Entrepreneurship, financial literacy, work readiness and citizenship can be difficult skills for adults to attain, but that's not stopping officials of the Junior Achievement (JA) Bahamas program from instilling these principles into the country's youngsters.
The program's executive director and chief of operations John Darville revealed to Guardian Business that approximately $12,000 is being pumped into the implementation of these new programs at the elementary and junior high school levels.
For the past 32 years, Darville said the JA program has been a pioneer in youth training in areas of business that have impacted the lives of thousands of Bahamians.
He said these latest programs are all in an effort to equip young Bahamians with skills that will significantly impact their individual contributions as responsible citizens of the world.
"The programs are seven-week, module-based, interactive programs that will be executed by volunteers and teachers, and designed for 25 to 32 students," Darville said. "With the assistance of the JA alumni community, the government's Volunteer Bahamas program and the instant commitment of teachers at participating schools, we have been able to secure the participation of skilled and responsible Bahamians to execute these initiatives."
Darville said there are currently 400 students registered at the elementary level.
Participating schools include Thelma Gibson Primary, St. Thomas More Primary School, St. Bede's Catholic School, Yellow Elder Primary, Mable Walker Primary, Gerald Cash Primary, Garvin Tynes Primary, St. Anne's School, Columbus Primary, Trinity Christian Schools, Woodcock Primary, Our Lady's Catholic Primary School and Xavier's Lower School.
Now, at the junior high school level, the program's director Raymond Winder said it envisioned that achievers would participate in two modules that will focus on the basics of economics for success, and business ethics.
Winder feels there are principles that could be applied in personal life and the development of a professional career.
"The JA Business Ethics program will be the most important of the sessions to be offered at the junior school level.  We have deemed this to be our flagship program for Bahamian youth ages 12 to 14. Currently there are 1,189 students registered in the program," according to Winder.
JA Business Ethics is designed to foster ethical decision making in students as they prepare to enter the workforce. Students learn to recognize, analyze and apply basic terminology, theories and concepts common to the study of ethics.
Schools participating in this program include T.A. Thompson Junior High, L.W. Young Junior High, C.H Reeves Junior High, S.C. McPherson Junior High, D.W. Davis Junior High, H.O. Nash Junior High, Kingsway Academy, Christian Heritage School, Zion Christian School, St. John's College, Queen's College, Anatol Rodgers High School, Charles W. Saunders Baptist School and Jordan Prince William Baptist School.
The program is expected to reach an estimated 7,000 participants with the commitment of all junior high schools in New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco and Long Island.
The programs are set to begin on January 30.

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