Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) President Hopeton Henry has urged all Jamaicans to help stem the spate of indiscipline in the society.

"The violence and indiscipline that is so pervasive in the society only undermines the efforts to provide our children with those opportunities that will offer them better chances to become productive citizens," said Henry in his Education Week message.

"I, therefore, use this opportunity to call on all sectors in the society to become part of the crusade to rid this country of the scourge of indiscipline and violence so that we can have a stable society that provides the basis for sustainable human, social and economic development."

Education Week is being observed this week under the theme, 'Quality Education - A National Responsibility'.

The JTA boss said the theme underscores the belief that Jamaica will not establish a top-quality education system until the achievement of that goal is seen as a national responsibility.

"It has to be that everyone accepts that all our children deserve opportunities that will enable them to develop to their fullest potential. Education has to be everybody's business - Government's, teachers', parents', and the students' themselves," he said.

Henry noted that the teachers'union's emphasis on the promotion of quality education supports UNESCO's thrust to achieve quality education for all by 2015.

One of the major initiatives during Education Week will be Read Across Jamaica Day tomorrow. This was started three years ago in an effort to promote literacy.

"We want children to develop the habit of reading from an early age. Hence, we need to help our children to develop the skills that will make them literate because their future education advancement rests on this foundation," said Henry.