‘Kindling flames of curiosity’
Aspiring teachers urged to empower nation’s future leaders through education
TEACHERS WHO will be joining the professor in September are being encouraged to be innovative and to utilise the resources provided by the Ministry of Education and Youth to maximise the learning outcomes of their students.
Addressing final-year students from 16 teacher-training institutions at Jamaica Teaching Council’s Beginning Teachers’ Synergy Conference, held at The Mico University College last Friday, Minister of Education Fayval Williams emphasised the solemn responsibility that awaits them.
“As you step into the classroom, I want you to remember that you are not just imparting knowledge, you’re nurturing minds, fostering dreams, and kindling the flames of curiosity. Your interactions on a daily basis with students in our classroom all across Jamaica will determine if our students embrace education, or are turned off from education,” she said.
The conference was held under the theme, ‘Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders - Embracing Transformation in Education’. It comprised an induction session that covered professional conduct and administrating responsibilities. It also focused on effective use of digital tools, challenges and responses in the classroom and exploring career opportunities.
Williams noted that each year, approximately 1,300 teachers are trained by teachers’ training institutions across Jamaica for the education sector.
OUTLINED WORK
She also outlined the work being undertaken, which includes funds allocated to provide laptops for teachers, including those at the primary level, and the continuous work in ensuring schools have Internet connectivity, by her ministry to improve the education system. According to the minister, 663 schools across Jamaica now have broadband connectivity, and work is being done to ensure that connectivity is available in classrooms and not just administrative offices.
“We have ensured that all the technology laps in our high schools across Jamaica were outfitted with state of the art laptops, as well, so those of you who are the technology experts, who are going to be technology teachers in high school, know that you are going into technology laps that are working and have the latest device in those laps,” she said.
Additionally, she said the education ministry had launched a lesson-plan portal from which teachers can pull ideas for different subject areas.
“You should feel free to modify what you pull down, we’re not saying that you have to so exactly, according to how it’s laid out, you have to know the class that you’re teaching, no where you are in the process and you can make those modification, but we don’t want you to have to give up your weekends to create lesson plans,” she said.
She stated that the education ministry is also working to improve the infrastructure of schools, and noted the number of schools that have been taken off the shift system by building additional classrooms.
Last year June, Williams outlined the government’s plan to transition all 38 schools that operate on a shift system to full-day school. She said five schools out of the 38 were taken off the shift system earlier in the month.
She said work to maintain the schools are ongoing.
“Are there schools that need maintenance? Yes, but one thing you can be sure of is that the Ministry of Education and Youth is doing the work to ensure that the schools that need the critical maintenance that those schools get it,” Williams said.