Job: challenges in education not unique to Tobago

Jacqueline Job, Administrator in the Division of Education, admits that there were challenges with the education sector in Tobago in terms of infrastructure and resources but said these were not unique to the island.

“It is visible throughout the Caribbean and more so throughout the world. Most of the issues relate to physical infrastructure, personnel, availability of teaching and learning resources… As Administrator, I am working with the Secretary of Education along with the Assistant Secretary as we try to commit to rectify all outstanding issues in the shortest possible time bearing in mind the current financial situation,” Job said.

She was speaking at the opening of the 78th Tobago Teachers’ Get-Together opening ceremony hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) at the Tobago Nutrition and Cooperative Society Building in Canaan on Thursday.

Job also told teachers they had a part of play in the business of education and be accountable for the performance of students.

“The time has long come when as partners in the business of education, all of us must work diligently to provide the best quality education for all our students. The time has come for us to be more accountable for the performance of our students. It is the time for us all to exercise true leadership, leadership that provides great sacrifice and involves challenging individuals to step out of their comfort zones and avoid any form of complacency. Our schools are too important, we cannot allow them to fail, our students are too important for us to neglect and deny quality education,” she said.

She also commented on the significance of the 78th anniversary of the Get-Together, saying that this showed “the spirit, resilience and strength of the teachers.”

“You have surpassed three scores and ten as allotted in the Bible. You have the strength and the strength of this organization. I am surely guaranteed that would last another 78 years. I fully understand and recognise and identify with your theme for this conference. In fact, the core business of education in any and every jurisdiction, is teaching and learning in an environment of effective leadership. The quality of teaching is a strong determinant of the quality of students. On the other hand, the quality of leadership on all levels will determine the nature of the society which we build or develop,” she said.

The theme of the event was “Teaching and Leadership in Challenging Times.”

In welcoming the teachers, TTUTA’s Tobago Officer, Orlando Kerr, said the Get-Together was about honouring retired teachers who have contributed in the field of education, providing an avenue for teachers to engage in professional development and also affords teachers from Trinidad and Tobago an opportunity to socialise during various planned activities.

“Through the activities, teachers are therefore encouraged to continue in their efforts to make this global village a better place for the children. The theme is indeed relevant and timely given the various challenges encountered by our members of the teaching profession in Trinidad and Tobago in recent times,” Kerr said.

Also speaking at the event, President of the Tobago Region’s Parent Teacher Association, Denise Nelson-Frank, said the Association recognises that the school system was operating in challenging times.

“NPTA recognises that we are indeed in challenging times and that the role of the educators is critical to affecting or influencing our nation. Teachers, you are uniquely poised to share the largest portion of a child’s waking hours and at times can observe behaviours that are alien to the parent or guardian. Your use of tact, cultural, technological and emotional intelligence is of utmost importance because as teachers, you are for the most part the person who some of our children use for model behaviour,” she said.

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"Job: challenges in education not unique to Tobago"

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