SUPPORT has been expressed by the Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams and high school principals for the launch of an education campaign to change the gun culture in the country.

Williams told the Jamaica Observer Monday that school is the most ideal area to teach a lot of principles, which would include informing them about improper gun use.

“Our schools are prime areas through which we can teach a lot of values, virtues and teaching students about guns, the dangers of guns and so on. Our schools are also perfect to increase that awareness around that implement, that very dangerous item that is used to cause so much mayhem,” said Williams.

“There are so many families that are hurting because of gun violence. We need for our children to understand the proper use of that and when it should be used and when it should not be used. There is a licensing regime for guns and to raise awareness about the laws that exist about illegal guns. We have to grow up the next generation with a healthy respect for the laws in this country,” she added.

The announcement of the education campaign was made by Prime Minister Andrew Holness last Wednesday during the National Day of Prayer — Heal the Family, Heal the Nation.

He explained that the campaign is expected to heighten the awareness among youngsters about the dangers of getting involved in violent crimes and using illegal weapons.

“No youngster should say I did not know the consequences. I have tried to use every medium including the new developing vernaculars to communicate the danger of possessing an illegal weapon,” Holness had said.

“Now we will be going face-to-face as much as possible to reach all our youngsters in Jamaica so that they understand — throw away the guns, don’t throw away your life,” he added.

Principal of Mile Gully High School Christopher Tyme, who agreed that the education campaign was a good move, said there should also be more serious interventions implemented in communities.

“As far as I am concerned, too many of our young men are being diverted or led to a life of crime, so whatever initiative is suggested or implemented, I will support it. I have always believed that anything that is going to be done cannot be one thing. It has to be a series of things,” Tyme told the Observer on Tuesday.

“While we do what we do in the different schools across the country, we have to make sure we do things in the community from which the students come. As they always say, ‘one hand cyaan clap’ and if it is that we do things in the school and it has some impact on the students, it lessens the retention of that change in the behaviour when they go back into a community that is opposite to what we have taught them or what we would have been encouraging,” he added.

Meanwhile, principal of Wolmer’s Boys’ School Dwight Pennycooke said: “I think that any public education thrust is worthwhile and so whatever moves are afoot to get our youngsters more aware of what is happening in their country and how they can steer towards that which is positive is worth the effort.”