Jamaican Prime Minister Advocates for Conflict Management in School Curricula

Kingston – Prime Minister Andrew Holness is calling for conflict management to be included on the curricula of all schools across Jamaica.

Speaking to teachers and students at the Manchester High School late last week, Holness said the principles of conflict resolution and management were critical to violence reduction and prevention, particularly among youth.

He said a significant percentage of the shootings and murders were committed by young males under 24 years, adding that they were also predominantly the victims of violence.

“We have a problem with resolving conflicts… we have a problem with violence. But we also have a problem with our young men [being] in conflict and using violence [to resolve it] and being the victims of violence.

“Governments usually try not to get too involved in regulating households, even in how they discipline children. But the social problems that we have, have become so challenging, they are now at crisis proportion that the Government has to be direct and instrumental in dealing with this problem of violence in a frontal way,” the Prime Minister stated.

“We are going to have to incorporate the schools now, to deliberately teach in the curriculum how to manage conflict. It is going to have to be a curriculum subject,” the Prime Minister emphasised.

The Jamaican leader also promised greater collaboration with the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) and educational institutions to reinforce best principles of conflict resolution.

“There has to be a solid link between the home and the school. What is being taught in the schools must also be reinforced in the homes. So, yes, the two-pronged approach… we will be dealing with the schools directly about treating with conflict and about dealing with violence and building peace; and through the National Parenting Support Commission, we will also be carrying this message to parents to see a transformation of our society,” he stated.

He encouraged the students to be Ambassadors for peace, noting that they will be instrumental to Jamaica’s continued growth and development.

Holness was joined on the visit to the school by Member of Parliament, Manchester Central, Rhoda Moy Crawford, and other stakeholders. (CMC)