Government is looking to enhance the island’s Cadet Corps program and incorporate it into the curriculum of all secondary schools by September 2013.
Assisting the Ministry of Education to do so, is Colonel Eddie Charles of the United States Army Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
Colonel Charles, who is in Dominica on the invitation of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, met on Tuesday with principals of secondary schools to expose them to the curriculum of the US Army Junior ROTC Program.
The plan according to Colonel Charles is to include some aspects of the US program into Dominica’s Cadet Corps program which will assist in motivating young people to be better citizens.
“We are partnering with the Dominica Cadet Corps to get it into the full time curriculum of the schools. The Prime Minister is trying to get it instituted into the high school system on a full time basis,” Charles disclosed.
The Army Junior ROTC Program is being described by Charles as one of the best citizenship building programs in the United States which adds value to the community and schools.
The US Army ROTC program instructor is strongly advocating that key aspects of the US character building program be implemented in Dominican schools through the Dominica Cadet Corps.
“The program adds value to the community because of the community service that is done by the cadets in the program. It adds value to the school because of the focus it gives to individual students to apply to their academics, sports or vocational type learning,” he stated.
Apart from learning drilling skills, Colonel Charles says students will be exposed to organizational, management and supervisory skills from professionals within the community.
Colonel Charles says upon graduating from high school “students will be ready to enter the workforce with a charismatic type discipline that is sought after by employers.”
The Dominica Cadet Corps which has been instituted at a few secondary schools on the island provides progressive cadet training to students.
The program which is often of a challenging and exciting nature, helps foster confidence, self reliance, initiative, loyalty to country and a sense of service to young people.
nice one
and what will become of the scout troops around Dominica? This is an unfair and strictly biased move on the Government side. There should be an option, is either Cadet corps OR a Scout Troop. This is biased and has me furious. Variation is needed! Incorporate the Various scout troops into the program!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cadet Corps to train our youths about discipline, respect, being truthful, to desist from lieing or cheating or involvement in corrupt, illegal acts. Yet those in Public office who get involved in secret, crooked, corrupt deals evade the law, and protect themselves with influence, and money. No Law, No Constitution could stop them from ……….
So those culprits, political Leader, were never trained in good moral or ethical behaviour? Just Check : Bin Bobol, dual citizenship, secret passport sales, secret Land deals, defending, protecting their friends even when caught doing wrong.
Wish the trained cadets would never have such people as their role models. Hope when they reach adulthood they do not get involved in such corrupt acts, like what we are witnessing.
Boi why don’t dey implement d same program d Israelis and French do nuh,,,
Put dem knuckleheads in full quasi-military conditioning and teach them some trade before they attain the age of majority,,,
Thats enough time for them to build a career, discipline and skills to be beneficial to the social make-up,,,
Is it about discipline or is it about mind control and brainwashing?
Beholder, this a great idea. We can start at the prison. Instead of having prisoners doing nothing of significance, we can train them to learn a trade. I will be coming home in the next six years, and i want to use my resources, abilities and expertise to try and influence the government to open a facility that will provide those skills to all those who are interested in learning a trade. I am qualified in building trade technology and project management.
to the person who mention about being able to get a job upon completion it”s not about jobs.although that would be nice,it”s about instilling discipline into some young people .we adults are the same ones crying on them so encourage them to join and appreciate what the Gov’t is trying to do
Hello my people. Why couldn’t the Government asked them to open a trade school where the young men can learn a skill like, Auto Mechanic, Electrician , Plumbing and Construction. Don’t you all know about the School Of The Americas at Fort Bennington . Most of the young men started out in the ROTC program in their countries, Ext, Africa, South & Central America. many of them went back and over throw their Government therefore we must be careful with such programs. I don’t think our students have a discipline problem which would require such program rather they are worried about finding a job after graduating from college.
So what happens if a parent or parents are against their son’s participation?….for example religious reasons…
I think this is a great idea. i would also like to see more emphasis being placed on service to the community over that of military style service.
One must learn to serve before one can lead effectively.
All I see is our prime minister is blindly setting up our children to fight more unjust wars for the US.
wish you all the best colonel hope there is no politics involve.
The last time he came here he was a Brigadier General.
“…students will be ready to enter the workforce…” LOL! They could sure use the descipline, though. Good call, bad theory! There are no jobs on the Island.
If these professionals come in, in various disciplines, it will equip our people with knowledge and thus spur creativity, inventions, etc. The gov’t creates the environment, but the people create the jobs. It’s sad to encourage our people to sit around till the govt give them some big job. But this is a good step, you must agree.
We’re supposed to think outside the box and not confine ourselves to the status quo. We’re preparing our youth for the future, wherever the future may take them, whether its at home in Dominica or out in the global community. We’re no longer restricted to the neighborhood. No one knows where education will take them. The better prepared the youth are, the greater the opportunities for them anywhere, anyhow. Let’s look forward, not backward, and definitely not keep our heads down in depression.
Very good suggestions! However, why not use our equally qualified Dominican professionals who are leaving abroad to participate?
That’s a good idea… Doesn’t matter what their nationality is… we just need their skills.
We are definitely soliciting the assistance from equally qualified Dominicans for input and support in any way, form or fashion. Let them not feel left out, its an open invitation. Ladies and gentlemen, actively employed or retirees, Waitukubuli needs you; the Youth need you now.
The man is of Dominican origin. Should i say more?
???????????????????? hold on to your hats people.
How about a cadet conservation corp. instead of military style drilling units. How about mobilizing young cadets acting with discipline in a coordinated fashion to be a service to the community. There are a lot projects I could think of and probably so could you.
That’s exactly what it is my dear friend.
The military marching is just one aspect of developing discipline, coordination, morale and esprit de corps, the team building required to foster the type conservation corps you so eagerly envision. I agree with you in that respect, but nothing beats marching in unison and uniformly to one drum beat.
What purpose does the rifle serve?
Brilliant idea!
I support that totally…more dicipline…
Great initiative, especially to assist our boys in developing their confidence and discipline.
It’s “ROTC”
wish i had this when i was in school even though my discipline was always in tact; but i am sure it would have helped my cv.
This is a very good idea, good luck.
skerrit just want 2 form his pew army
I concur. Here comes Chavez.
Dominicans be careful!Trying to build another army in a clandestine way.
Cadet programs are builders of character and discipline, producing youth with a passion for success in any career or institutions of higher learning. They are not established as a recruiting market for military service.
The majority of these graduates steer away from military induction, but the few who do, they get advance placement, and are proven successful.
behave your self,
with the population Dom,has,it cannot maintain a arm force!,defence machanism will cost millions of dollars!,and with the population you have,never will sustain it,you will need,a air force,ground troups,and a navy,intell unit,mechanise dev,lite,med,heavy artillary, satilites,surface to air batteries, and more,
what Dominica hase,cannot defend it self,gwabay ppl can take over the gov by force,lol,
large islands like trinidad,jam,can defend it self,until they get a UN charter country to help them,they have popl,over in the mill,they can sustain that,not the smaller islands,
a well arm 250 merchenaries can take D/ca,(not gwabay do,lol),
and some of them are walking around like they are part of the law enforcement personals of this country
walking around with a chip on their shoulder
nonsense
I guess you would rather they walk around like vagabonds? Some of you just can’t accept something positive for what it is..SMH!!
It’s all good to have a fancy uniform on, Pardon me,but it comes with principles and a level of discipline that demands accountability and some respectability to peoples who are better position walking in that same path
Please ask a question don’t just make far fetch comments that has nothing to do with what am getting at.
Well said.
You noticed that too….
just to add a few cents on this,
in curacao they have the antillian milatia,4 young men where a ace in sniper,well trained by the dutch,hmm these same boy could find work,so the end up,in robbing ppl,they where in dress in black,and face cover,they had 4 shoot out with the police,until on of the police officer,indentified,there tatics where military,that how they got cath by a military special unit,and was ship out to holland
in saba,a ex-milita, shot a police men while driving,with one bullit,in his head,he too was train for sniper,police could find out either who it was,it took the dutch para-military police to fiquer it out,that it was a train sniper didt it,possible ex-military,so we have to be carefull,with this training,but it do put disiplin in our boys and ladies,
Some of those kids behavior are not exemplary at all
I had an issue with one of their leader who had a nasty attitude problem, he left wondering and questioning his submission to authority big time
the boy have issues submitting to authority
This is excellent. I’m glad that the government is seeing the value of using the US to help in instituting that program. There are so many other areas which I think we can solicit the help of US professionals in nation building…. community development and planning (esp for our town and cities), transportation system (road standard, safety, vehicle standards), engineering, health and many more. There are so many US professionals who have retired… give them a good vacation in exchange of training and idea generation that will help position Dominica to be a self-sufficient and well managed country. THere are retired US military, police, business execs, teachers, healthcare professionals and many others who can be solicited to help Dominica. DOminica needs a plan, not a hand-out.
You are so correct, I know Colonel Charles he is a graduate of the Dominica Gramar school I served with him a few years back. He is an honorable man the PM should follow his advice. I am about to retire from the U.S Army and would be interested in helping with this program.
How about recruiting retired tradesmen for a vocational training facility that produces competent carpenters, plumbers, masons and electricians. There is a lot of shoddy, substandard construction work being done on this island. Government needs to certify skills and issue licenses upon graduation.
That fine too. The more professionals in diverse disciplines.. the better. We need to emulate the success of the US… we import everything else but their skills and knowledge. Why reinvent the wheel when the US, I’m sure even at a gov’t level would be willing to even provide some non-retired folks to train and educate our people. How do you think Japan, HongKong, India, Chine did it. Infact, China’s kids are one of the fastest growing groups attending US schools – getting that knowledge that we take for granted. We’re right at the US’ door, we should devise innovative ways to get this knowledge imparted to us.
We are headed in the right direction. There is academics, and then there is kinetic (hands-on) learning. The Dominica Cadet Corps, under the auspices of both Ministries of Youth & Culture and Education, will solicit the assistance of those active or retired qualified tradesmen to assist in this endeavour. We’re not copying what others do, we’re tailoring this program to meet the needs of Dominica’s Youth.
You got that right.
hope they build a boot camp too for them teenahers with serious behavioral problems and for all the teenage girls who run away from home and later get involved in porn ect.pLEASE ASK THE CHINESE FOR A LOAN FOR SUCH A PROJECT PLEASR ;