Even when some parents are present, they are absent – Principal

Some parents need to pay more attention to their children and be more involved in their lives.

That is the word from principal of the Georgetown Secondary School (GSS) Ronald Clarke.

Clarke told SEARCHLIGHT in a recent interview that one of his biggest challenges at the school is insufficient parental guidance for many of the students.

“There are parents who are front and centre and there are some who are totally absent,” Clarke commented while adding that he does not think the issue is unique to the GSS.

He said while insufficient parental involvement in a child’s life may be problematic, some of the circumstances cannot be easily rectified.
“There are parents working on the Grenadine islands and the child is left with a sibling or grandparent and they (the sibling or grandparent) do not have control.

“Some parents have migrated and there are similar issues. Those are some of our major challenges,” Clarke said.

He said there is also an issue where children living close to the school are often the ones who arrive late because their parents are not at home to monitor when they leave for school.

“The parents work in Kingstown, so they leave early, and the child is left to get themselves ready, so they lag behind. Parents get back home late so children on their own…,” Clarke noted.

He added also that there are instances where parents and their children live in the same home, yet the parents are still absent.

“Some of them are living with their parents but the influence of their parents is still absent.

“You will send for them and they will say ‘Mr Clarke me cah go wid the child, me nah know what else to do’. And there are other instances when you read body language,” Clarke told SEARCHLIGHT.

He added, “the evolution of the family structure created some of that. A lot has changed in terms of the dynamics of the family structure.”
Clarke noted however that all is not doom and gloom, as there are many students who are excelling at academics and sports.