To Miss and Sir, with love
Dear Editor,
The novel coronavirus made an unwelcome visit to the nation on a flight from the motherland in March 2020.
Since then, teaching and learning on the island have been negatively impacted, and the country was given a 3D view of the importance of the men and women who stand in front of the black/whiteboards from sunrise to sunset. Meanwhile, the education system has been on a roller-coaster ride, going down more than up.
The absence of teachers in physical classrooms resulted in a sharp increase in learning loss across the 14 parishes of Jamaica.
Fast-forward to 2022 and the full reopening of face-to-face school. Teachers have been given the mammoth task of preparing students for the major local exams — Primary Exit Profile and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate.
Online teaching, which replaced faceto-face, created its fair share of challenges and showed parents and students alike the importance of the teacher’s presence in the physical classroom.
The online modality of delivery had also put added stress on teachers, who had to contend with students exploiting the online platform.
Parents had to figure out on a daily basis which one would be caring for their child/ children at home while the other goes to work. This highlights the Jamaican proverb which states, “Cow never know di use of him tail until him lose it.”
Teachers are the foundation on which the nation stands. Thanks to the pandemic for opening our eyes to the vital role that they play. The world, including the birds and the bees, should stop and recognise the tremendous work of these unsung heroes.
The Ministry of Education should also slide a small “Benjamin” into the accounts of all teachers, they deserve it. Corporate Jamaica, parents, and children from kindergarden to university, let us all give our POST-COVID-19 gifts to Miss and Sir.