Ministries And Agencies Encouraged To Take Part In Jamaica Day
By: , February 9, 2022
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As Jamaica prepares to celebrate Jamaica Day 2022 on February 25, the Ministry of Education and Youth (MoEY) is encouraging government ministries and agencies to spruce up their building in true Jamaican style as part of the ‘Best Decorated Building Competition’.
Senior Education Officer, MoEY, and Chairman of the Jamaica Day Planning Committee, Marlon Williams, told JIS News that buildings can be donned or draped in the Jamaican colours (black, green and gold) and the Bandana, as early as the first week of February.
He pointed out that a team from the Jamaica Day Planning Committee will be visiting these buildings during the week of February 14 to 18 to judge and take pictures. The winner will be announced, and the pictures will be displayed on television on Jamaica Day.
This year’s Jamaica Day will be celebrated under the theme ‘Celebrating Jamaica (Building Character: Hearts through the Arts)’.
Portfolio Minister of the MoEY, Hon. Fayval Williams, said that the theme assumes greater relevance against the background of the Ministry developing a Character in Education Programme. This will provide an avenue through which the character of Jamaican students can be positively impacted.
“Character Education is one of our priorities, hence its inclusion in the theme. Very soon, MoEY will be rolling out a national programme which will focus on reinforcing positive values and attitudes, not only in our schools but right across Jamaica,” Minister Williams said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Williams pointed out that Jamaica Day activities will focus on using the Arts as a vehicle to inculcate and reinforce positive values in students.
He added that a major highlight of a partnership with Fontana Pharmacy for the third year, is a Performing Arts Competition using the social media platform TikTok.
Students at both primary and secondary schools, to include independent schools, will be required to create and record a TikTok video (maximum two minutes) highlighting the Jamaica Day theme.
Mr. Williams pointed out that the entries should include elements of the Arts and also include Fontana Pharmacy’s tag line “It’s all good inside”, along with the Mantra of the MoEY ‘Every Child Can Learn, Every Child Must Learn’. Prizes will be awarded to the top-three schools from each category to get the most likes on their video, which will also be broadcast during the Jamaica Day Civic Ceremony.
The MoEY, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, will also host a two-hour made-for-television programme. This includes a civic ceremony, and special features will be aired on Television Jamaica (TVJ) and eHomeschool Network, starting at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, February 25.
According to Minister Williams: “The staging of Jamaica Day is significant, as it demonstrates to our country and the rest of the world that as a country, we are united in dedicating a day to the exposition and retention of our culture.”
Jamaicans are encouraged to wear the national colours and the Bandana to school, to work, to transact business, as a symbol of their commitment to celebrating the country on Jamaica Day 2022.