Jamaica
2003
"Adult Learning: an Instrument for Development"
Adult Learners Week 2003 in Jamaica was organised from 28 September - 4 October. As in the
previous years, the week started with a National Church Service, held in Morant Bay Parish
Church, and in several other churches around the island. In all these services a special
message from the Minister of Education, Youth and Culture was read.
During the week, discussions and forums, exhibitions, artistic performances as well
as awarding ceremonies took place. Special forum was organised in several locations to
discuss the quality of education, to highlight UNESCO's efforts to promote quality education
world-wide. The theme of the year, development, was emphasised in panel discussions in
relation to arts and religion, and the Jamaican society. The week ended with a Gala Fundraising
Dinner, where individuals and organisations were awarded for their contributions to adult education.
Adult Learners Week 2003 in Jamaica was organised by the Jamaican Council for Adult Education
(JACAE).
2002
To align itself with other
countries of the International Adult Learners Week network, Jamaica finally
changed the name of its festival from "Adult Education Week" to
Adult Learners Week. The festival was celebrated from 29 September to 5 October
2002 under the theme "Adult Learning: Promoting Our Cultural Heritage"
, following UNESCO's declaration of the Year of Cultural Heritage.
In the words of Minister Burchell Whiteman,
"it is important that conscious
and progressive thinkers should seek to help our society reconnect with
itself and with its rich heritage."
A Church Service was to open
the events of the week, which were to include a "Walk About" in the historic
Spanish Town of Kingston with visits to the Taino Museum, the Iron Bridge
(the only one of its kind in the Western Hemisphere), the Anglican Cathedral,
and the the People's Museum. Aside from a Panel Discussion with the
theme "Adult Learning: Aspects of our Heritage", Awards were given to individuals
and Organizations for their contribution to Adult Education in Jamaica.
A Cultural "Extravanga" (Music/Speech/Drama) and a Gala Fund-raising Dinner
concluded the events.
Too bad that the rains from
tropical storm Lilli caused the cancellation of the Church Service and
the "Walk About" in the Spanish Town! Neverthesless, the celebrations this
year came off fairly successful! The president of Jamaica, Mr Adolph Cameron,
sent a greeting message and recognized the importance of mobilizing for
adult and lifelong learning: "The mind boggling changes taking place
in the world make it imperative for all of us to accept that life-long
learning is a must. (...) We must acknowledge that the 21st Century realities
require that the provision of learning opportunities becomes part of public
policy. Training and retraining, citizenship skills and a continual
search for new ideas are opportunities that should be available to all
citizens. This is the only way for Jamaica to successfully meet the
economic and social challenges of a world that is becoming smaller and
smaller."
Background...
Jamaica is one of the veteran
countries in organizing adult learners' week, and has played a crucial
role in helping bring International Adult Learners' Week into being. The
first Jamaican week was set up in1995 with the aim of developing greater
public awareness of the considerable contribution which adult learning
makes to the development of both individuals and entire communities. Organized
anew in November1997 under the general heading of
Adult Education for Sustainable Development, as well as in the following years 1998 and
1999, the week has gradually enlarged its original focus on literacy to
placing greater emphasis on other forms of adult learning.
In 2000, the week took place
in September on the theme of Promoting a Culture of Peace through Adult
Education. It was meant to encourage adults to develop strategies of
finding information on learning activities, to identify agencies involved
in adult education and to stimulate cooperation among them, to highlight
the meaning of adult continuing education as a prerequisite to increased
productivity - and to celebrate the joy of learning. Adult learners' week
had initially been organized by the Jamaican Adult Literacy Association
(JAMAL) As the activities carried out in the framework of the week extended
to a larger number of parishes in Jamaica, the responsibility for the overall
coordination shifted to the Jamaican Council for Adult Education.
Contact:
Gloria E. Salmon
Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO
25 Dominica Drive
P.O.Box 202
Kingston 5
Jamaica
glosalmon@yahoo.com
jamaica.natcom@unesco.org
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