Schoolchildren are being made aware of their legal rights through a handbook released by the Centre of Justice.

Junior Education Minister Leah Scott told the House of Assembly this morning that the book, entitled “Know the Law, Know your rights: A youth handbook for rights and responsibilities,” was distributed following extensive consultation over the past year between the Centre of Justice and various stakeholders who work and interact regularly with children and young persons.

“There are many social ills that are eroding the moral fabric of our society,” said Ms Scott.

“Our children are joining gangs and getting involved in activities without any understanding of the consequences, legal implications or their legal rights.

“On Tuesday night, I had the privilege of serving as a judge at the Clearwater Middle School Quiz Night . . . this quiz night was organised by Centre for Justice, and the material that formed the basis for the quiz questions, came from this Know the Law handbook.

“There were three teams of three students per team, and it was clearly evident that these students had spent a great deal time studying and preparing for the quiz.”