Education ministry expresses appreciation for scouting initiatives
Published:Thursday | November 9, 2023 | 12:34 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE MINISTRY of Education and Youth (MOEY) has urged the Scout Association of Jamaica to continue giving the country’s youth hope through its numerous volunteer initiatives.
“I ask you to take the hands of our students, open their hearts, touch their minds, and give them hope and an attitude of perseverance,” said Dr Michele Walden-Pinnock, director for Region 4 of the MOEY.
“The ministry is grateful to you. Your enthusiasm, unwavering dedication and passion are appreciated,” she told the nation’s directors, commissioners, and other sectional leaders of the Scout Association.
She was speaking at the Scout Association of Jamaica’s 113th National Leaders Conference, held at the weekend under the theme ‘Building Together for the Future’, at the Teamwork Associates Hospitality and Retreat Centre in Montego Bay, St James.
She lauded the association for the role it plays in the education sector through its members who have made, and continue to make, many sacrifices in order for children to receive a well-rounded education.
“We thank you for placing a high premium on education. Thanks for investing in education; the ministry is grateful to you,” said Walden-Pinnock, who also brought greetings on behalf of Education Minister Fayval Williams.
The MOEY’s Region 4 director said the enthusiasm, dedication and passion of scout leaders is greatly appreciated, while noting that education is a team sport, for which the Scout Association of Jamaica is carrying out its role as part of the team.
“You are engaged in extracurricular activities that are a part of our informal curriculum, informal in the sense that it is not mandated. The mandated curriculum is the one that we do in terms of teaching and learning,” Walden-Pinnock observed.
Speaking to the theme of the Scout Association of Jamaica’s National Leaders Conference, Walden-Pinnock encouraged its members to fix the status of the present realities to foster a prosperous future that belongs to all.
“Let us not beautifully prepare our children for a future that is not theirs. I ask you to stand in the present, look back in the past, think about the future, and make adjustments to our present so that we can have a successful future,” the MOEY regional director said.
“I challenge you to join me as we try to ensure that our children and our people of Jamaica have what is referred to as ‘executive functional skills’. For us to be able to listen, not to watch, but to listen and abide by what is happening; for us not to be distracted; for us to be able to plan and meet goals, to stay focused despite distractions,” Walden-Pinnock charged.
She noted that it is critically important, especially for young people who are having a hard life because there are so many distractions around.
The Scout Association of Jamaica had its genesis in 1910. Its programmes help youth to develop skills in academics, self-confidence, ethics, leadership and citizenship, which all influence their adult lives.
While various activities and other youth groups teach basic skills and promote teamwork, scouting goes beyond that and encourages youth to achieve a deeper appreciation for service to others in their community. It also provides youth with a sense that they are important as individuals, and that those in the scouting family care about what happens to them, regardless of whether a game is won or lost.
The association also promotes activities that teach personal responsibility and build high self-esteem, so when hard decisions have to be made, peer pressure can be resisted in order to make the right choices.