Hon. Phillip Jackson, Minister of Education, Vocational Training, Innovation, Digital Transformation and Information, is calling on young adults to take an active role in their communities by forming community service clubs to engage and guide students.
The Minister’s appeal was delivered on March 27 during the closing ceremony of the Support for Education and Training (SET) Cohort 12. Addressing the former interns, Minister Jackson encouraged the cohort to utilize their skills by establishing organizations such as Homework or Mentorship Clubs, emphasizing that these initiatives can go a long way in assisting students who need guidance in various communities.
Highlighting the profound impact of grassroots mentorship, Minister Jackson urged the young adults to identify and assist children in their own neighborhoods. “If you know someone in your village or some students in your village that can benefit from your expertise and your care, on an afternoon, maybe for one hour, help them with their homework,” he stated.
He also emphasized that the benefits of mentorship are mutual, adding, “There are some students in your village and I think you know them, who can really benefit from your help… by enriching their lives, you are also enriching your lives…you can also become a mentor for younger students”.
According to Minister Jackson, stepping up to establish such initiatives serves a broader societal purpose, helping to build stronger communities and empowering the nation’s young people to act as agents of positive change.