There is no single society that can remain vital or even flourish without imparting timeless or universally shared values to its younger generation. In other words, ‘young people are the future trustees of our society’. In this regard, parents, educators, schools and communities have no greater responsibility than to strive to raise virtuous and industrious citizens who are committed in building a nation. For instance, caring communities and educators need to work together towards helping learners to develop a vision, sense of belonging as well as to stretch their imagination and creativity ability.

Building strong and caring school communities is the foundation for raising good citizens. Culture in itself drives result! Successful schools create a “values- based” culture which embraces timeless Values such as Positive Attitude, Responsibility, Trustworthiness, Brotherhood, High Expectations, Respect, Generosity, Hope and Courage. These values if well embedded in the school curriculum, simultaneously help educators and learners to blend naturally in the culture. A value based school culture has potential of improving the learners’ behavior and academic outcomes. In addition, teachers and students tends to flourish in learning communities where there is a positive and conducive climate.

It is therefore important for school communities to be re-engineered to become more caring and productive in nurturing learners who are exposed to the incredible world of self-discovery, self-reliance and personal independence. Voice is a powerful tool, as Clifton Taulbert says “youngsters still need to hear the voice of the adults with whom they share their lives: voices that say we believe in you, we expect you to do well, and we admire your accomplishments.” Subsequently, the art of developing a productive and caring school climate demands for a collaborative effort of community actors ranging from parents, leaders, educators and related stakeholders from the society. No wonder the African saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’ The Centre for Character and Leadership continues to work closely with schools and helping them to develop caring and productive climate driven by timeless values.