State Minister for Education Alando

Terrelonge says children should be taught dispute resolution techniques in

their formative years as part of measures to promote peace in the society.

 “Unless we can start to train our youth in

conflict resolution and how to resolve issues and disputes without violence,

then we will not see a change,” he said.

Terrelonge was participating in National

Peace Day activities on Tuesday (March 3), at the Naggo Head Primary School in

Bridgeport, Portmore.

He said that promoting peace includes

eliminating corporal punishment as a means of disciplining children.

 “We

think it is important to encourage the youngsters to be peaceful and to educate

them on what it means to be peaceful… All children have the right to be raised

in a non-violent environment,” he pointed out.

 Education Specialist, United Nations

Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Dr. Rebecca Tortello, in her remarks, commended the

efforts being undertaken at Naggo Head Primary “to make the environment free

from violence and free from fear, and we want all our schools to be like that”.

She encouraged the children to be

“peacemakers” in their communities, adding that “we want each of you to do your

part at school and at home to be a peacemaker. You do that by showing love,

kindness and patience”.

Dr. Tortello also supported the Education

State Minister’s call for doing away with corporal punishment as a disciplinary

measure.

“We want a Jamaica where no children are

beaten. We want parents, as far as possible, to abstain from beatings because

violence begets violence and today and everyday should be about peace. Try

every day in your school, home and community to make Jamaica a more peaceful

place,” she urged.

Meanwhile, in the eyes of 11-year-old Naggo

Head Primary student, Jamarie Stewart, peace in schools is essential to

learning.

 “In

a peaceful environment, children are able to understand and to learn better

with a clear mind. However, in a violent environment, they cannot learn,” he

noted.

Ten-year-old Damielle Williams, for her

part, said that “without peace, no one will have joy or be happy and share

happy memories with family and friends”.

National Peace Day was observed under the

theme ‘Peace is the Way for a Better Day’.

The day, which is observed on the first

Tuesday of March each year, aims to create awareness in schools and the wider

society of the need for peace. The day is promoted through activities in

schools across the island.

The Ministry of Education has endorsed

three initiatives to promote peace.

These are UNICEF’s ‘Safe to Learn’

initiative – a national call to action to end violence in schools; the Violence

Prevention Alliance’s Trees for Peace Campaign 2020; and the Peace and Love in

Society (PALS) initiative.

During the function, Terrelonge and Dr. Tortello

signed the ‘Safe to Learn’ initiative which aims to ensure that all schools are

safe spaces for children.