Continue to Instill Positive Values in Students – GG

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, is encouraging teachers to continue to instill in their students, the positive values that are essential for their own development and the nation building process.
“Help your students to not sacrifice honesty, integrity, responsibility and trustworthiness for the sake of making money quickly. Teach them to embrace the values that will develop a just society and define us as a people – respect, fairness, punctuality, forgiveness, sharing, caring and a helping hand. These values remain an indestructible part of the fabric of our nation,” he stated.
The Governor-General was addressing the LASCO/Ministry of Education Teacher and Principal of the Year Awards 2010/11 held yesterday (Sept.15) at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston.
He lauded the teachers and principals for selfless contribution to the development of communities and the nation at large. “You are the ones who have accepted the challenge to give and not count the cost, fight and not heed the wound, toil and not seek for rest, to labour and not ask for reward, save that of knowing that God’s will is done,” he stated.
He further commended LASCO for its visionary initiative in recognising the country’s educators, who have given outstanding service in nation-building, and who have excelled.
“This model of synergistic partnership between the Ministry of Education and LASCO shows that it is possible for private and public sector interests to work together for national development. It shows how exceptionally we as a people can excel when we pool our resources, objectives and energies,” the Governor-General said.
Executive Chairman of LASCO Affiliated Companies, Lascelles Chin, noted that the move to institute the Teacher of the Year Programme in 1998 and later add the Principal of the Year Award in 2006 was out of the deep respect and appreciation for the country’s educators.
Noting that teachers play a critical role in the development of children, he said it is often the intervention of a caring teacher that helps a child cope with and rise above the many environmental and societal problems that would hinder their progress.
“As a society, we thank you for the love and devotion that you bring to your profession. We are mindful that teaching is not only about sharing knowledge in the form of book learning it is also about sharing those morals and values that will help our children to function as good productive citizens of our beloved island,” he stated.
The 2010 Teacher of the Year award went to Pherone Griffiths of Spring Gardens Primary and Infant School in Trelawny, while Pauleen Reid of Holland High School in the same parish, was named Principal of the Year.