Children urged to reject violence

DESPITE THE violence which recently engulfed Western Kingston, teachers at the Rema Basic School made preparations for their 64 students to graduate.

About 30 of the graduates braved it to the event which was held at the St. Alban's Anglican Church on July 4. They were smartly attired in their school uniforms and as they went through the well-rehearsed paces of the graduation exercise, they looked happy, and the audience which comprised teachers, parents and well-wishers, applauded them - they had done well - and now they were moving on.

Karl James, member of the school board was guest speaker. He congratulated the students on their behaviour and their achievements, and reminded the parents that they must at all times be role models for their children.

"Although you live in a hostile environment, you must hold on to a vision of hope", the guest speaker said. He also appealed for unity in the communities. "We cannot survive if we do not love our neighbours as we love ourselves. Let us put the violence behind us and grow up in one Jamaica. That's the only way," he said.

Each graduate left the function with a Bible, a donation made by concerned Jamaicans. They went out in the school yard, pleased with their gifts ­ no doubt hoping that all the days to come could be like this one.

Rema Basic, an inner-city school has been sponsored by the Bethel Baptist Church for many years.

The school opened its doors in the 70s to about 30 students and this number grew to 300 in the 90s but because of the escalation of crime and violence over the years, the numbers dwindled. In 1997 the attendance had dropped to a low of 15 students, but a hard-working group of dedicated teachers worked tirelessly to revive the attendance and at the end of the 2000-2001 school year the school boasted 143 students.

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