THE GLEANER Company yesterday said "well done" to four teachers from the Sylvia Foot Basic School to mark 'Teacher's Day'.
Located at National Heroes Circle, central Kingston, a mere walking distance from The Gleaner, the school is run by the Voluntary Organisation for the Upliftment of Children (VOUCH).
The teachers, who have served between two months and nearly two decades at the institution, and one parent, were treated to lunch and entertainment by Gleaner staff.
LAUDED
Karin Cooper, The Gleaner's corporate affairs manager, lauded the teachers for providing pre-school education to the over 70 children who attend the institution. She affirmed The Gleaner's support for any effort to teach children under the age of six, a period widely considered to be the most critical in a child's development. A parent representing the Parent-Teacher's Association (PTA), and Education officers from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture, were also present.
During lunch, the teachers Latoya Barrett, Eidel Lawrence, Nadine Gayle and Dorothy Mason, told of their various reasons for teaching and expressed their satisfaction in dealing with those so young. They showed immense satisfaction when recounting experiences where they have met past students and have seen them succeed in various career paths. The ladies took the opportunity to make suggestions, especially to The Gleaner's circulation manager, Norman Marshall, about extending the paper's readership. They explored, among other plans, the prospects of creating a publication geared towards early childhood education.
UPCOMING PROJECTS
Ms. Cooper, Mr. Marshall and Garfield Grandison, Editor-in-Chief of The Gleaner's publications, also gave brief outlines of present and upcoming Gleaner projects, especially those incorporating the education field. Included among these is a 'Teacher Plan', aimed at getting copies of the local paper delivered to teachers for a reduced fee. There are also plans to produce other education features, for example, on past students' associations.
All the teachers were given certificates for their dedicated service and in addition, Ms. Lawrence and Ms. Gayle were presented with special plaques; commemorating 19 and 10 years respectively of service to the basic school. Replying for the awardees, Mrs. Mason thanked the Gleaner Company for taking the time to show an interest in them and their work with the school.
The basic school is named after Lady Foot, wife of a former Governor of Jamaica, Sir Hugh Foot.
