Education Minister urges parents, teachers to work in tandem

Schools across the country reopened yesterday and Minister of Education St Clair “Jimmy” Prince has called on teachers and parents to work in tandem to meet the needs of the children under their care.

“Teachers, please be mindful that all students are going to look to you for guidance, care and motivation, so be sensitive and alert to their needs,” said Prince in his 2016 back to school message.

“Parents, I encourage you to be true partners in your children’s education. As parents, you have a responsibility to ensure they are loved and given the proper guidance. It is not enough to just send them to school. You must ensure they get adequate sleep to prepare for classroom work the next day, you must monitor their homework, encourage good study habits, take an interest in the child’s extracurricular activities and very importantly, ensure they have a healthy snack,” Prince noted, asking that parents minimize the amount of salt and sugar that their children consume.{{more}}

Prince, also the Minister with responsibility for National Reconciliation and Ecclesiastical Affairs, said that while the beginning of the new school year is usually an exciting time, some schools and classrooms will begin on a sad note, seeing that over the summer vacation, two students lost their lives tragically, while a teacher succumbed to cancer.

The Education Minister’s message, which was broadcast on radio, also asked head teachers, teachers, parents and older students to do everything in their power to help the thousands of young students who have entered primary school to feel safe and secure, while he urged new secondary school students to work, focus and resist the temptation to waste time.

Prince, in addressing educators, stressed that the nation continues to depend on them for the effective education of our students at each level.

“We must therefore continue to focus on implementing numeracy and literacy strategies across the curriculum, so that the quality of our passes will improve. Teachers, we commend you all for your dedicated service and I encourage you to continue to upgrade your skills, reflect on your practice and endeavour to meet the varying needs in today’s diverse classroom.”

He said that educators must make sure that every plan is geared towards making each student’s educational experience an excellent one, preparing that child to be a well adjusted and rounded citizen, ready to make a significant contribution to society.(LC)