SEVENTY-FIVE schools in Manchester have been given a boost to their civic education efforts after receiving physical copies of the Constitution of Jamaica from the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs during the 2025 Ceremonial Reopening of Schools, at deCarteret College on Friday.

The event was staged by Custos Rotulorum for Manchester Garfield Green, under the theme ‘Classrooms as a Civic Space’.

Addressing the ceremony, Philip Cross, senior constitutional reform officer in the ministry, emphasised the importance of civic education in schools.

“It helps students understand how laws and decisions are made at the national level and teaches them not just the facts of our history but also the principles that underpin our democracy today,” said Cross.

The distribution of the constitution forms part of the Government’s broader constitutional reform agenda, which aims to deepen civic education by providing students with direct access to Jamaica’s apex legislation and equipping young Jamaicans with a stronger understanding of the nation’s laws, rights, and democratic framework.

“These copies are more than symbolic — they are tools for empowerment. They will help transform classrooms into civic spaces where students can explore their rights, responsibilities, and the workings of our democracy.

“As Jamaica continues on the ‘Road to Republic’, it is vital that our young people understand the foundations of our current system and the proposed changes. By placing the constitution directly in their hands, we are helping them connect the dots between where we have come from, where we are now, and where we are headed as a nation,” added Cross.

Visiting principals from across Manchester, who attended the ceremony, welcomed the initiative as they collected copies of the constitution on behalf of their schools.

Additionally, 87 copies of the constitution were handed over to the education officer in charge of Region 5, who will distribute them to schools in St Elizabeth.