The Dominica Association of Teachers (DAT) will celebrate World Teacher’s’ Day this year with a special prayer service at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in New Town and not in Petite Savanne as was originally planned.
Every year the DAT observes World Teacher’s Day in Dominica on the first Friday in October (October 2, this year), a day declared by the United Nations in collaborations with UNESCO and UNICEF to recognize the value of teachers in every society.
Initially activities for the day were to take place at Petite Savanne School because, according to DAT president, Celia Nicholas, the ground has “a very good view of Martinique and it is just paradise up there…”
However, the community was severely devastated by Tropical Storm Erika and Bagatelle was the next choice but that too did not work out.
Nicholas said the prayer service will now take place to be led by Fr. Peter Hill.
“So the momentum we would normally have for Teachers’ Day, we still have it but what we are going to do, we are going to have everything in a prayer service,” she explained. “It is going to be a prayer service to bring our teachers together, those who can come. And we are extending it to the family and associates of teachers because we know that in some areas they might not be able to come.”
She added, “I think that will be the first time since so many teachers are meeting together in one place.”
Nicholas urged students to express appreciation to their teachers and more so those teachers who are suffering psychologically after Erika.
The prayer service will begin at 9:00 am.
The real facts play the worlds smallest violin…years ago zeus & Ra were gods so when you say i hate god explain to the people which god I hate. Your comments are Tom foolery on your part.
What type of prayer? Muslim prayer,Hindu prayer,voodoo prayer,Budhist prayer? I guess its Christian prayer right? You keep your prayer at your church or at your home. Prayer has no place in our Schools.
Rabbit, you are doomed. You hate God. You hate prayers to Him.
Why the mention of Muslim, Hindu and voodoo? Since when?
Years ago you would never have stated that.
What happened to you?
You have sunk very low to the abyss of Satan.
Your words have condemned you.
It appears you will remain as you are and become worst.
Sorry for you.
While I don’t favour religious instruction being in public schools, that’s not what this is. This is an optional event being held not at a school, but at a church. So go, or don’t go, as you prefer.
Mrs. Nicholas, please, teachers’ appreciation day and teachers day cannot be business as usual even if it is just a prayer service. There are some schools that are still closed, some will open next week, and then bam, no school on friday 2nd. I think because of the delay of a lot of schools opening, that schools should be in session on friday 2nd. Especially knowing that grade 6 needs all the time they can get because of the delay. I am a grade 6 teacher, my school will be opened next week and i strongly feel that there should be school, next week friday. Please reconsider and let common sense and good sense prevail.
A concerned teacher
Should Independence day and Community Service Day be cancelled as well..sure why not let the kids come to school on those days…why not cancel christmas holidays as well. Yes some schools have lost a few weeks, but why rely on the schools alone. Couldn’t the parents be helping the children in the meantime at home instead of having them play whole day? The schools obviously have ways of catching up. Some schools have extended hours (which they should have done anyway). I mean taking away this teacher’s day is not going to make a difference.
If another storm comes again (which is possible because we are still in the season) are you going to tell the storm “go back”
Common sense……..????!!!!!
oye vey. No one talked about independece being canceled, so bringing that into the argument is not fair. I am talking about teachers’ day and teachers’ day only.
Praise God somebody has common sense. Thanks Oye vey
Good idea, hope it will be a Day of fasting and reconcilliation for our Nation is badly in need of that.
A call for all to return to Father God in Faith and humility.
Mrs Nicholas. I think that this one day could be focused on the classroom instead and teaching the students since we lost so much time due to the storm. A suggestion for the service could be the Sunday and the Saturday for Saturday worshippers…..just a thought, because I think that every hour in the classroom will add up for the time lost from early September.