Jamaica Day to be Celebrated on February 27

Come Friday, February 27, schools from across the island will once again celebrate Jamaica Day, with children being encouraged to draw inspiration from persons who have led in the country’s progress.

The day will be celebrated under the theme: ‘Celebrating Jamaica: Celebrating Regional Friendships From Boukman To Bolivar’.

While the national observance will take place at the Norman Manley High School, in St. Andrew, with that institution partnering with State agencies to implement community renewal projects, the Ministry of Education is encouraging other schools to promote community spirit and volunteerism as part of Jamaica Day.

Addressing a media launch of Jamaica Day, held on Thursday, February 5 at the Portmore HEART Academy, in St. Catherine, Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, said the individuals being focused on this year are worthwhile, as the nation continues to look toward greatness.

“It is worthwhile for us to catch the spirit of Boukman, and Bolivar, and all the Jamaicans who have worked for liberation. You can never be free, you can never be a liberated spirit unless those around you are similarly liberated,” the Minister said, as he encouraged persons not to exploit others.

“The greatest un-freedom is to remove the liberation of someone else. The greatest joy and vocation in life is to use your talents to assist in the struggle for greater freedom and liberation of those in your community, and in your family and your land,” he added.

This year’s Jamaica Day activities will include the development of a peer mentorship programme, in which senior students of Norman Manley High mentor students from Maxfield Park and Rousseau Primary Schools. Volunteers from the high school will also implement projects with the Maxfield Park Children’s Home.

Norman Manley High School is named in honour of National Hero, Rt. Excellent Norman Washington Manley, and it is anticipated that during Jamaica Day 2015 celebrations, students will seek to emulate his spirit of voluntarism and nation building.

Jamaica Day is part of the Culture in Education Programme, run by the Ministry of Education. It seeks to celebrate the many markers of unique “Jamaicanness” and the country’s contribution to the world, which is represented in its continuous striving for excellence and greatness.