Teachers gather in Belize City
If you had to cope with the added burden of having your children at home today, try not to feel too bad: your loss was the teachers’ gain. This morning Jacqueline Woods joined them for a day away from the classroom.
Despite the scorching heat of the day, teachers, principals and school managers from primary and secondary schools countrywide, converged on the M.C.C. Grounds to socialize and enjoy entertainment all in their honor. In his address to the educators, Chief Education Officer, Ernest Raymond reminded the gathering that the purpose of the event was to congratulate teachers and not debate education policy.
Ernest Raymond, Chief Education Officer
“Our teachers have been very tremendous in our efforts and preparing our young people for the future and certainly today is a day to recognize their efforts and to say thanks to them. With that regard, I wish all teachers throughout the country of Belize, a happy Teachers’ Day. Let’s give all of our teachers a great hand of applause.”
Besides the addresses and entertainment, an added attraction was an information fair that included displays by a number of organizations.
Raul Castillo, President, B.N.T.U.
“Many of our teachers are not aware of their existence and the contributions of many of our local organizations offer, so we thought that part of the honor tradition, the fun tradition, that we wanted an enrichment factor placed into our Teachers’ Day. We have, I think almost a dozen and a half different organizations represented.”
Another highlight of the day included heartwarming talks by a student and parent who spoke on the impact teachers have had on them.
Dr. Erasmo Franklin, Parent
“I would like to offer my respect to you for you have stayed in the profession you have joined. You have had the courage to tackle the task at hand, the task to develop a whole individual, all Belizeans who will be our future.”
Darrell Bradley, Student
“I can still remember sitting in Miss Alma Eiley’s kindergarten class at St. Ignatius fifteen years ago, or listening to Miss Barbara lecturer in physics in standard five at Holy Redeemer. These memories time cannot replace and the education that teachers help to give, leave a sense of accomplishment and worth that nothing else in the world can match. As a student, I am grateful to have been profoundly touched by so many of you.”
Jacqueline Woods
“But while the day was planned as a national event Raul Castillo, the President of the Belize National Teachers’ Union said he is saddened that not all teachers and managers of schools are in solidarity with such an event.”
Raul Castillo
“Actually, I personally am a bit disappointed and I did speak about it earlier that many managers, ministry officials, principals instead of agreeing to what we had agreed to do, to ask teachers to be out here, to mandate that they be present, many of these same administrators turned around and gave the teachers to go elsewhere to do whatever they want, or to stay at home. So we are a bit disappointed with that and I am hoping that throughout the day more teachers especially from the Belize area will be able to travel and see what we have.”
For the teachers who did manage to make it out to the M.C.C Grounds, it was a day of good fun.
Ernie Martinez, Teacher, Dangriga Town
“Well I would say that it’s something that is very, very good, in the light that it is always good that the teachers would come together and really put in place what Teachers’ Day really means. So from walking around and looking at everything I think they achieved their objective. It’s very interesting. There are things to learn – new things to learn – and things like that, so it is very good.”
Doris Guzman, Teacher, Burrell Boom
“I think that it is a good day that will help us to become familiar with other teachers from across the country and we can talk to each other find out what is going on in the other districts – problems and achievements – and how we can encourage other teachers to do their best in the classroom.”
The day was celebrated under the theme: “B.N.T.U., The Driving Force for A Nation in Transition”. Reporting for News Five, I am Jacqueline Woods.
