Primary Schools in St. Elizabeth Commended

Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, has commended several small primary schools in St. Elizabeth, for the high marks they achieved in literacy and numeracy tests.

“I was very pleased to be ushered into St. Mary’s Primary,  Brinkley,  Nain,  Austin, New Forest Primary and Junior High School and now here at BB Coke High.  Each of you is a picture of success. The small primary schools are doing well in literacy and numeracy,” the Minister said, while on a tour of the schools on November 12.

“This will eventually pay dividend when those children come to high schools and have to cope with the secondary level work,” the Minister added.

Rev. Thwaites noted that these schools are being led by enlightened Principals, who are determined that students must achieve in school.

The Minister said that there has been an increase in the consciousness of all Jamaicans within the school system and beyond that educational attainment is necessary for personal achievement and national development.

“No longer is there some notion that can you avoid educational attainment and make it.  It is clear that we can no longer exist on somebody else’s pocket, we are going to have to do it for ourselves,” he emphasised.

The Minister called on all educators, especially those from the region, to look at the different reasons for offering education (to the children), highlighting that proper social and behavioural skills are essential.

Rev. Thwaites said that primary school students who exhibit competence in English and Mathematics and who have proper social and behavioural skills are  on the right track. “All the rest will be added if those prerequisites are in place,” he said.