Sound sentiments by Pastor Cuffie

THE EDITOR: I wish to record my agreement with the sentiments expressed by your writer, Pastor Dr Winston Cuffie, on “The Role of Religion in Our Schools” (21-6-03). In that particular column, Pastor Cuffie recounted excerpts of an address on the said theme, which he had delivered to school principals and supervisors, in response to an invitation from the Education Ministry.

Having spent a number of years in the United Kingdom and worked on several educational and social programmes involving a few other “developing” countries, it is my deep conviction that religion does have a vital role to play (as the Pastor advanced) in the essential character development of a child. I’ve always found it rather difficult to resonate with views that insist on the contrary. My convictions have cost me a few friends along the way, but I remain unconvinced otherwise. The US provides an awful quota of evidence depicting the regrettable consequences of instigating, among children, a contemptuous attitude towards God. Pastor Cuffie did present a beautifully structured case of the value of religion in our institutes of learning. He addressed the subject from a practical, but quite profound basis, producing compelling insights on realities of the impact of religion on human behaviour and personality development. There is hardly any reasonable way that one can challenge the soundness of his argument, as to the invaluable contribution of religion in dealing with critical issues such as anger management, self-esteem, self-discipline, conflict resolution, coping skills, identity crisis and teen depression. We witness the difference everyday in terms of what obtains in the disciplinary culture in most denominational schools, as opposed to many of the non-denominational institutions. I must also commend your Pentecostal writer for his very statesmanlike acknowledgment of the valuable input of all religions “in fostering a culture of peace” and “fashioning a sound value system” in the schools.

WITNEY
PARSLEY (Mrs)
San Fernando