NPSC to Host Education Fair Nov. 16

Come November 16, the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC), will host its third of four education fairs for the fiscal year, to promote programmes offered by key social-service providers.

The event, to be held at the Half-Way Tree Transportation Centre, in St. Andrew, will also be used to encourage students to cultivate behaviours that can help in their developmental and educational goals as well as ways to bond children and parents.

“During this intervention, the NPSC will be encouraging students to begin considering the type of adults they would like to become, and contemplate the type of family they would like to have,” said Interim Chief Executive Officer of the NPSC, André Miller.

He was speaking at the launch of Parent Month, held today (November 11), at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, in New Kingston.

On November 26, the agency will also stage a Parent Day at Hope Zoo, where children will access discounted health services, parental services and scores of recreational family activities.

Mr. Miller said that in recent times they have designed and implemented several parenting education programmes, which include the Stay Connected Initiative, to increase and maintain parental participation throughout the adolescent years of their children.

The programme has specific focus on high-school transitioning, early-teen-years support, and character development. The NPSC has also rolled out its Parent Mentorship Training Programme, and now has 38 Parent Mentors who volunteer their time, and another 60 who will be trained and added to the programme.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dean-Roy Bernard,  encouraged communities to ensure the safety of children, and parents to give more support to Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs).