KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of National Security says it will be providing more educational opportunities for children within the care and supervision of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS).

Minister of State in the ministry, Rudyard Spencer, made the announcement yesterday in his address to young men at the Metcalfe Street Secure Juvenile Centre during the institution’s Reggae Month Concert.

“We will be investing significantly in educational programmes to enhance the rehabilitation process of youth in correctional facilities, especially because the ministry is dedicated to ensuring that these young men become productive model citizens,” Spencer was quoted as saying in a release from his ministry.

Spencer used the opportunity to encourage the young men to spend their time in the facility wisely and to make use of the social and educational opportunities that were available.

The Reggae Concert, which was held in partnership with the ministry’s ‘We Transform’ Initiative, featured displays of vintage musical instruments, performances by staff, wards and reggae artistes such as We Transform Ambassador Jeffery ‘Agent Sasco’ Campbell and Miguel ‘Steppa’ Williams. Musician, Jesse Royal also made an appearance.

Superintendent at the Metcalfe Street Centre, Karen Elliot in her remarks stressed the importance of initiatives like the Reggae Concert in building the ‘soft skills’ of the wards.

“Considering the background of most of the children that come to this facility, we try our best to ensure that there is development by strengthening their soft skills which also build interpersonal skills,” she said.

Elliot pointed out that Metcalfe’s music programme was one way in which the young men were engaged in rehabilitation through social development.

“Reggae Month is celebrated at all schools across the island to show appreciation for the music, we did not want to exclude the young men from the activities and the opportunity to learn,” Elliot said.