Jamaica to teach black history in schools

“Ignorance is the newest form of slavery!” remarked Opposition Spokesperson on Labour and Social Security, Maurice Smith who led the final debate at the fifth sitting of the National Youth Parliament on November 12. He proposed that people should be educated about historic and modern day slavery as 60 youth parliamentarians debated several issues of concern to Jamaica’s youth.

Smith says, youths are enslaved because of their ignorance on the legacies of slavery and the richness of black history. This he says has led to a situation where “bleaching of the skin has become as common place as the processing of the hair and black pride is the mindset of few.”

At the end of the debates the parliamentarians voted that to emancipate Jamaican youth from modern slavery and Caribbean History should become compulsory, and institutions such as the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) and Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) that teach the folk culture efforts should be strengthened. They also opined that the media should do more in promoting the Jamaican folk culture.

“National Youth Parliament is an avenue where issues of interest to Jamaican youth are debated,” Dean Swimmer, Deputy Clerk of the House and student at Morant Bay High School informed Go-Local Jamaica.

“The avindication of the rights of youth, societal violence, and sexual abuse of children were also discussed and voted on to ensure that under the Child Care & Protection Act caregivers report cases of abuse; the formation the Youth United Against Guns and Knives Committee and implement the two strikes you’re out system,” he remarked. 

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