Samuda: Rid schools of negative energy
Published:Tuesday | December 3, 2019 | 12:30 AM
There will be no space in the education system for those who do not promote positive values, Karl Samuda, the stand-in education minister, has charged.
Samuda’s comments follow an incident that took place last month involving a teacher who had a meltdown at the troubled Pembroke Hall High School.
Samuda, who has already made comments on a video of the tirade that went viral, revisited the issue of interactions between teachers and students at the Prime Minister’s Youth Awards at Jamaica House at the weekend.
The Pembroke Hall teacher, Marsha Lee Crawford, went ballistic on November 21, threatening to murder a student.
“This administration has no intention of providing space or comfort for anyone that continues with a negative approach to education. We want positive thinking; we want to be positive in our strategies, positive in our attitude; and we want to convey that positivity to the children. Because if the teachers are not sure of the direction and the journey ahead, how can you expect the children to follow?” the tough-talking Samuda asked.
The acting education minister said that the strategies employed by the ministry to address vexed issues in schools would improve outcomes.
“There are fantastic teachers throughout the length and breadth of this country who devote themselves every day tirelessly to improve the educational standards of our country. I know that every day they struggle with the challenges of issuing the kind of instructions under some adverse conditions, but they are up to the task, they are sticking to the task,” Samuda said.
Samuda entreated the youth to have renewed faith in the country.
“I beg of you, give us your utmost attention, support, and a sense of commitment to making Jamaica remain one of the most fantastic little countries in the world,” the minister pleaded.