The Intersection of Gender, Culture and Education: Jamaica: The Next 50 Years!

“To educate a person in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.”- Theodore Roosevelt. Across the globe many societies continue to struggle with issues of values and attitudes. Without a doubt the time has come for the authorities to introduce the teaching of character education into the National Standards Curriculum (NSC). Recently, the nation was shaken to its core by numerous images of students engaged in fights both at school and in the public space. Notwithstanding these latest disturbing images, school violence is not new nor is it unique to any society. It is given that children learn from their lived experiences. Undoubtedly, behavioral traits when repeated become habits. And given a context when negative behaviours are pervasive and permissible the society is facing a crisis. It is often said that our education system is reactionary. It is rather unfortunate that given all the problems society has been experiencing with school violence character education i...

“Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive. This facility makes it the most versatile and explicit means of communication yet devised for quick mass appreciation.”- Walt Disney. Human sexuality is rather diverse so too is animation. There is a school of thought that promotes the fluidity of human sexuality. There are also numerous genres of animation. One can also argue that anime is a fluid construct. For many of us, there are shifts in our lives. These seismic shifts are played out in our relationships, jobs and friendships. Do you share the view that sexual orientation develops at an early age and then remains stable throughout our lives? People may experience changes regarding who they are attracted to, who they have sex with, and which labels they use to describe their sexual orientation. Such changes in sexual orientation are called sexual fluidity. Our sexual orientation is often influenced by both traditional and non-traditional sources. Of course, there ar...

“Reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible.”- Barack Obama. Reading in today’s digital driven world is fast losing steam. For many students reading has become a burden which many have decided not to be a part. Boys, in particular are not readily drawn to reading. Research indicates that boys tend to be tactile learners and this is perhaps one factor that can explain their dislike for reading. Disturbingly, boys who display school smarts are often ridiculed as effeminate by peers and even adults in areas where academic excellence by males is typically devalued. It is almost as if manhood and masculinity have been hijacked by a thug culture far removed from education. Global education systems need to be more creative in finding ways to encourage all students to read. Celebrated every year on April 23, World Book and Copyright Day or World Book Day is an occasion to promote the joy of books and the art of reading. This year’s theme is Read Your Way . The Unit...

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”- Chief Seattle. Globally, governments do not pay sufficient attention to matters regarding the environment. One school of thought is issues concerning the environment do not translate to votes. The truth is most of us are more in tune with eking out a living. As a result the environment is always on the back burner. This back burner approach is intentionally given that governments do not adequately fund ministries and projects that are environmentally related. The citizenry also is not without blame given that we do not hold our governments accountable. How many of us have a working definition of the environment? The world today is faced with a volley of unprecedented interconnected environmental challenges in areas including climate change, clean water, ocean health and biodiversity. It is against this background that the international community pauses annually on April 22, to commemorate Earth Day . Th...

“Creativity & innovation are needed to tackle the world's biggest challenges, from the climate crisis to gender empowerment, from poverty to inequalities.”- United Nations. The creative economy has no single definition. It is an evolving concept which builds on the interplay between human creativity and ideas and intellectual property, knowledge and technology. Essentially it is the knowledge-based economic activities upon which the ‘creative industries’ are based. The concept is open to interpretation from creative expression to problem-solving in the context of economic, social and sustainable development. As a result the United Nations designated 21 April as World Creativity and Innovation Day to raise awareness of the role of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development. The United Nations adds that creative industries include audiovisual products, design, new media, performing arts, publishing and visual arts are a highly transformative sector of the wo...

“The mind of the painter must resemble a mirror, which always takes the colour of the object it reflects and is completely occupied by the images of as many objects as are in front of it.”- Leonardo da Vinci. Perhaps, you are like me. The fact is I could not even draw stick objects. Yes, it was that bad. However, as one gets older one tendd to appreciate art much more, especially given the role art plays in keeping us balanced. Art plays a very important role in our lives, whether we realize it or not. It promotes creativity, diversity, and innovation, and encourages people to start conversations about their interests and share knowledge with each other, opening horizons, and making us look at things in different ways. World Art Day is observed on April 15, the birthday of the famous artist Leonardo Da Vinci. This day was established by the International Association of Art, to raise worldwide attention to the work of international artists, and the ways of creative expression that ex...

“I think we all wear some kind of mask. There are masks that shield us from others, but there are masks that embolden us, and you see that in carnival.”- Edwidge Danticat. It has been a few days since the staging of Jamaica Carnival on April 7th. However, most of us are still unable to rid our minds of some of the costumed revelers who have left an indelible impression on the psyche of the nation. The carnival post-mortem has been making the rounds on social media and some of the comments have been harsh and uncomplimentary. It is quite evident that some amount of body shaming took place especially as it relates to a few plus size revelers who were skimpily clad and who left nothing to the imagination. The photographs in question was that of two plump, middle aged women who apparently went to have fun on their own terms and fun they did have. Some might argue that they had too much fun. The comments were harsh regarding their body sizes and the costumes they wore. Tongues were le...

“A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot.”- Robert A. Heinlein. Our authentic culture is slowly dying. Centuries of interactions grounded in our history of enslavement and colonialism have shaped what we now refer to as the Jamaican culture. The values and attitudes of the old Jamaica are slowly being replaced by divisive and negative ideals. Integrity and morality are no longer seen as worthwhile principles; instead the get rich by any means dictum has become the altar of success. Today’s students know more about their neighours in the North than they do about their rich culture. The teaching of history education remains optional and this without a doubt is just one of the contributing factors for this new Jamaican culture. The powerful cultural forces from the North have penetrated and saturated our culture in all its facets. ...

“Health is a basic human right. Everyone should be able to access quality health services whenever & wherever they need them.” - United Nations. Around the world, the right to health of millions is increasingly coming under threat. Diseases and disasters loom large as causes of death and disability. Conflicts are devastating lives, causing death, pain, hunger and psychological distress. The World Health Organization (WHO) Council on the Economics of Health for All has found that at least 140 countries recognize health as a human right in their constitution. Yet, countries are not passing and implementing laws to ensure their citizens are entitled to access health services. This underpins the fact that at least 4.5 billion people more than half of the world’s population were not fully covered by essential health services in 2021. World Health Day (WHD) is celebrated on 7 April every year to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. The obse...

“To measure the success of our societies, we should examine how well those with different abilities, including persons with autism, are integrated as full and valued members.”- Ban Ki-Moon. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that worldwide about 1 in 100 children have autism. While autism can present challenges and hurdles, it also brings unique strengths and perspectives. Every April Autism Speaks celebrates World Autism Month, beginning with the United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day on April 2. This day serves as a critical reminder of the millions of individuals and families living with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The day is set aside to raise awareness, promote acceptance, and celebrate the unique strengths and experiences of autistic people. The theme for World Autism Awareness Day 2024 is "Moving from Surviving to Thriving: Autistic Individuals share regional perspectives" . This theme goes beyond just raising awareness of autism. It emphasizes...

Without a doubt the recently held ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships (Champs) was a huge success. In fact, this annual athletic display has been attracting various teams from some of our Caribbean neighbours. Many of the student athletes who gained success at Champs will be future Olympians. However, Champs is not all about winning. The yearly event has become a part of Brand Jamaica and should be viewed as a vehicle for the promotion of sports diplomacy. Sports Diplomacy (SD) has become increasingly important to the countries for their different reasons. In particular, SD has proved to boost national branding, attractiveness and global reputation. Examples of SD’s contribution to these goals can be found both in academic frameworks and in various discussions of the strategic objectives of many countries worldwide. For example, China’s approach regarding sanitizing its image as hosts of the 2008 Olympic Games. More recently, China adopted “The medium- and long-term Devel...