Public and private secondary school students were in attendance at Tuesday’s EduNation Forum, held in Queen’s Park. INSET: Minister of Education, Science, Innovation and Technology, Ronald Jones.
Minister of Education, Science, Innovation and Technology, Ronald Jones is encouraging secondary school students to make the most of the academic opportunities presented to them.
His advice came while addressing yesterday EduNation Forum held in the Queen’s Park Steel Shed. This was one of the planned activities this education month.
“I want to appeal to you all, don’t strive for the lowest pass as some do – ‘I am going to just ease in a grade 3.’ Strive for the best, that you can be and that you can do. The opportunity is there... grasp these opportunities with every fibre of your being.”
He added, “Give principals and teachers in our schools the opportunity to help form and shape your thinking... to give you that purpose in life to be way better than you think you are.”
Jones also urged the students present to be an encouragement to their peers.
“Let us go forward and make ourselves the best human beings on the face of God’s earth. Reach out to your peers who you see beginning to shift and don’t pay enough attention to life, living and learning. One day, I am sure as a result of your living and your standards, the country will develop even more.”
This annual EduNation Forum was attended by public and private secondary school students, principals, teachers and education officers. The topic discussed was ‘My Vision for Barbados’ and the discussion was led by panel members Raphaela MacDonald of the Alleyne School; Aaron Yearwood of the Barbados Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School; Caitlin Ward of the Springer Memorial School; Samuel Bostic of The Lodge School and Nareesa Williams of The St. Michael School.
In his remarks, Bostic gave suggestions of ways of moving Barbados forward through education. He noted that for this to occur, education must be placed on the forefront. He also called for more emphasis to be placed in the area of special needs education, for the stigma attached to certain schools to be gotten rid of, and for there to be continual training and evaluation of teachers. (MG)