cedric Titus, Green Pond High, Maldon, Kingston High, Papine High, Vauxhall High, Spot Valley, Cambridge, Hopewell, and Grange Hill High schools.
"We have to infuse education and training in an exciting way for our youth to remain interested," said Pinnock.
WILL SUCCEED WHERE OTHERS FAILED
He said that in addition to utilising the standard for which the CMU is renowned, improving the awareness of the country's maritime space and its value to economic development is also high on the CMMC's agenda.
"Where the other uniform groups have failed, we will succeed. And while some have even gone dormant and maybe have lost focus, we will pick up the slack and move our young people to a place of prominence through diligence, hard work, and discipline," said Pinnock.
The CMU president mentioned that there has been a tremendous transformation in the social conduct of students who are part of the cadet corps, noting that the changes were good signs of the impact of the new cadet force.
"And because of this, we intend to make it the largest uniform group in Jamaica. We are already well on our way and have caught the attention of an overseas agency, which is seeking to align with us," he said, without divulging the agency.