Education Minister sends strong warning to parents

 Saint Jean has stressed the importance of education
Saint Jean has stressed role of parents in education

Education Minister, Petter Saint Jean has called on parents to get involved in their children’s education, noting that the Education Act gives the minister the right to prosecute parents who deny education to their children.

He warned that the time has come “to bring the full weight of the law upon the violators.”

“Parents have a moral responsibility … it is an obligation on every parent, male and female, father and mother, to get involved in that child’s education,” he stated. “The Education Act gives the minister, or the chief acting for and on behalf of the minister, the right to prosecute any parent who wilfully denies his or her child an education.”

Saint Jean was speaking as a guest on Talking Point on state-own DBS Radio of Monday.

He stated that parents have a responsibility of making sure that their children “get to school, they stay in school and they access quality education.”

He mentioned also that in all settings and at all levels of education, parents “must” take the responsibility to ensure these children are provided, first of all with their basic needs: “food shelter, clothing.”

“A child will not do well if he doesn’t have the basic necessities,” he pointed out.

Beyond that, he noted, parents must “ensure that child gets up early, gets to school on time, the child is clean in a hygienic condition, that the child has lunch and if he doesn’t have, get to the relevant school authority to let us know.”

He stressed that parents must take responsibility at all stages of development of their children.

“There has to be constant monitoring and working with that child, not just telling the child, ‘go and do your work’,” he noted. “And critically fathers must play an important role in the development of their children, not just at grade 6, not just at 5th form or when they get to University, because no child will get to 5th form or University if that child does not have a solid foundation.”

Saint Jean encourages parents to get involved at the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) level.

“Get involved in the PTA and if you are not on the executive get to the PTA meetings, get to the class meetings,” he noted.

He pointed to the importance of obtaining the necessary text books for students.

“You cannot provide your child with a Smart Phone, a Galaxy 5, an Edge, S-6, an IPhone, while he or she does not have the requisite text books,” Saint Jean said.

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23 Comments

  1. ATKINSON
    June 18, 2015

    Next it will be, if you do not vote for, or not a labour party member, you will be arrested, because its your moral authority as a dominican to be a labour party member, and the government can do that

  2. Danziger
    June 17, 2015

    Amen and amen St. Jean I support you 100 percent.

  3. ostav
    June 17, 2015

    what if the parents themselves do not know what to do how can they help with the home work

  4. Apple
    June 17, 2015

    First of all u lie big time about tablet now u coming
    With this crappy talk u just feel ashame
    U are a big time list
    Kudos to u mr minister

  5. wow
    June 17, 2015

    :lol:

  6. Righteous
    June 17, 2015

    Saint Jean encourages parents to get involved at the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) level.
    “Get involved in the PTA and if you are not on the executive get to the PTA meetings, get to the class meetings,” he noted.
    “You cannot provide your child with a Smart Phone, a Galaxy 5, an Edge, S-6, an IPhone, while he or she does not have the requisite text books,” Saint Jean said.

    100% support the Minister’s Statement. The parents have to get more involved. As a kid, I remember we use to collect coconuts to sell to the farmers who had copra houses to get money for books and uniforms. The community was involved. From the bus drivers to the vendors. Gone are those days. The parents should not leave the education of their children solely on the school’s, GET INVOLVED, FIND A MENTOR IN THE COMMUNITY IF YOU ARE NOT CAPABLE. Together Everyone Achieves More.

    One Love Dominicans!! (OLD)

  7. The Real Facts
    June 16, 2015

    The Education Minister is correct. It is in the interest of parents and children. Those who bring forth children into the world are obligated to nurture them, house, feed, clothe and send them to school Schooling is free to high school.
    Parents must show an interest in their children’s school progress. If they lack the aptitude, they should ask a responsible person to help them such as sending them to someone who gives extra curriculum.
    Do not allow your children to grow up illiterate. This means they will not be able to speak properly, write and spell and obtain a good paying job for their livelihood. They may very well remain poor all their life. This is what happens to the majority of those who never had a proper education. The government is not to be blamed for that.
    Yes, parents, ensure that your children go to bed at a reasonable time so that they could get ample sleep for their young age and not be too tired to wake up and get ready for school.

    • The Real Facts
      June 16, 2015

      Make God a daily part of your life and your children’s life; be not too busy for Him and to pray. Build a prayer life and encourage your children to do likewise. In so doing, as they grow older (as some others) they will develop the habit of worship and prayer.
      Prior to eating breakfast and getting ready for school my mother ensured that we said our morning prayers. There were times we would also go to the weekly morning Holy Mass. She ensured her children were clean, well attired and fed. She would also ensure that we prayed at nights. These prayers are important.
      She taught us, The Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be to the Father, Act of Faith, Act of Love, Act of Hope, Act of Contrition and other relevant prayers before we made First Holy Communion. I have not forgotten them.
      We, her children had to learn them at a very young age from the moment we could speak and understand. Strict, disciplined, exemplary parents. :) I have no regrets about that.

  8. Funnybone
    June 16, 2015

    Nothing wrong with his statements. Unless of course, the parents have no income. You cannot provide your child with what you do not have. So what is the government doing to provide reliable long term economic solutions?

    • The Real Facts
      June 16, 2015

      The government cannot know if they do not inform the government as social services.
      Is there not a food program for schools, especially elementary where they would also get milk?

  9. ACE
    June 16, 2015

    Why can’t that man SHUT UP!

  10. Jah Youth
    June 16, 2015

    Empty rhetoric St Jean. You have helped dig the peoples eyes out and then you turn around and call them blind. So Shallow!!!

  11. VEJ
    June 16, 2015

    Mr Minister if you were closed i would lick your big toe! I cannot agree more!

    • grell
      June 17, 2015

      i guess your a red clinic begger and one of the lazy dominicans who sit and wait for the handouts.

      • The truth
        June 17, 2015

        Ignorance.

  12. troublemaker
    June 16, 2015

    where them tablet gasa

  13. grell
    June 16, 2015

    What if the parent cant afford,which is whats going on in the communist government minister,they come to th red clinic to beg,for food shelter books and clothing.

    • Peter Potter
      June 16, 2015

      What do you mean the parents cannot afford… Who can not afford to make sure that the child is woken up in good time to ensure it arrives at school every day on time? Who cannot afford to spend at least an hour with your child in the afternoon or evening to ensure all homework is done properly? Or is it that you cannot feed your child properly in which case you should work and earn a living or plant something to harvest later. But in true red clinic fashion it it not only the governments duty to provide schools but also to give you money to feed your child? I suggest you should think about if you can afford to have children before making any rather than go begging for them! What on earth has become of Dominica???

      • grell
        June 17, 2015

        Peter Potter my 2 kids are well maintained and are abroad,thank god i have not depended on anything from this incompetent government,and yes their are parents that cant afford wake up and smell the coffee fool.

  14. source
    June 16, 2015

    Hope his statements are for everyone. If they doh have food to feed their children, do they have to come red clinic and beg?

  15. Ma Moses
    June 16, 2015

    Go on Hon. St. Jean, go and prosecute some parents. Your government was quick enough to send police to Salisubry in riot gear with tear gas and live ammunition to quell a demonstration. I really would support you if your were to take action because it are the children that miss out when parents to not accept their responsibilities but I guess you are hesitant because it may cost you votes.

    • The truth
      June 17, 2015

      Are you people serious? You guys place politics before our kids. Giving people like you and your kind to rule the country would surely be a disaster

  16. original hold dem
    June 16, 2015

    stupesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

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