…to bring about a moral revival
Education Minister Shaik Baksh has emphasized the need for stronger partnership between religious institutions and his ministry to engender moral revival in schools in particular and the country in general. He issued the call at the opening of the Second National Seventh-Day Adventists Teachers Convention, themed ‘Appointed to teach, teach to transform’, , at the Guyana International Conference Centre in Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
He said the Government welcomes the establishment of religious schools in Guyana as these institutions are agents to instill discipline and create positive change among young people.
The Minister underlined that concepts of values and morality are key imperatives in promoting disciplined behavior, and the Ministry of Education will be revising the curriculum in schools to promote learning in these areas.
Baksh stressed too that the success of the child is not the responsibility of the Ministry of Education alone, pointing out that Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), the private sector, community leaders and parents also have a role to play in the process.
He said that his ministry has embarked on a teachers’ reform agenda which aims to equip every teacher leaving the Cyril Potter College of Education with the requisite skills to not only deliver, but to achieve desired results in the classroom.
But he acknowledged all is not well. He said at the secondary level, there is a high drop-out rate, and he noted that though efforts have been made by including Technical and Vocational Education and Training in the schools to address this problem, the religious institutions have a role to play in encouraging and motivating students to learn.
And at the primary level, the Minister said students’ performance in literacy examinations is a cause for concern, and several interventions are being made to address this problem.
He praised the efforts being made by the many dedicated teachers who put their “best foot forward” to get the best out of their students, but reminded the conference that overall, the desired results can only be achieved if all teachers put their shoulders to the wheel.
The Minister also lauded the organisers of the conference who pledged to work with the Ministry of Education to improve learning in school, and promised that the Teachers’ Oath presented to the conference will be circulated to at schools throughout the country.
Acting Chief Education Officer, Mrs. Genevieve Whyte-Nedd, who is also a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Board, urged teachers to be workers of God, committed to fashioning boys and girls to be successful in life.
She said all teachers have a responsibility to ensure their charges learn and they must strive to establish a relationship with God to transform their plan on paper to a work of reality.
The one day conference sought to, among other things, inspire teachers to provide quality teaching/learning experiences that inculcate positive life skills in their charges; promote professionalism as a hallmark of the noble profession; strengthen the capacity of teachers to transform the classroom culture; and to charter the re-establishment of Seventh-Day Adventist Education in Guyana.