BASSETERRE St. Kitts, October 2nd, 2012 -- The 19th century American historian, novelist and poet Henry Brooks Adams penned one of the most glorious thing ever said about teaching: “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” Adams further describes a teacher's task: “Education should try to lessen the obstacles, diminish the friction, invigorate the energy, and should train minds to react, not at haphazard, but by choice, on the lines of force that attract their world.”
Teachers are a significant part of everyone's life. They teach us to face the most difficult challenges of life and get through them. They are selfless givers and also mentors. At every step of our lives, we come cross teachers who devote their entire life in the enlightenment of students.
The month of October, we celebrate teachers. Teacher Month is celebrated to pay tribute to teachers, who have dedicated a considerable part of their life to impart moral and academic knowledge to their students. We seek to commemorate our teachers’ efforts and thank them for being the guiding light in our lives.
World Teachers’ Day (WTD), held annually on 5 October since 1994, is an important date in the calendar of the entire educational community. It is an opportunity to celebrate the teaching profession and to promote the ILO/UNESCO 1966 Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers and the 1997 UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel. These instruments define international standards for the teaching profession. World Teachers Day shows the considerable token of appreciation, awareness and understanding displayed for crucial contribution which teacher’s make to development and education.
This day of celebration offers us the opportunity to take the attention of the public to the role of teacher’s globally and their significance in society and classroom. The St Kitts Teachers’ Union in observing this month, will among other things, focus on advocating for the provision to teachers the obligatory support- social, intellectual and financial- for attaining purpose of the quality education for the all our students of St Kitts and Nevis.
Education is recognized as a driver of economic growth and social change, and it is high-quality teaching that enables students to acquire the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in this century. And we seek to encourage and promote improve teacher preparation and the development of school leaders to better address the needs and expectations of today's and tomorrow's learning environments.
A true teacher is not someone who just teaches academic lessons to his/her students. Rather, he/she is like a guide, who helps the students in each and every sphere of life, by shedding light. They are future makers. None of the achievers in this world has attained a feat without the guidance of a teacher.
The theme for this year’s World Teachers’ Day is: “Take a stand for teachers”. This year’s theme is a clear call to all stakeholders to honour, celebrate and support teachers in their effort to transform the lives of learners at all levels of education.
This month is a time to reflect on the difficult economic and social context in which teachers work and find ways of improving their professional status and working conditions and those of all education personnel. Highly trained, professionally qualified and motivated teachers, working in well-resourced and supportive environments will undoubtedly provide quality education to our people.
This month, the St Kitts Teachers’ Union calls for urgent corrective and proactive action to address the weaknesses that manifest themselves in our education sector. Teachers need support for the difficulties experienced in and out of the classroom especially during this time of financial constraints which impact severely on the education sector and on teachers in particular.
The voices of teachers need to be heard and respected if we are to effectively bring relief to the burdens our teachers carry day by day. Indeed, teachers’ stress and workload have undoubtedly worsened in recent years.
The St Kitts Teachers’ Union is committed to continue its advocacy role for education reform, for quality education at all levels, for education that is child friendly, and relevant, for education that satisfies learning needs of our students, and enriches the lives of learners and their overall experience of living.
As, teachers, we want our collective voice to be heard. We seek the right to influence what happens in our schools, collaborate with others, seek guidance and offer suggestions that will be valued. Individual and collective professional self-worth is important to teachers. Teachers must be involved in decision-making in education policy and formulation of programmes. The demand for a strong, self-confident teaching profession is growing, but it should also include proposals for working conditions that place importance on high levels of teacher empowerment. The restoration of teachers' professional self-confidence has never been more important. The success of our education system relies on it.
There is a need for continuing efforts at education reform to improve student performance and learning; create fair and transparent pathways for the upward mobility of teachers; work positively with the teacher union as true partners; there is need for improve pay and working conditions; and enhance teacher autonomy to ensure that teaching is an attractive profession.
We wish to encourage all citizens to fully participate in the debate on education reform, on the establishment of national teaching council as being proposed by CARICOM, on improving teacher working conditions including pay;
We wish to encourage all to participate in the debate on the development a curriculum that promotes respect and understanding, and on equipping and re-tooling school leadership with the skills, knowledge and resources to effectively manage our schools.
Our ministries, departments, school boards, and Parent Organisations must recognise and clearly understand that spending on education is a priority, a national investment and a core component of sustainable development and democratic responsibility. And our government must provide an adequate revenue base to support a high quality education system.
We recognize that Information Communication Technology provides a rich and powerful resource for teachers to assist with the teaching and learning process. Thus access to hardware (like the laptops) and software is a necessity. There is too much talk and promises about this. In the words of Nike: “Just Do It!” ICT is evolving fast and teachers are lifelong learners in ICT. Using ICT to its fullest potential requires improvements in teacher training, curricula, teachers’ workloads and educational institutions’ infrastructure. The effective use of ICT in education requires serious investment in the professional development of teachers.
The St Kitts Teachers’ Union calls upon our ministries of Education and Finance to provide appropriate equipment throughout the education system to ensure that teachers can prepare students for life and work in a world increasingly dominated by technology.
Today in education, we face, economic, social and political, challenges unlike we have faced before. We are impacted like other areas by the economic and debt crisis. We need support. The science labs at our high schools, computer rooms in our primary schools, and our industrial arts workshops, and Home Economic Centres require urgent attention. We must reassert, take a stand and fight for the values which underpin our vision for education and society.
We must not be mere bystanders only observing our continued deteriorating condition, and the injustices in promotion, but be encouraged to take a stand with the Teachers’ Union. Through the union movement, through a united profession, through our impact on public opinion, we can muster the strength to have the authorities make the right choices.
Together, through our Teachers Union, and in solidarity with others, with parents, students, the community at large, we can make a difference, if we take a stand. May this conviction must drive us forward.
I wish all teachers, all educators, at all levels of our education system, in policy, leadership, and management, in the corridors of our schools, private and public institutions, males and females, past and present teachers, a blessed World Teachers’ Day. I extend a personal note to my own teachers who have made a significant impact on my life, for your guidance, your encouragement, your patience and your prayers, for the extra effort, and just for caring enough, I say Thanks.
Schedule For Teachers’ Month
Monday 01st October
8:30am Morning Assemblies in
7:00pm Reception Ceremony for New Teachers (Basseterre High School)
Tuesday 02nd October
Teacher Appreciation, Tag Day & Radio Call In Programme
Friday 05th October
9:00am- World Teachers’ Day March & Rally
Saturday 06th October
10:00am- Church Service at the Molineaux Seventh Day Adventist Church
Sunday 07th October
10:00am- Church Service at the Calvary Baptist Tabernacle, St Pauls
12:30pm- Presentation to Children’s Ward, at J N F Hospital
Monday 08th October
Panel Discussion on “Take a Stand for Teachers”
Friday 12th October
9:00am- Education Conference: National Teaching Council
Tuesday 16th October
Zonal Visits to Retired Teachers
Wednesday 24th October
7:00pm- Health Forum on Breast Cancer
At the Old Girls School (SKTU Gender Committee & Essence of Hope Foundation)
Friday 26th October
I Love Pink Day
(Wear Pink to show support for persons affected by Breast Cancer)
8:30am- Launching of “Myrna Project” at the Cayon High School
(SKTU Gender Affairs Committee)
Saturday 27th October
6:00am- Health Walk for Breast Cancer Campaign
From Caribbean Cinema Parking Lot to Last Round-about in Frigate Bay
(SKTU Gender Committee & Essence of Hope Foundation)
Tuesday 30th October
7:00pm- Inaugural Excellence in Teaching Awards (E.T.A.) Service
At the Wesley Methodist Church, Seaton Street
Wednesday 31st October – Friday 02 November
Leadership Training Workshop Facilitated by Education International
(8:30am to 4:00pm daily, at the Chamber of Industry & Commerce Conference Room)
*************************
DISCLAIMER
This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKNVibes.com. This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical error within press releases and commentaries. The views expressed therein are not necessarily those of SKNVibes.com, its sponsors or advertisers
