JIS: Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, with oversight for the Education, Youth and Information Ministry, Hon. Karl Samuda, is encouraging the nation’s teachers to continue to act as positive role models for students.
“Teachers are arguably the most important persons in your lives right now, and most of you spend more time with your teachers than some of you spend with your parents, so they are the ones moulding your character and helping you to get ahead in life,” Mr. Samuda said.
The Minister was speaking to students during his visit to the Haile Selassie High School, Payne Avenue in St. Andrew, on May 8.
Mr. Samuda’s visit to the institution was also used to celebrate Teachers’ Day, which forms part of activities to mark Education Week from May 5 to 11, under the theme ‘Empowering Educators: Retooling, Innovating, Networking for Sustainable Development’.
The Minister commended the academic staff at the institution for helping to shape the lives of the children.
“I want to take a moment to congratulate you. Those teachers that I have had an opportunity to meet and talk to on this little tour, it is clear that the commitment is there. You have the challenges before you, but you are facing them boldly and with commitment to make a difference,” he said.
Mr. Samuda encouraged the students to have a vision of what they would like to be in life and work hard to achieve it.
“You can’t go through life every day – getting up, having something to eat, put on your clothes, come to school and go back, play with your friends, go to sleep and do the same thing the following day – without pausing during the day to contemplate what it is you want out of life,” he said.
“There should be no limit placed on the sense of who you are. Don’t believe that because you come from a humble home that you are going to die in a humble home… . It is not where you start; it is where you finish and the effort you put in to make yourself a better person,” the Minister added.
He further encouraged them to adopt wholesome attitudes and values toward life and each other.
In the meantime, Mr. Samuda said his mission is to see to it that all the facilities that the institution needs are given to them to improve their weak subject areas, particularly Mathematics and English.
He told the students that even though they perform better academically in the technical subjects, “I don’t want those who are involved in the technical field to feel that ‘mi good wid mi han but mi head nuh so good’ rubbish. You can be as good with your head as you can be with your hands. No matter how great you are with your hands, you need to read and comprehend”.
Teachers’ Day is used to recognise the country’s educators for their tireless work in the classroom.
CAPTION: Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, with oversight for the Education, Youth and Information Ministry, Hon. Karl Samuda (seated), signs the guest book at the Haile Selassie High School, Payne Avenue, in St. Andrew, on May 8, when he visited the institution to celebrate Teachers’ Day. Observing (from left) are Community Relations Education Officer, Louise Laurence Rose; and Regional Director, Region One, Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Floyd Kelly. Teachers’ Day forms part of activities to mark Education Week from May 5 to 11, under the theme ‘Empowering Educators: Retooling, Innovating, Networking for Sustainable Development’.