MOE committed to protecting children

Education Minister Fayval Williams says her ministry is totally committed to providing unwavering support to the effort to protect the nation's children.

Williams said her ministry is collaborating with the Children's Affairs Policy Division and the Child Protection and Family Services Agency to increase public awareness of every child's rights. The initiative is being undertaken in conjunction with the National Child Month Committee.

Williams listed the following as areas to get attention: empower children with information related to their rights and responsibilities, celebrate and affirm children and promote positive engagement, heighten public awareness of the issues negatively affecting children and the impact these have on their development, and steps to be taken to address these issues.

Williams, who was speaking at the recent national church service to mark the beginning of Child Month also emphasised the important role of parents, guardians, relatives, and society in nurturing, guiding, and protecting children, who she described as the future of the nation.

A series of activities designed to achieve the objectives outlined by Williams were also announced. They include the National Child Online Protection Forum on the importance of protecting the children in online spaces; the Child Conversation - Special Edition, for children with special needs; a Wellness Bench Lyme - Child Conversation in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness; the Child Month Poster Competition for the children in state care; a Child Management Day - engaging wards of the State in shadowing professionals at the CPFSA; and the Annual Prayer Brunch.