Roadtown, Tortola - Minister of Education and Culture Honourable Andrew Fahie is hoping the appointment of former Principal of the Elmore Stoutt High School Mr. Elmore Stoutt and Mr. Dickson Igwe as truancy officers will help eliminate the problem of absenteeism in schools.
Honourable Fahie, who made these comments during a September 9 press conference stated, “currently in our education system we have an increasing problem of some students failing to attend school during regular school hours.”
“Today through the bringing on board of Messieurs Stoutt and Igwe as our Head of Truancy and Assistant Truancy Officer, respectively, we will significantly assist in addressing the increasing problem of unexcused absenteeism of students,” Minister Fahie said.
In his description of both Messiurs Stoutt and Igwe, Honourable Fahie said “Mr. Stoutt is a caring, respectful and dedicated person who has the students’ best interest at heart and will head up this unit with integrity and honour. Mr. Igwe also brings to the table a wealth of knowledge and experience in dealing with our young people which is also a great asset for our education team to have.”
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture Mrs. Sheila Brathwaite also acknowledged the vast knowledge Mr. Stoutt brings to the job and noted too that he was the first truancy officer appointed in the Territory from 1981 until 1987.
“Mr. Stoutt comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the truancy field as well as being a well-known educator for most of his adult life,” she said, adding, “he is in my estimation and I am sure in the estimation of a lot of persons, the best fit for the job.”
Mrs. Brathwaite said Mr. Stoutt will help bring out some positive behaviour from the students and parents will also receive needed support. She explained that Mr. Igwe, who has been seconded from Her Majesty’s Prison, also has a wealth of knowledge and works well with the youth.
During his remarks Mr. Stoutt, who has been contracted to undertake the functions of Head of Truancy in the Department of Education, explained that truancy work relates to the enforcement of compulsory attendance. “Truancy work does not just entail the picking up of students who are in the wrong places during school time rather it involves deep interventions based on the reasons for the students being in the wrong places,” he said.
He stated too that truancy work involves the whole community. “Frequent absence from school not only affects the students but rather the whole community because it deprives that community of realising the positive returns expected from those students,” he added.
Assistant of Truancy Mr. Igwe in his remarks described truancy a social cancer which has to be eradicated. “The battle against truancy is the battle for excellence in our education system; the battle for a future that sees the absolute majority of our young in jobs and professions that promote the social and economic well being of this society,” he said.
The minister explained that with the introduction of the Power School technology underway in the schools, the officers will have at their disposal in real time a list of students who are absent without any valid excuse, which will allow for immediate follow up and action.
The ministry’s mission is to provide high quality education and rehabilitative services, as well as, to facilitate access to and participation in sports, recreation and culture, in order to enrich the lives of all residents of the Virgin Islands.
British Virgin Islands News