Education Minister Ronald Thwaites deserves commendation for reintroducing the subject and teaching of civics as part of the school curriculum starting in September.

And while I have learned not to be too precipitate in celebrating announcements like this one, having been disappointed by too many instances of non-implementation, nonetheless, it is heartening to hear this pronouncement. Beyond the announcement, though, I am impatient and optimistic about the reintroduction of civics in schools as I believe its removal as a compulsory course was a retrograde step that may have helped in furthering the lack of civic awareness, disrespect for our national symbols and institutions and the coarsening of the society, the introduction of an integrated social studies module notwithstanding.

Civics addresses the rights and duties of citizenship, and was mandatory when I attended St Mary High School. Obtaining mastery in this subject helped students garner a better understanding of the complementary subject - social studies. Social studies covers the social sciences and humanities and promotes civic competence; hence its relevance to the socialisation process. Civics also explains how the judicial, legislative and executive branches of government work. Civics allowed us to learn about our ancient and contemporary history, our parliamentary system, our national heroes and their contributions to national development, but above all, it helped us to understand more about citizenship, citizen responsibility, volunteerism, and community. As part of civics lessons, we had to read the newspapers, listen to newscasts and then submit weekly journals on topical issues for class discussions.

I recall, with some amusement, preparing a report on a ruling by former president of the Court of Appeal, the late Ira Rowe, and how difficult it was to understand the intricacies of the law, let alone the case. Suffice it to say, the teacher was not interested in my analysis. Rather, she just wanted to evaluate my (our) understanding of the appellate process. She simply wanted us to understand our rights to due process of law, how justice was dispensed, and the options available under the existing system. Today, as I think about that assignment, I can't help wondering if there are correlations between the absence of the teaching of civics and the pervasive feeling of "insufficient" justice, and if cries for "justice" are not driven more by the lack of understanding of the justice system, rather than by deliberate plots to deny us justice.

We had to know and be able to identify past and present prime ministers, governors general, government ministers, mayors, custodes, counties, parish capitals, major events such as Tacky's Easter Revolt, Sam Sharpe's Christmas Rebellion, and Paul Bogle's Morant Bay Rebellion, the Jamaican Constitution; Universal Adult Suffrage; the attainment of political Independence; the meaning of the colours of the national flag; the words of the National Anthem; the meaning of the national pledge, and national symbols, such as the Coat of Arms and so on. And unlike today's "que sera, sera" attitude, it would have been shameful if, as high school students, we could not name the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Yet civics was not about just knowing or reciting these things; it was about knowledge development and acquiring a heightened appreciation for their significance, as well as knowing the appropriate manner with which to treat them. For even though we were fun-loving kids, with greater interest in a game of soccer than in sitting through a lecture on constitutional rights, or learning about national symbols; we readily understood, for instance, the reasons for standing at attention and with heads uncovered when the national anthem was being played. We knew not to desecrate the national flag by letting it touch the ground while being unfurled, or tying it on to car bumpers, or rolling it up then sticking it into our back pockets like a little piece of over-used "nose cloth". Yikes!

Again, civics lessons were more than just about knowing the national anthem and pledge. The lessons were also about building and maintaining sound and civilised relationships, which are quintessential to maintaining social order and critical for the enhancement of good inter-personal relationships, especially during conflict resolutions. Civics, when merged with social studies, focused on social skills such as cultivating good manners, brotherhood, sisterhood and maintaining peace. And so, a team of policemen, including the inspector of police, would visit our school to teach proper road use and discipline. Representatives from the Social Development Commission would also visit to teach the soft social skills such as how to defuse tension by insisting that "howdy and tenky nuh bruk nuh square". They would then translate "Howdy" to: How do you do? "Tenky" to: Thank you; "Excuse mi, nuh" to: Excuse me, please, or Pardon me, please..." and so on.

I can say without fear of contradiction that Jamaica was a much gentler and civilised society because of the role civic education played in the social engineering process. It may be passé to continue to believe that decent and progressive societies are those in which citizens are knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities; where citizens understand their rights and obligations under the law, including enfranchisement; where citizens know how their legislative, judicial and executive branches of government work, where citizens respect national symbols and institutions, where citizens are respectful of themselves, respectful of other people's property and are active participants in the governance process. Certainly, the reintroduction of civics in schools will not be the panacea for the things that afflict us. However, its reintroduction could certainly halt the high tides of coarseness that could bring some of the positive generational changes we need to move forward.

Burnscg@aol.com

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