– PM credits synergy for recent CSEC successes

THE Ministry of Education on Monday facilitated a novel seminar in an effort to foster better parent-teacher relationships, thereby affording students the opportunity of benefitting from the most coordinated effort between the home and school, and in the process allowing them to achieve a higher level of academic achievement.

The event, which was hosted at the North Ruimveldt Secondary School, saw Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo stating that the collaboration between parents and teachers is vital for ensuring that students are given the greatest chance to excel in their educational pursuits.
“Today is the first time I have attended a forum such as this, and for me it is a unique experience that we can have a seminar where you bring all the partners in the education system to work together in delivering quality education to our children,” the PM said, adding: “And these partners are the government, private sector, education sector, parents, teachers and the students. This is the first role that we see of PTAs: How to build and promote this partnership for a common objective.”

Noting the significant shift in the level of CSEC passes of late, the prime minister said it was not just about the children pushing themselves more, but thanks to the better system for learning they now have at their disposal; a more holistic system where parents and teachers now work together, hand in hand, to ensure they sustain an environment that would enable the students to have a better system for continued learning.

“I remember this year when the CSEC results came out, nearly 80% passes overall were gained. It was the greatest credit, yes to the children, but it shows also a greater role of the parents in the education of their children,” PM said, adding: “I applaud you for that; to be able to show the world that your investment has a benefit: The investment of your time to ensure your children go to school, to ensure that the school and its environment is conducive to the learning of your children, to participate in a conjoined effort with teachers in fashioning the quality of education. And never forget that you have a role to constantly monitor the syllabuses of the schools and to see where you could make input into relevant education and where the focus should be.”

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry said that it is extremely important for parents and teachers to have healthy relationships, since they both have high levels of interaction with children from birth. She said, too, that it takes both parents and teachers playing their respective roles and providing a healthy model for children to follow.

She said she is of the firm view that if parents are integrally involved in their children’s lives, there would be better outcomes. She made the point that seeing that children spend the majority of their time in school, they have a lot of interactive time with their teachers, and maybe just as much as with their parents, and so both parents and teachers have a duty to ensure that they are all on the same page, as it relates to dealing with the students, and their varying needs.

Chief Education Officer Marcel Hudson spoke on the importance of the programme at hand, explaining that as members of the education system, every person, including parents, have to work together, since by doing so will only increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the education system.