Hazel tells parents: Check the child’s homework

Minister of Education Hazel Manning has urged parents to check on their children’s schoolwork. Drawing attention to recent newspaper headlines on the crisis, she made an appeal to parents. She said: “Get involved in the education of your children. Ensure your children have time for education.” She made the comments while addressing the PNM’s 48th anniversary celebrations on Saturday at the St John’s Ambulance Brigade headquarters. She listed measures her Ministry has taken to keep order in schools, in the wake of a recent outbreak of school violence. Manning recalled that Dr Eric Williams had a vision for education. “Because of education, countless parents can see their children achieve what they did not.”

Manning invited parents to “come on board” to help students to do better. “Education is everybody’s business.” She urged parents to establish homework centres in schools and homes. “Make your greatest effort and come on board to make our schools safe and efficient places of learning.”  She said: “Check your children’s book-bags before they leave for school and after they come back from school,” adding “check for weapons.” Any child found with weapons or “weed,” she warned, would be taken to a police station.