Troupe charges students to embrace educational investment, strive for excellence
DR KASSAN Troupe, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education and Youth, has charged students at all levels of the education section to embrace the investments being made towards their educational development, and to be their best selves by striving for excellence amid their circumstances.
Troupe’s charge came last Friday during the road segment of the Ministry of Education and Youth’s school tour promoting its Transforming Education for National Development (TREND) programme at Anchovy High School in St James.
TREND was developed with the aim of engaging members of the public, including students, teachers, parents and school boards on the heels of the Professor Orlando Patterson-led Jamaica Education Transformation Commission report.
Troupe told students that, under the TREND programme, the ministry wants to make sure that all of them will be able to read and write, and that they are ready for tertiary learning and for the world of work regardless of whether they are attending traditional or nontraditional schools.
“Don’t be limited by where you have started. Be motivated by your start and embrace your future, and excellence is within your reach and if you can’t do great things, do small things in great ways,” Troupe said.
“Yes, some of your friends will reach it before you, but remember the mantra, ‘Delayed, but not denied’, so it may not happen today because you don’t have all the resources, but it will happen one day. Don’t give up on your dreams, that’s what the TREND is all about. We are planning for every learning, everywhere, but you have to embrace the investment,” she explained, noting that “you have to make a choice to excel irrespective of your circumstances”.
According to Troupe, the ministry is taking strategic steps in implementing the recommendations embedded in the report of the Education Transformation Commission, ensuring that all stakeholders are engaged over the next seven years.
As part of the roll-out of the recommendations, students and prospective students enrolled in teacher training institutions will benefit for the advancement of the pedagogy of teaching.
“As we trend, we want to make sure that Jamaica has the best and competent teachers, so as a ministry we will invest in professional development and we will support our teacher training institutions, so you boys and girls will get the best skills-set coming out to make sure you are your best self,” Troupe assured.