Impacts of Early Emotional Development in Jamaica

The area that I choose to investigate was the Jamaica.  Growing up I have always wanted to see the world and experience different cultures, so the first place I ever went to was Jamaica, but before I went to Jamaica I thought in my mind that this was a beautiful tropical Inland with pretty sand beaches and everyone who lived in Jamaica was so lucky to live in a place that was so beautiful. When I first got to Jamaica it was what I thought this place was suppose to look in mind beautiful and full of lots culture, which was a mixture of Jamaican culture, is defined as the origin of its entire population. The Jamaican culture is mixed as most of the society is ethnically diverse. There are several nations and peoples, the majority are African, then Indian and Chinese, then the minority being European.

Population and growth of Jamaica is Children, aged birth to 17 years, constituted about 35% of the population of approximately 2.65 million persons of Jamaica in 2005. Marginally more than a half of the population is urban. The average household had 3.3 persons, with rural households being a little larger – 3.6 persons on average – and female-headed rural households having 4.1 members on average.

Some of the challenges that children from the Jamaica are confronted with include sanitation, water, education and health. No data was collected on the deprivation of children with respect to food, shelter and deprivation. However, the study indicated that of the four (4) areas where data was collected, the highest frequency of “severe” deprivation was estimated for health, 9%, followed by water, 5%. No Jamaican children were reported to be severely deprived of education, and only a marginal 1% was severely deprived of sanitation. As with the headcount, children with a severe deprivation were more likely to be found in rural households, in large households, in households headed by persons with low levels of education, and in households composed with vulnerable and unemployed persons. Income inequality persists, poverty levels remain unacceptably high and there is a high probability that many who are only living just above the poverty line could fall back into poverty. Self-employment accounts for about a third of total employment, and the majority of it consists of very small scale low income petty trade and related activities. In addition to the threat of the return of traditional diseases, Jamaica is challenged by a high incidence of HIV/AIDS10, unacceptably high infant mortality rates, and high rates of cardiovascular diseases.

There is almost universal enrolment of children in pre-primary schools (ages 3-5 years) - 96.8 per cent in 2004 (Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions, JSLC, 2006), with an attendance rate of approximately 71.3 per cent. While enrolment of children in pre-schools remains high, the quality of services is often poor. According to official estimates, fewer than one out of three children entering grade one were ready for primary level, and some 30 per cent of primary school dropouts were illiterate.

Reading this week on Jamaica I learned that the governmental involvement, UNICEF, and RUFAMSO other programs can make a difference in the lives of children and their families.  The  government  and the program seeks to improve both children’s readiness for primary education and learning outcomes in selected curricular areas in primary education, such as child rights and life skills-based education

Resources: Witter, Hamil,& Spencer., (October 9, 2009). Child Poverty and Disparities in Jamaica