Jamaica Day Comes Alive at Steer Town Primary

The campus of the Steer Town Primary and Infant School in St. Ann was transformed into a vibrant showcase of Jamaican culture and heritage in celebration of Jamaica on February 27.

The day’s activities included a colourful parade highlighting Jamaica’s immense global impact through music, athletics, and cultural achievement.

A high-energy concert saw students and teachers expressing the culture through the performing arts.

There were skits, folk songs and dances from ska, reggae to dancehall.

A display of antiques such as lanterns, enamel and ceramic basins, cast-iron pans, chamber pots, and washing boards took students back in time to see how their grandparents and great-grandparents lived.

There were also educational exhibits on prominent Jamaicans.

Parents and residents came out to witness the event, creating a spirit of community unity in keeping with the Jamaica Day 2026 theme, ‘Celebrating Jamaica, Championing Kindness, Courage and Community’.

For Principal of Steer Town Primary and Infant School, Michelle White-Guy, Jamaica Day is one of the most meaningful events on the annual school calendar.

“We started off today’s activity with a wonderful parade to showcase skills areas that we excel in as a nation, and these areas included sports, literary arts, performing arts, visual arts and notable Jamaicans, along with innovations,” she said.

Each section of the parade was a reminder that Jamaica’s story is rich and is worth celebrating.

Mrs. White-Guy noted that the day’s activities were carefully curated to not only entertain but also educate, giving students “the kind of hands-on history lesson that no textbook can replicate”.

“Here at Steer Town Primary, I believe that Jamaica Day has been very impactful to the lives of the students. They learn more about their culture; they get to understand how important it is to be a true Jamaican. All the activities that were carried out throughout the day have allowed them to understand the importance and the impact [of brand Jamaica],” she told JIS News.

Leading up to Jamaica Day, the students spent weeks learning about the country’s reggae icons in observance of Reggae Month, which is also celebrated in February.

They explored their music and messages as well as the lasting influence they have had on Jamaican life and culture.

By the time Jamaica Day arrived, the children already had a solid foundation to build on.

“So, it has been an excellent day. So far, students have been learning because we have displays that showcase other Jamaicans, important persons in Jamaica, and they’re enjoying all the activities that we are doing, so far,” Mrs. White-Guy said.

In keeping with the theme’s focus on community, health teams from the St. Ann’s Bay and Steer Town health centres were on hand to provide free blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol tests for staff and community members.

For grade-five teacher and event coordinator, Tash-Marie Anderson, the presence of the health team showed students that community partnerships can also make a difference in people’s lives.

“This year, we have the need to promote community spirit and resilience among our students,” Ms. Anderson pointed out.

“We hope that the Jamaica Day activities that we have put on here would have renewed that hope and support for the children that have been entrusted in our care,” she added.

An annual initiative of the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Jamaica Day aims to foster national pride, patriotism, and enable students to have a deeper understanding and appreciation of their Jamaican identity.