Kamla hails teachers

She said, “On this special day dedicated to recognisng the role and work of teachers, I join the rest of the world community in expressing gratitude and thanks to our teachers who have helped in shaping our society and preparing future generations for the role they will play in taking our society forward.” In 1994 in Paris, she said, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation proclaimed October 5 as World Teachers’ Day and adopted a statement on the rights and responsibilities of teachers. “The intention was to promote the status of teachers in the interest of quality education,” Persad- Bissessar said.

She stated that likewise this year’s theme, “Valuing teachers, improving their status”, recognises the role of teachers in shaping the values and education of children and young adults. “Teaching is a stressful undertaking.

That is why we must be grateful for the individual efforts of teachers and also partner with them for a holistic approach to education that includes the classroom, the home and the community,” said Persad-Bissessar. “We live in an ever-changing globalised world in which change is an inevitable factor in our daily lives. This means that education and teaching must adjust and adapt to cope with these necessary challenges,” she said.

Because of this reality, she said when she was prime minister (and education minister before that) she improved educational opportunities for students, provided training and development opportunities for teachers, and created an infrastructure to advance education from early childhood to tertiary.

“In Trinidad and Tobago we are fortunate to have a partnership with religious boards that operate schools alongside the secular State schools. This working arrangement has allowed us to explore diverse ways in educating our children, and our teachers have always risen to the daily challenges,” she said.

“On behalf of my family, my extended UNC family, and myself,” Persad-Bissessar said, “I extend our sincerest thanks to teachers at home in Trinidad and Tobago and everywhere for their dedication and commitment to the education of future generations who will build a better world.”