NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Minister of Education the Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd expressed to 250 new public school teachers how powerful they are in the life of a student and urged them to maximise their students’ potentials.

“Understand how critical you are to the life of a student. They vest their regard, credibility in you. You are absolutely in their mind indispensable,” he said.

Minister Lloyd gave remarks during the opening ceremony of an Orientation Exercise for newly appointed teachers at Uriah McPHee Primary School, Kemp Road on Wednesday, August 21, 2019. The goal of the Ministry of Education (MOE) is to increase the graduation rate from 50 per cent to 85 per cent by 2030.

Minister Lloyd highlighted the five focused areas of the MOE. They are technology, universal pre-school education, technical vocational education, curriculum revision and quality teachers.

 On technology he said, “We are on a mad rush to digitise this educational system. Within a year, 30,000 of our students are going to have in their hands for their personal use a tablet – that is all of the pre-schools and primary schools – every student. Each teacher is going to have their lap tops in their hands.

“Within two years the entire school system, all the students, 50 or so thousand, plus the 4,500 teachers and administrators will have their own devices to facilitate and enable this new learning and teaching process.”

Minister Lloyd told the teachers that the MOE understands the need for quality teachers and that is the reason why the Ministry is emphasizing and placing resources behind professional development.

“Yes there are limited resources. It cannot be fair for $17 million for scholarships primarily going to students in search of their bachelor’s degree. You must move to your master’s degree. You better start thinking about your PhD because the country needs specialists and makers of knowledge that is really what a PhD is all about.

“So, monies will be placed for your benefit, and an increasing amount of money each year in the budget so that you will go back to school. We have relationships with a number of universities around the world; we want you to take advantage of it and go back to school. Do not forget Sustainable Development Goal number 4 – lifelong learning,” he added.

Minister Lloyd encouraged the students to appreciate that each student has their “spark of divinity” irrespective of how they look, or where they come from.

“You have no right to be judgemental and wherever you are in such a case of judgementality, get rid of it. Each has a right to a quality education, to maximize their potential and to realize their lifelong dream whatever it happens to be.”

Marcellus Taylor, Director of Education, remarked that education is a human right and the Ministry of Education is committed to ensuring that students are indeed afforded a right that is there is to have.

He said, “In the process of education, it is our jobs in the various ways to cause students to gain the knowledge and skills they need to survive and thrive in society.

“In addition to that, we want to make sure the children have the right attitude and right values so they know how to live and work in society; they know their responsibilities to one another and they execute it. They are a part of the solution not creating more problems.”

Teachers are participating in a panel discussion and workshops during the two-day orientation. Session topics include: Important Management and Protocol Practices, Your Financial Plan is your first Lesson Plan, Health, Wellness and Insurance Matters, Human Resource Matters and Transforming Student Learning through the Engagement of Best Practices.

-30-

Photo Captions

Scenes from the opening ceremony of an orientation exercise for newly appointed teachers showing the Minister of Education the Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd; Director of Education, Marcellus Taylor and some of the new teachers. (BIS photos/Patrick Hanna)