THE 2015 graduating batch of National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA )students of St. Margaret’s Primary School, were on Thursday charged, as they move to the next phase of life, to “Be the best they can,” in consonance with the school’s motto which is: “To be the Best I can be.”This charge was made by the Hon. Dr. Barton Scotland, Speaker of the National Assembly, who delivered the feature address at the school’s graduation ceremony held at the National Cultural

Centre.
Dr. Scotland, eminently proud of the students’ performance at the examinations, congratulated them and wished them well as they move to the next level of education.
Preparing them for the road ahead, Dr. Scotland made a clarion call to the graduands to be ever mindful about the friends they keep, adding that they should make it an imperative to stay away from bad influences. To this end, he warned, “It is you who will determine your destiny, so stay away from influences which will lead you astray.”
Dr. Scotland warned against hanging out with other young people who are at liberty to spend the evenings out and return home the next day; who engage in immodest forms of dress – be it male or female. He cautioned the students against giving their lives to others, who will lead them to destruction, and consciously aim to be the best that they can be.
Moreover, he challenged parents to ensure they know their children’s friends. “I am suggesting that you should know your children’s friends. If he or she has friends he doesn’t want his parents to meet, there is a problem there.”
Rights and responsibilities of the Child; And touching on the concept of the ‘Rights of the Child’, Dr. Scotland said that even though there is much emphasis on respect for children’s rights, there is something fundamental that is not being emphasised.
“Over the years, we hear about the Rights of Children and respect for those rights, and even though we often hear about such rights, what is not emphasised are the duties and responsibilities of children.”
To the graduands, he said: “What is not clear is that rights carry with them duties and responsibilities. The rights owed you by your parents, your teachers, the community, oblige you to be aware of your responsibility to teachers and your parents. Know that you owe a duty to your class, fellow students, teachers and to the school you attend. You have a responsibility to your parents and the community in which you live. Each of us has a responsibility and I think we are all aware of that.”
Dr. Scotland emphasised that none of us can go through life without respecting the rights of others, since responsibilities are shared things.
And using the playing of music as a timely reminder, he stoutly admonished the graduands against playing their music at the loudest, much to the annoyance and inconvenience of others.
“Do not merely insist on your rights, but accept that other people have rights too. By playing your music at its loudest, you are in effect saying silently to everybody, “I don’t care what you think nor do I care what you say. I have a right to play my music so I am playing my music.”
Stopping short of saying that such constitutes rude behaviour, Dr. Scotland cautioned the graduands to keep foremost in their minds that whatever they practise now, whatever habits you adopt – be it good or bad, will accompany them into adulthood.

“If you acquire a reputation in secondary school for being a school bully, or a “ruction” or quarrelsome person, if you get that reputation in secondary school, it will remain with you and it’s the only way people will refer to you,” He advised the students.”
BEWARE
Other bad influences against which the youths were warned, include: immoral dress forms; the practice of forgetting the direction to school once they leave the home, or take along other clothing to school with the intention of heading elsewhere after school and immoral dress. Touching on the consequences, the guest speaker said: “You have to decide if that is the brand you want to present to the world.”
Dr. Scotland reminded the graduands that over the last six years much time, attention and resources would have been expended on them by parents, teachers and their headmistress. Hence, he urged them to choose to do only those things that would lift their images and standards and make the school and those who have invested in them proud. “I am saying these things to explain that you are moving from the phase where adults make excuses for you [and now comes the time] when adults begin to require you to take up responsibility. You are entering secondary school. You have the ability; you have everything. Use it to [your] advantage.
DANGERS OF MISUSE AND ABUSE OF CELLPHONES
Meanwhile, there was a chilling message for the students assembled, on the issue of inappropriate use of cellphones and other electronic gadgetry.
Dr. Scotland painstakingly shared with the students the hidden dangers and repercussions of “typing of inappropriate messages or images to share with friends,” on cellphones or facebook.
“Typing inappropriate messages or images to share with friends is dangerous and years later, can come back to haunt or embarrass you,”Dr. Scotland warned.
He outlined that if one types an inappropriate message or posts an inappropriate image, then removes it later, they may only ‘think’ they’ve gotten rid of it, but it remains in the system and can be used against that person at a later date. “Removing it doesn’t mean that it’s gone. It means that the inappropriate message or images will come back to haunt you 10 or 12 years later.”
The guest speaker cited an example of a person having made such a posting and years later turning up someplace for an interview. The interview goes perfect, until suddenly the interviewee is

asked to explain that particular image or language documented 12 or 14 years ago. “Imagine the terror and embarrassment!” he declared. “Maybe your first reaction will be to deny it… when you knew, even at the time you were doing it that you ought not to have done it or made such choices.

“If you have brushes with the law, that remains with you,” he said, as he urged them to choose carefully and wisely.
What in effect happens, is that the information or image is stored in cyberspace and can be retrieved at any time. This explains the concept of cyber-bullying, where another person can use embarrassing information you probably posted on cell phone or face book to destroy your image or reputation. Hence the need to be very guarded about the information you document or post.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Meanwhile, Dr. Scotland congratulated the parents for having brought their children up to the present stage of development, working with them educationally and emotionally, nurturing and encouraging them to perform.
Exhorting the parents not to leave them at this critical juncture, he also cautioned, “Do not allow the belief to creep into your minds, which says they are now big and must have ‘their space and privacy.”
Reacting harshly to that stance, he said: “We as parents, must know what our children are doing … We should know their friends. We must know what they are doing in their rooms… what they are doing on the internet. Dr. Scotland urged parents not to allow their children to give them any “talk” about invasion of private space, adding, “It is your responsibility to know, because consider, if anything untoward occurs, consider who will be asked the questions.
“So parents, between being given the space and being “nosey” in everything they do, there is room for guidance, questions and to be firm. You have a responsibility in their lives. It is not their responsibility alone. Let us work with them; continue to see them as our responsibility. You nurtured them and protected them from harm. Let us support them. Do not leave them now.”
Dr. Scotland, expressing pride and satisfaction with what was being realised, congratulated the headmistress and staff of St. Margaret’s for the dedicated work, patience and tolerance towards realising such stellar performances by the children at their examinations.
From a class of 43 students who wrote the examination, six ranked among the nation’s 100 top performing students; seven were awarded places at the prestigious Queen’s College; 15 got placements at other senior secondary schools, such as Bishops’ High, St. Rose’s High, St. Stanislaus College and St. Joseph High; and the remainder were awarded places at Grade ‘A’ schools.
Those awarded places at Queen’s College are: Reanna McCurchin (who placed among the nation’s top 10 students), Zuri Singh, Andrew Chinatambi, Rhea Ramotar, Nechemiyah Levans, Lugard Mohan and Mesha Sealy. The professions they aspire to pursue include law, medicine, law enforcement, journalism, military commander, and veterinary doctor.