Education Minister Petter Saint Jean has called on Dominican teachers to redouble their efforts and make sacrifices in order to make up for lost time.
After the passing of Tropical Storm Erika many schools remained closed for a number of reasons and the academic year did not start as planned.
“We have lost vital teaching and learning time, in order to compensate for the time lost all of you teachers, carvers and shapers of our destiny, you are encouraged today to redouble your efforts to maximize on task for students,” Saint Jean told teachers at a healing service on Friday. “Make sacrifices by spending more time at school, increase your efforts to be punctual and regular for school, and please, I admonish you, to give up some of the prescribe vacation time all in an effort to ensure that our students maximize benefits of learning opportunities.”
According to him, this may be demanding but these are actions that, “we will have to take to ensure that our students can achieve success.”
Saint Jean called on all teachers to continue working with their union and the Ministry of Education in ensuring the efficiency of the Dominica education system.
Meanwhile; Roseau South MP, Attorney-at-Law, Joshua Francis told teachers that it is not an easy task in dealing with the effects of Tropical Storm Erika.
“It is not going to be an easy road because you are multitask teachers, you are more than just being an instructor, you have the onus to inculcate values in our children, but that task has now expanded,” he explained. “You are now a psychologist, because you have to deal with several students who are psychologically affected, even some of you colleagues have been psychologically affected and as such your skills must expand, your skill-set must improve because it’s a herculean task.
Francis reminded teachers that in the past that, “you have done it and you did it well and I have no doubt that this time you will do it well again.”
It’s too bad that Mr Saint Jean did not mention how he will lead by example. For instance, will he be working Saturdays now? Will he cancel his vacation time? Perhaps he will return a part of his salary so that those in greater need will benefit?
Weh weh teachers in Dominica are treated the worst.. Talk about the little salary they get and they have to take in that salary to buy charts, manilla,markers,pencil, erasers, stickers, text books, paint etc etc. In my opinion teachers are making too many sacrifices.. Relationships and children suffer because teachers are up researching, doing prep, preparing materials. Mr. Minister there are teachers who are trained and are receiving a start off salary and there status is unqualified teacher (gross disrespect).. Mr. Minister do you know that teachers have to carry water to flush toilets.. magwa sa you just cannot get blood from stone.. Maybe one day Mr. Minister, you will complimenter teachers..
This Government keep calling on the people of Dominica to make Sacrifices . yet they are not prepared to make any SACRIFICES OF THEIR OWN! WHAT WE SEE IS OUTRAGEOUS PAY HIKES AMONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, WASTEFUL SPENDING WITH NO CONCERN FOR THE ORDINARY CITIZENS.
THEN, MORE DEMANDS ARE MADE ON THE ALREADY STRESSED BACKS OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
THIS SIMPLY HAS TO STOP.DOMINICANS IS TIME TO TAKE A STAND!
TELL SKERRITT AND HIS CABAL NO MORE! ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!!!
Teachers also have families of their own, children to raise, so while they are redoubling, which in itself is ridiculous, their efforts for other people’s children, who takes care of their own? When they are at work all day, tiring themselves out because they are redoubling for parents who do not take up their responsibilty and who do not support the schools, who takes care of theirs ? Parents have to do their part and MOE has to give teachers their due and not telling them about’ redoubling’ on a day they are supposed to enjoy. We are humans with all our faults and insecurities, but we work hard for little pay, and our own suffer because we are a lot of the time just too tired or stressed by time we get home to our own children. Give us a break please.
Teachers do not get paid during the holiday. Say that some teachers do not get paid during the holiday (unqualified) but to generalize it, I have a problem. Somebody correct me if I am wrong.
It would be nice if personnels in the M.O.E. would demand less from teachers and praise them for the hard work they do, because they themselves are not able to walk a mile 8n teachers’ shoes. Parents need to be more responsible for their children and stop using the schools as get away from their kids. Some openly admit it. School is for learning and not baby sitting. Help your kids!!! Teachers have 1 day to feel appreciated. Let them have their day!!!
A lot of persons believe that teaching is a easy job. 1. Teacher’s are not just teachers. They are nurses, baby sitters, shoulders to cry on, psychologists, nuns etc… because the list goes on and on. 2. The salaries that they receive are next to nothing for the amount of work they have to do. 3. Summer is not theirs, they are forced to go to workshops for atleast a month and the other month they engage in summer classes or jobs to be able to pay for work uniforms since they don’t receive a stipend to buy working clothes like the nurses and policemen. The little money they receive, they use it to buy charts for their classrooms to make their classrooms appealing since the government (M.O.E.) do not give them money for that either. 4. Teacher’s do so much; fund raising activities, extra classes etc.. for nothing, but the benefit of the students. Teacher’s give so much and get so little in return, only someone with patience and love for the job can endure being a teacher in…
HON MINISTER PAID TEACHER SHOULD FOCUS ON GIVING OUR STUDENTS PROPER EDUCATION, NOT RUSH RUSH WORK WHILE THE SAID TEACHERS ARE VENDING AT BREAK TIME
“Education Minister Petter Saint Jean has called on Dominican teachers to redouble their efforts and make sacrifices in order to make up for lost time.”
Admin, it appears to me that each time I write something about that guy for one reason or the other it never get posted, although whatever I wrote is the absolute truth! However, here is another example of a pile of bunk this man is talking: if by any chance he was academically educated, had a degree in something doesn’t have to be in education.
He would realize that the teachers must teach according to some curriculum, one way or the other the entire curriculum has to be taught within the semester, or school year. If time elapse due to circumstances unforeseen, there is another way to resolve the missed chapters. Standing there talking crap about teachers redouble and make sacrifices that notion derives from someone who should not be in his position! And as for that word redouble it should not be used in that context!
First thing to consider is giving up the so called “teachers’ day”. that is an anachronistic overhang that serves no useful purposes except giving teachers a day off with pay, as if they do not enjoy long school holidays already. I know I am inviting a lot of flak with this comment but it has yo be said without fear of stepping on sensitive toes and now is as good a time as any, if not better!
Teachers do not get paid during the holidays, so it\’s almost like unemployment for a couple of months.
Also, teaching is tough. Exams, lesson planning, tests, quizzes,assignments and then times it by the amount of students in one class. Some teachers teach up to three classes! All jobs have its work load and stress, don\’t look down on anyone who works.
That a few good reason the government should be paying the teachers a better salary, instead of give out free tablets to students.
Titiwi hold your waist eh!
You not a teacher so you just come here to see how many thumbs up you get. Teaching is the most thankless job in the world.
While you relaxing watching your movies on your t.v. my sister there at home late night busy correcting papers, making teaching aids (out of her own pocket, mark you) and writing lesson plans.
You don’t know HALF of what teachers going through!
Let them have their day. Bon!
And what sacrifices shall our ministers be making?