BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ‘RAISING standards, maximizing resources and promoting success for all’ is the theme set at this year’s summer workshop for teachers ahead of the upcoming school year.
Monday’s (Aug. 31) opening ceremony brought together hundreds of teachers from around the island and high-ranking education officials to prepare the minds of the teachers before going back to school next week.
In his address to the gathering of teachers, President of the St. Kitts Teachers’ Union (SKTU) Clyde Christopher said the theme is timely, as it implores teachers to recognize the important role they play in the teaching-learning process.
Given the “urgency of the times”, Christopher encouraged teachers to use the theme as their guiding motto for the upcoming school year. While many teachers have maintained high levels of performance, Christopher urged them to avoid slipping into mediocrity.
“For far too long, too many of us have been satisfied with what is, by any measure, less than satisfactory, less than excellent...too many of us have come to perform our roles almost mechanically, with scant regard to creativity, imaginativeness, or standards.
“The SKTU impresses on you the need to raise the standard of our conduct and performance as teachers both in and out of the classroom,” he stressed.
The union president expressed much concern about the limited nature of the resources made available to teachers. According to Christopher, the regular state of affairs in the Federation is marked by a scarcity of resources, and the ongoing global economic crisis calls for even greater prudence.
“When a small-island developing state finds itself in the throes of a global economic depression, it becomes a sacred duty that we judiciously use the very limited resources available to us. As teachers, we simply cannot afford to waste paper, chalk, books, furniture, effort, time and energy.
“In fact, I am of the view that being frugal and thrifty with the supplies, materials, equipment, etc at our disposal, we are already engaged in raising standards,” he continued.
Addresses were also delivered by the Minister of Education, Hon. Sam Condor; Permanent Secretary Osmond Petty and Apostle Dr. Allan Isaac encouraging teachers to raise the standard to counteract the challenges of a modern education system.
Much emphasis was placed on the White Paper on Education Reform and Policy Development, which is expected to be the guiding document for the advancement in education in the coming years.
The workshop continues this week with sessions on conflict resolution, learning support, virtues and teacher motivation.
