~~Adz:Left~~Basseterre, St. Kitts (October 23, 2006): The Drug Abuse Resistance Education programme launched its new curriculum at the Beach Allen Primary School, on Monday.
The programme, which catered exclusively to primary school students, was expanded to include their high school counterparts. The new curriculum is being introduced on the heels of recent regional training, conducted to refresh the skills of current members and educate new recruits.
Sergeant Lyndon David of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force explained that the curriculum will run for ten weeks, a reduction of some seven weeks. "DARE started in the Federation on October 1, 1996, and since then we have had 20 officers trained & and 10,000 student graduations from this programme," he said.
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| Constable Matthew McGuire (center) and Sergeant Lyndon David (right) sits in the audience at the ceremony. |
Inspector Venetta Wyatt implored parents to work along with the Police in ensuring the DARE programme has an optimum impact on youth.
"We recognize that DARE reduces the negative peer influences, it increases our family communication," she said.
'We want the parents and those who have the charge of these young people, not just to leave it up to the teachers or the police officers to do the job but you too as parents have, to follow on with the DARE programme and it will make society better & if family is more involved."
Michael Blake represented the Ministry of Education at the launch. He said that his ministry was grateful for the work being done by DARE and is confident in its results.
He added that the programme must stay true to two basic principles.
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| Venetta Wyatt (left) and Michael Blake (right) joined the Principal of the Beach Allen Primary School at the head table. |
"We want to ensure that DARE continues to be decent and relevant education," he stressed.
"We are content, that the content of the DARE programme is decent and relevant and for this purpose we accept DARE into the schools and wish it to expand."
The principal of the Beach Allen Primary School thanked the officials for choosing the school to launch this significant initiative.
