She made the appeal to scores of parents of nursery, primary and secondary schools students in Central Georgetown at the first “face the community” meeting in observance of Education Month, at St. Angela’s Primary School on Thomas Street.

Fox impressed upon the gathering that in order for their children to be disciplined and successful at school, they will have to regularly monitor their books, attitude towards work and behaviour in general in school.

This approach by parents to their children’s education, the minister underlined, must be adopted by all parents with no exception.

She stressed the education of the nation’s children is essential and parents, particularly single parents, have to find time to know about their children’s attendance, punctuality and deportment at school.

She encouraged both mothers and fathers to play their respective roles in moulding their children with proper values and etiquette, noting that after all, they are their children’s first teachers.

She also pointed out that students today have cell phones, VCRs, games and other electronic gadgets at their disposal, all of which were non- existent about 30 years ago.

These instruments, the minister noted, make students nowadays more vulnerable to delinquent behaviour vis-à-vis students then.

She underscored, for these reasons, it is imperative for parents to supervise the activities of their children and pay a closer interest in their education.

Fox stressed too that their children’s education must be among their top priorities and should not be at the expense of trivial entertainment.

She told the gathering sometimes parents complained that they are poor and find it difficult to send their children to school; and indeed, this is true, though some parents, in spite of their poverty, make a concerted effort to educate their children.

But there are those who complain vociferously of being poor and how difficult it is for them to buy school supplies for their children, and yet they find the money to attend big shows put up by top performing artistes.

This mindset, Fox said, will do good neither for them or their children.

Fox said parents must set high standards and impart good values to their children because children often emulate their parents’ deportment.

The minister also urged that they all play an active role in the Parents Teachers’ Associations , as education is too crucial to be left only in the hands of the professionals.