Jamaica: government plans to replicate pathfinders model to help fight indiscipline in schools

August 4, 2008 – St. Catherine, Jamaica…[Nigel Coke/IAD]

With the increased level of indiscipline resulting in violent attacks on teachers and students throughout Jamaica, plans are underway to replicate the Adventist Pathfinder Model to help combat the violence in schools in the country.

So said the Hon. Andrew Holness, Jamaica's Minister of Education, as he addressed the more than 2,000 Adventist pathfinders and master guides who gathered for the church's annual camporee, held in Camp Verley in St. Catherine, Jamaica, on July 26, 2008.

“There is something to be said about the benefits of having young people involved in uniformed groups. Regularization, order, respect for law and order, team work, helping each other, looking out for your brother, respect for elders and worshiping God. I have noted what you have done here and as far as possible I intend to replicate your model in our school system,” said Mr. Holness.

He further stated that the schools are facing serious behavioral problems stemming from poor parenting, music and growing aggression in our society, but with the support of the church and help from God, those problems can be overcome.

He added that “A part of the solution lies in engaging all our young people in wholesome, educational and developmental attributes, and so it is the intention of this government to promote uniformed groups in our schools. Adventist Youth, if you feel you want to help me in this venture, I am open to your suggestions.”

“We welcome the opportunity to share our program with the government in this critical area of national interest,” said Pastor Charles Blythe, Youth Ministries director for the church in West Indies. “We consider any initiative in the interest of our youth as paramount importance especially in light of the need to help fight the scourge of crime and violence and moral decadence in our society.”

Mr. Holness commended the leadership of the Adventist Church for the work done in keeping young people out of trouble and keeping them closer to God.

Guest speaker Pastor Baraka Muganda, youth ministries director of the Adventist World Church admonished the young people to keep their eyes on Jesus because they are winners.

“Young people don't give up on Jesus,” Pastor Muganda declared. “Don't give up on the Bible! Don't give up on the Pathfinder and Master Guide movement! You are in the right place because we are training you to be Christian runners and so when we give you all these things we are preparing you to be winners.”

Youth attending in this year's camporee which was held July 23-27, participated in outreach activities in several surrounding communities. The more than 2,000 parthfinders and masterguides from Jamaica, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Cayman Islands marched, painted, distributed food, prayed and sang in several needy organizations and shut-ins of St. Catherine.

“We are happy we could impact these communities in the way we did,” said Pastor Blythe. “Based on the response, we know persons were positively impacted by the work done by our young people. The spirit of the young people showed that they were also motivated because they had an opportunity to serve and share with some of the less fortunate in our society.”

There are over 65,000 pathfinders registered in some 350 clubs throughout the church in the West Indies, with Jamaica accounting for 90% of the total.

The pathfinder program is designed for boys and girls, ages 10-15 years and the Master Guide programme for persons, ages 16-30 years. It is built on the model of the holistic development of the mental, physical, social and spiritual capacities of the individual. It has been an auxiliary body of the Youth Ministries Department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for more than 50 years, and caters to members and non-members of the church.