CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (NOVEMBER 03, 2009) - Premier of Nevis and Minister of Education Hon. Joseph Parry, announced that a programme of values would be introduced in the schools of Nevis. He made the disclosure while he delivered an address at the 25th annual Teachers Professional Day on Friday at the Occasions.
The annual event which is hosted by the Department of Education in collaboration with the Nevis Teachers Union was designed to bring together the island’s teachers for one day in a professional setting. This year’s meeting was held under the theme “Building the future-investing in teachers now”.
Mr. Parry, who devoted much of his speech to the day’s theme, underscored the importance of good values.
“We have to talk about good values at home at school and at play and we are going to introduce a programme of values in the schools but we are going to reach their parents as well and we want the ministers of religion and the police to support us.
“This will take away some of the roughness and brashness that we see around today. It will also help us to fight the crime business that we have to fight so seriously,” he said.
The Premier also explained the need to ensure that teachers and students remained positive, motivated and forwarded-thinking. He spoke about the School Meals and Homework Assistance Programmes and also disclosed that he had instructed the Ministry of Finance to press ahead with the school computers project.
With regard to investment in teachers, he pointed to the new crop of young teachers who had taken the decision to join the island’s teaching fraternity.
“I want to tell you that we have about 32 young teachers who were born in Nevis and who are Nevisians who have been drafted and recruited into the service – that is investment.
“It is investment because who knows Nevisians more than Nevisians? It is ok to get people from America and England and the other parts of the Caribbean but you know your own neighbour best, you know your own child best, you know your own cousin best and if you can’t teach them who else should teach them? So I am saying that is our first investment,” Mr. Parry said.
He also gave his unwavering commitment to nurture the young teachers in the profession of teaching
“I want the names of those 32 persons who have decided to be teachers because as long as I am able, and I am in a position to do so and as long as they are willing and ready every one of them will be sponsored at some university in these Caribbean islands,” he said.
Meantime, Principle Education Officer Mrs. Lornette Queely-Connor, in her remarks at the Day’s opening ceremony, underscored the Nevis Island Administration’s steadfast commitment to education and cited that never before was there a better time to be a teacher in Nevis.
She also announced the rewards that would be available to teachers who excelled.
“The Minister of Education and Premier of Nevis has given me the OK to announce this morning that one of our Teachers of Excellence will receive a full scholarship to study at one of the reputable universities in the region.
“I have been told that once that person is a teacher and they are duly recorded as a teacher on the island of Nevis the full scholarship will be granted. If the person already has a first degree, he or she will be granted a scholarship to do a Masters Degree,” she said.
At the ceremony, former Principal of the Charlestown Primary School Mrs. Alice Swanston was honoured for her dedication and commitment to education on Nevis.
