The Edith Dalton James High School in Kingston has elected to dedicate the first two weeks of the new academic year to social training and civics education for students and faculty.

The two-week-long event is happening under the theme Nurturing Young Minds through STEM: Building Bridges of Excellence and Honour through Discipline and Divine Guidance in 2023-2024, which reflects the school’s mission of holistic development beyond academics. The event concludes this week Friday, September 7, with a schoolwide church service.

Speaking with Our Today, Tashani Harris-Morgan, dean of discipline, and other members of the faculty, explained that the training took place for teachers one week prior to the beginning of the academic year. Subsequently, students of grades seven, eight, and nine and their parents each get a dedicated day of presentations.

The topics include CXC preparation, mental health, sexual health, respect and integrity, civics, and using technology ethically as well as sharing knowledge beyond the school setting.

Georgian Cohall, guidance counsellor for the school and one of the presenters, spoke on the importance of practising good habits that build character while emphasising that the onus is on each individual student to be a respectful person.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Education and Youth mandated schools across the country to use civics and character education as a means of shaping and instilling positive behaviour and attitudes in students.