Education minister emphasises significance of civics in schools

The Government is placing a lot of emphasis on civics education to tackle behavioural issues among students, says Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams.

Addressing the ceremonial reopening of schools in Manchester, on September 24, at the Winston Jones High School, she said the country has witnessed sporadic episodes of violent and antisocial behaviour among a handful of students, and to prevent them, there has to be an “emphasis on respect for self and respect for others”.

“This means there is no place for violent attacks against each other. No place for bullying. Our civics education curriculum places significant emphasis on students’ development of values/virtues and intellectual competencies that enable individuals to operate as exemplary citizens,” the minister said.

She pointed out that in alignment with the focus of the National Standards Curriculum, civics was designed with a co-curricular counterpart, the Culture in Education and Citizenship Programme, that provides “complementary experiences” for students, and through the experiences, it is expected that they will become individuals who are caring, respectful and resilient.

The minister told the audience that in addition, over the past two years, the ministry has been working with the Ministry of Justice and other Government agencies to promote restorative justice practices in schools, a vehicle through which students can defuse conflicts and the desire for retaliatory action when individuals feel they have been wronged.

Held under the theme, ‘Innovating with Integrity and Inclusion: Embodying Values and Attitudes in STEM Education’, the event was also used to launch the new STEM education programme from the Office of the Custos for the parish of Manchester.

The initiative is aimed at fostering critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills among students, and was designed to prepare young minds for the future by equipping them with the knowledge and competencies needed in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.