Parents told: Pay close attention

Principal of the St. George Primary School, Deborah Waithe-Jones is urging parents to pay close attention to the punctuality of their charges as they enter secondary school.

This was one of the pieces of advice she offered while delivering the Principal’s Report during that school’s graduation ceremony yesterday at Solidarity House.

 

“Parents and guardians, you need to insist that your children practice being punctual. For if you come to school late, you will go to work late, because these are the life habits that are difficult to alter once they become part of your attitude.”

 

She also called on them to allow their “children to socialise more by playing outdoor games and practising peaceful methods of resolving conflict”. She additionally reminded parents and guardians that their child or ward does not need name brand clothes and accessories to make them successful. 

 

“The latest phone and or tablet is not a requirement for school either. Too much money will make them a target for persons to seek and prey on them. Focus on what is important. Encourage your child or ward to study or do homework. Get to know your child’s teachers and maintain a communication link in the school. Get to know your child’s friends and as much as possible their whereabouts at all times. This could save you a lot of worry and heartache in the future.”

 

Speaking about the academic achievements of the class 4s, Waithe-Jones said that all 48 students who sat the Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (BSSEE) gained entry into government secondary schools. She further indicated “that more than half of this graduating class gained places in the schools listed as one of their first three preferred schools.”

 

She also made mention of the performance of pupils of the rural school in the Criteria Reference Test. 

 

“There has also been a high level of performance from most of the students of Infants B, Class 2 and Class 3 in the Criteria Reference Test that was administered by the Ministry of Education. The students were tested in Grammar, Comprehension, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science. They displayed a high level of competency in all areas tested. Indeed, if we set our scores in years to come by these performances then we can say that this speaks well for the future.”

 

Also addressing the morning’s ceremony was Principal of the Deighton Griffith Secondary School, Anthony Alleyne. In his feature address, he encouraged graduates to dare to dream. However, he stated that dreaming was not enough but as they considered the many feats that they would like to accomplish, they had to be willing to put in the hard work. He also encouraged the graduates to dare to be different and to keep doing and doing until they become the young persons they are destined to become.(MG)