Teachers must play Greater Role in Transforming Education – Thwaites

Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, says educators must continue to play an integral role in transforming and advancing education to ensure that the next generation is adequately equipped to engage in national development.

“We call upon our teachers …to help us toward the higher standards of transforming education so that the outcomes for our children, for our nation, will be higher than ever,” Mr. Thwaites said on May 9, during a Teachers’ Day ceremony at the Holy Trinity High School in Kingston.

The Education Minister commended the country’s teachers for the sterling contribution which they have given to the development of the nation’s children over the years.

“I want to thank the teachers, who are diligent in their work; the teachers who put up with misguided bad behaviour of some of the students…, the teachers, who come to work on time everyday, who prepare their lesson plans, and who deliver the lessons in ways that the students will take an interest. Those are the good teachers, who we are celebrating today. Those are essentials of the teaching profession that we are encouraging throughout Jamaica,” he said.

Mr. Thwaites encouraged the students of Holy Trinity to respect and obey their teachers while pursing their goals and career choices.

“That means that Holy Trinity is going to be the most disciplined school, it is going to be the school with a good level of passes and competence in Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, so that you can all graduate with proper certificates and with proper talents from Holy Trinity,” he said.

Teachers’ Day is an annual activity of the Jamaica Teacher’s Association (JTA) to mark National Education Week.

Representatives of the National Commercial Bank (NCB) Foundation, which will be partnering with Holy Trinity to improve the school’s literacy programme, were on hand for the occasion.

Providing additional details on the partnership, Vice President, Marketing, NCB Insurance Company, Oliver Tomlinson, said the necessary resources and expertise will be provided where necessary to achieve the best outcome.

“We are also very interested in the development of teachers, so teacher advancement (is also vital) and (we are) trying to ensure that some of the teachers get the necessary skills that are going to be needed for them to impart (a sound) education to the children,” he said.

Throughout the day, representatives from NCB participated in interactive sessions with the students and taught lessons.

By Chris Patterson, JIS Reporter