PARENTS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, JAMAICANS, GOOD EVENING.
THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL PERIOD IS USUALLY A VERY EXCITING TIME FOR STUDENTS, PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, BUT IT IS ALSO A VERY CHALLENGING TIME.
I REMEMBER WELL, AS A STUDENT, THE SMELL OF NEWLY SHARPENED PENCILS, THE CRISP LEAVES OF NEW EXERCISE BOOKS, THE NICELY PRESSED UNIFORMS AND MY HEAVY KNAPSACK AS I PREPARED FOR SCHOOL.
NOW, AS A PARENT, I TOO AM WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THE COSTS AND OTHER CHALLENGES INVOLVED IN BACK TO SCHOOL PREPARATIONS.
STUDENTS, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALL EAGER TO RETURN TO SCHOOL, AND THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HAS WORKED HARD TO ENSURE THAT YOU RETURN TO SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN GOOD ORDER.
TO OUR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS, WE RECOGNIZE THE MANY CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE TO CONFRONT DAILY, AND YOU HAVE OUR UNSTINTING SUPPORT.
PARENTS, I ACKNOWLEDGE THE MANY SACRIFICES YOU HAVE MADE TO GET YOUR CHILDREN READY FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR, BUT IT IS THE BEST INVESTMENT YOU COULD MAKE.
THE MINISTRY HAS UNDERTAKEN SEVERAL ACTIVITIES IN AN EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS A SMOOTH RE-OPENING PROCESS.
View/download entire speech
