Greater Achievement Among Boys To Be Encouraged

Senator Noel Monteith, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture, has said that strategies would be put in place to encourage greater educational achievement among boys.He said the move was part of commitments under the White Paper of Education to address gender imbalance in learning.
Senator Monteith was speaking yesterday (Oct. 14) at St. Andrew Parish Library on Tom Redcam Drive, where Capital and Credit Merchant Bank (CCMB), as part of its National Heritage Week celebrations, donated 2,500 copies of four books valued at about $760,000 to the Jamaica Library Service (JLS).
He explained that the strategy, to begin at the basic school level, would include the introduction of teaching aids to impart knowledge. “In other words..ideals they (girls and boys) can relate to.to encourage them to participate in the education process,” he informed.
The State Minister observed that not only were females excelling academically, but were outstripping males in terms of enrollment and achievement in education institutions. He noted further, that it was not encouraging to see boys opting out of the education system earlier than they should.
He also pointed to the imbalance in literacy between boys and girls. “It will only be through the cultivation of a genuine love of reading especially among boys that this can be changed,” he stated.
Commending the CCMB for donating the books, Senator Monteith reinforced the need to impart to youngsters, a desire to know more about and appreciate the Jamaican culture, instead of being transfixed with foreign cultures.
“We have a history that is just as valid as any of the metropolitan societies and we need to reaffirm this within our school system,” the Senator declared.
He observed that the work of Marcus Garvey offered much in this respect and encouraged the youngsters present to use the information contained in the books to guide their lives. “Choose one hero or one leader, examine his or her life and pattern your own accordingly,” he advised.
The books donated were: ‘Why Heritage? A Guide to the Importance of our Jamaican Story’ by Joanne Simpson; ‘Jamaican Leaders’ and ‘Great Jamaican Scientists’ by Senator Anthony Johnson and ‘Marcus Garvey said.’ a collection of quotations by the National Hero.
Ryland T. Campbell, Chairman and Group President of CCMB stated that, “it was important that society know where it is coming from so as to know where it is going”.
“It’s very interesting that many people who are adults today know very little about the heritage of Jamaica.it is the life, it is the substance, it is the events that have taken place in our country, such having formed and constructed the present that we have.”
Pat Roberts, Director of the JLS, thanked CCMB for the contribution and assured that the books would be distributed to its 13 parish libraries, 123 branch libraries, bookmobiles, as well as the school libraries. Copies will also be available at the CCMB library located at 10-16 Grenada Way.
Meanwhile, the financial institution has been making its contribution to other sectors of the society, donating $500,000 to the School of Hope last year and the company is now on a drive to raise $1 million for the ‘Dare to Care’ hospice for children with HIV/AIDS in Spanish Town.