Parents Must Get Involved in the Education of Children from Early – Principal

A senior educator is urging parents to cement their presence in the education of children long before they reach the stage of graduation at primary schools.

Making the call, Principal of the Point Hill Leased Primary School in St. Catherine, Shernette Powell, said too many parents are waiting until their children reach grade six for them to be concerned about books and other educational items.

“Every parent who gave support, we see the results coming out in the [high] schools that they were placed. Don’t wait until your child is in grade six before you start to give that kind of support that they need. The support is a continuous process, and I say to parents, start at grade two, start at early childhood,” she told JIS News.

Supporting the Principal’s views, early-childhood educator and parent of the top-performing student at the Point Hill primary, Nadine Sinclair Peart, said “parents’ involvement is very important and essential for the educational growth of children”.

She added that some parents wait until the final year at primary school before they “step in”.

“You should always get involved in your child’s learning as early as possible. It starts at the home, look at the content, try to learn it as well; that is when you will be able to help your child,” Mrs. Peart said.

Meanwhile, Acting Executive Director of the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), Tanisha Miller, told JIS News that the agency “wholeheartedly supports parents being involved” in all aspects of a child’s life, and they have programmes to enhance such support.

She emphasised that the community, the school, and parents must work together for the development of children.

The ECC also operates 132 Brain Builder Centres, which have nurses and day-care centres, and the services are free to parents. Meals are provided, and there are trained teachers and caregivers.

The Commission is an agency of the Ministry of Education and Youth and has comprehensive programmes designed to meet the language, physical, cognitive, creative, socio-emotional, spiritual, cultural, and school-readiness needs of children.

It was established by the Early Childhood Commission Act (2003), in keeping with the strategic goal of the Government to improve the quality of early-childhood care, education and development within the early-childhood sector.