Students to Vie For Prizes at JCSA Secondary School Quiz

Students from schools across the island will vie for trophies and other prizes at the Jamaica Civil Service Association’s (JCSA) 15^th annual Secondary School Quiz Competition.

The event is scheduled for Thursday (November 20) at the Medallion Hall Hotel, St. Andrew, beginning at 10:00 a.m., and is part of activities for Civil Service Week from November 16 to 21.

Providing details at a recent JIS Think Tank, President of the JCSA, O’Neil Grant, said the competition aims to raise awareness among the youth, about the role of the civil service.

“It was created to get our students attuned to the whole history, role, and purpose of the civil service, the various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) that exist, what their functions are, and who the persons are who lead the bureaucracy that we are all a part of. It’s actually about…civics and the whole structure of government and how it works,” Mr. Grant said.

The competition is held over one day, with schools competing in teams of four. After the elimination rounds, the final two teams will contest the championship, and the winning school and runners-up will receive trophies, prizes, and other awards.

Mr. Grant said there are plans to change the structure of the competition and have a series of “lead-up” contests and then one grand final, “but that is something that is in the works, and as soon as we are in a position to activate that, we will.”

He expressed gratitude to Medallion Hall, which has been the home of the competition, noting that “it has been a good partner in helping to host the competition, and that is something that we hold dear,” he said.

Meanwhile, members of the public and private sectors are being urged to participate in the list of activities for Civil Service Week, which is being observed  under the theme: ‘Public Sector Advancement through Partnership and Collaboration’.

These include: the official launch of Civil Service Week on Friday (Nov. 14) at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston; a National Church Service at the Emmanuel Apostolic Church on November 16; and the annual Exposition and Concert to be held at Emancipation Park on November 18.

The highlight of the week is the Jamaica Civil Service Long Service Awards ceremony, which will be held at King’s House on November 19, beginning at 2:30 p.m.

The week culminates on Friday (Nov. 21) with the Brain Games at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston; and an After-Work Lyme at the National Housing Trust (NHT) Over-time Club in New Kingston.