Jamaica: Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs embarks on Road to Republic Secondary School Tour
Key Points(3)
- <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a move to engage the youth in the process of transitioning from a Constitutional Monarchy to a Republic, Jamaica's Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs initiated its “Road to Republic Secondary School Tour” on November 23.
- </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The tour kicked off at the Cedar Grove Academy in Portmore, St.
- The tour comprises 18 stops, and approximately 300 senior secondary school students will be sensitized islandwide, ensuring that the future leaders of Jamaica are well-informed participants in this historic journey towards republicanism.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->
In a move to engage the youth in the process of transitioning from a Constitutional Monarchy to a Republic, Jamaica's Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs initiated its “Road to Republic Secondary School Tour” on November 23.
The tour kicked off at the Cedar Grove Academy in Portmore, St. Catherine, marking the beginning of an islandwide educational journey that seeks to inform and empower the future voters of Jamaica.
A minister’s perspective
Addressing a JIS Think Tank session earlier in the day, the Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte, Portfolio Minister for Legal and Constitutional Affairs, underscored the significance of youth engagement in this constitutional evolution.
Minister Malahoo Forte emphasized the critical role of younger generations in shaping the nation’s future.
“We have the younger people who will be eligible to vote in the referendum and we’ve been saying enumerate to participate, so we are going into the schools directly through the legal education unit of the Ministry alongside our media partners to have the conversation,” she said.
Educating the future generation
The Road to Republic Secondary School Tour is tailored for students in the fifth and sixth forms, particularly those who have reached the age of majority or are poised to attain it during the current parliamentary term.
Spanning from November 2023 to May 2024, the tour’s inaugural phase will engage senior high-school students from various institutions, including Cedar Grove Academy, Bridgeport High, Waterford High, St. Jago High, José Martí Technical High, and several others in Portmore and Spanish Town.
Minister Malahoo Forte emphasized the tour's significance, stating, "We really are on the Road to Republic, and so the Ministry is rolling out its public education campaign within our schools to facilitate discussions about constitutional reform."
A glimpse into the tour
Throughout the tour, students will have the opportunity to interact with legal experts from the Ministry, the youth representative on the Constitutional Reform Committee, and technocrats from the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ).
Engaging presentations and group discussions, led by attorneys and students from the Norman Manley Law School, will offer students a comprehensive understanding of the constitutional transition. The tour comprises 18 stops, and approximately 300 senior secondary school students will be sensitized islandwide, ensuring that the future leaders of Jamaica are well-informed participants in this historic journey towards republicanism.
