A Belle West teacher tells of the journey of the community as well as her own

The foundation of a person is fundamentally rooted in childhood; the training, chances, and education a child receives pave the way toward adulthood and life. Parbatie Allie of the Belle West Primary School has dedicated more than three decades to educating children across the region. Today, she sits as the headmistress of the Belle West Primary School after her decades of dedication.

Parbatie, or Miss Allie as she is known around the community, is a champion for the importance of education. She is also an example. Raised in a poor household, she understands the significance of self-improvement at an early age. Her drive and passion have never ceased. Today, she is on a mission to earn her Master’s and then on her Ph.D. Miss Allie lives by a simple motto, which is once a child is taught, they will learn. And over the years, her words have been proven to be true.

In the days of Belle West’s Claybrick factory, the people of the still-growing community were awakened by people venturing to work. Miss Allie’s father worked at the factory. Although living in the community had its challenges, it also had its joys. As she explained, “I grew up, actually, from the age of 10, I was living across here. Very, very young. And so we used to come across here, as I said initially, to catch, we used to catch fishes. Come over to take jamun and all of that. So we would tour this whole area. Like all those who were living in Clearbrook, like on Saturdays and so, everybody would come out together.”

Belle West was initially a community of humble beginnings. But Miss Allie says she has seen the village grow along with the people, as she stated, “You’d come over, do, you know, fun things. And then you’d go across the trench, and you’d go on over and that kind of stuff. I can recall them when they were using excavators to clear the lands. So then when they began clearing the lands, what they did is start, like, streamlining, making roads, surveying, and that kind of stuff. So initially, when this community started, you had scattered houses. Because you had no light, no water, nothing, it was just the land that was given to you.”

Miss Allie has been a teacher since she first graced a classroom three decades ago. She began right out of high school and has contended with many challenges facing teachers, as well as motherhood. The young teacher was thrown into a classroom of children just a few years younger than herself. Although daunting, she strived to help shape the students she was given and never stopped. As she shared, “When I first started, I had to prepare these children for the National Grade 9 exam. We used to call it SSPE then. And so from that year, I had four children. Well, I had to teach grades one, two, three together. You used to do multi-grade. And then you still had to prepare them for the exam. So teaching those three grades and then preparing a class for an exam, it was very challenging. And then, being a young teacher, you had to get into the system to understand.”

Miss Allie continued her educational journey for both herself and her students. She has become known as an educational pioneer along the West Bank, teaching at various primary schools as the teacher who gives free lessons to children. Her own academic development is something that Miss Allie had never stopped. She had a hiatus from studying when she gave birth to her first child. She has, however, retaken the academic mantle and is on her way to earning a Ph.D. Miss Allie has a passion for education and sharing knowledge. As she stated, “I love teaching. That’s my job. I love sharing my knowledge because I always believe once you teach children the right way, they will learn. Once you’re there for them, they will learn. Once you have the right resources, the impossible can become possible. And I’ve tried it, I’ve done it, and I’ve seen results.”

One of the things that Miss Allie has worked through is the challenge of balancing her career and motherhood. Many women see this idea as daunting, but Miss Allie is an example of the fact that balancing both is possible. As much as she is a champion for education, she also firmly believes that motherhood does not mean halting personal pursuits. As she shared, “Some people would say they’re working, and because they’re working, they cannot be there for their children. But, you know, as working mothers, we must have a balance. You have to balance your working life with your professional life.”

Miss Allie grew up in a time when Belle West was simply a community taking shape. She explained that she was raised with good family values at the centre of village life. She recounted stories that showcased the togetherness and close-knit nature of the village. Throughout the years, the village has seen its population double with an influx of new people. However, the community’s sectors are developing, according to Miss Allie. The community has more schools, with more children, a health centre, and a police outpost. Regardless of changes, Belle West is a community that continues to strive and does so together.