Patrick Faber readily admits that he is ambitious
Patrick Faber
As we reported, the Education and Training Bill was passed by the Senate today. The man who steered the controversial Bill in the House last Friday, was the Minister of Education Patrick Faber. Faber was both emotional and controversial as he took on one of his predecessors as well as a union leader during his extended presentation on the removal of corporal punishment. He directly fingered the veteran George Frazer and accused unionists of clouding the issue with politics. Faber sat on the couch early this morning on Open your Eyes and immediately after he re-iterated to News Five that he was unrepentant and that he had ambitions of his own.
Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
“I will not hide the fact that I am ambitious. I don’t think that I need to apologize for that but my task at this point is my work as Minister of Education and I try to do the best that I can at anything that I do. And I believe that at some point in the future of this nation that the people of this country wish to see me in a different position that I first have to show them that I am able to do certain things and to lead at this level.”
“One of the things the union was shouting out there, Mr. Frazer led the charge “oh this is the man the party wants to be the next prime minister, the next leader of the party.” I’m ambitious, I noh wah hide that. I know what I want in life and I am working towards that and I realize I have to pay my dues and I have to do certain things to contribute to the development of this country and I am forging ahead with that. I intend to have a very strong impact on this system after my term as Minister of Education. I make no apologies for that but if I have learned lessons in the process moving along? Yes I have.”
Faber need to know that when the comal gets hot it really gets hot. The PUP took their licking from the UNIONS and they saw the outcome. If you think its political agenda and dont listen then you will see the outcome. These teachers rallied against PUP and now they doing it against you. You still think it is political? Faber, them same teachers you insulted in the house will give you a grade after a few years. You will then know who is ignorant. Teachers are here for years and will be here for years and in the end receive their pensions. Those same ignorant teachers are teaching future ministers of government. One thing you must remember is that politicians come and go.
If Faber wants to achieve his ambitions, he needs to learn that the political game isn´t only played inside cabinet, it is played on the streets. Although i believe he has good intentions he always comes off as being arrogant. He shouldn´t be apologetic for his ambitions, just for his attitude. Leadership isn´t about being firm it´s about being persuasive.
Faber you need to think and remember that we all learned to the tune of the “hickory” stick…actually in our case it could have been a different stick but stick none the less! I am sure that the rule can be and by the way should be modified to make sure teachers do not over step the limits and cross over into the relm of abuse.
How about making sure there is a withness (another teacher or the principal) to this sort of punishment or even more it can be video taped. Teachers should not be disarmed this way. We have seen what has happened to American primary schools: a first world nation with way less than third world students’ achievements.
Let’s see you fight with this same level of fervence for better school buildings, better pay and more equipment! You would realize your dreams of being the next PM even quicker!
Taking away jug and lashing will only make these criminally inclined children of ours more likely to be criminals when they reach 16 or 17
A HUGE MISCOMMUNICATION GAP IS TAKING PLACE BETWEEN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS:
Before anyone takes to the streets protesting, before any decision is made by the government, Where are the studies? Where are the statistics? Where are the findings of local psychologists and sociologists on corporal punishment?
Have we surveyed prison inmates, professionals, high school/college students and high school dropouts to determine how effective corporal punishment really is?
It seems to me BOTH GROUPS ARE IGNORANT.
Mr. Chi, before you go saying that taking away jug and lashing will make children more inclined to become criminals, I strongly suggest that you go interview some criminals in the Hattieville prison and find out what percentage of them experienced corporal punishment , then interview the same number of successful professionals and find out the percentage of that group.
CEO:
You compare the corporal punishment situation in Belize to the USA. You might want to broaden that comparative analysis on a more global level. Here’s a helpful link
http://www.corpun.com/rules.htm
You’ll find that countries with greater educational achievements than Belize have tightened up on corporal punishment in schools.
Our Ministry of Education together with a diverse group of teachers from across the country might want to form a committee that looks at school corporal punishment globally. We can learn a lot from other countries to make certain reforms.
If these steps had been taken, maybe we wouldn’t have seen so many teachers take to the streets protesting this issue. Communication efforts need to be improved! I hope that’s what everyone can learn from this!
Okay, so I see that we have now created a Task force appointed to find alternatives to corporal punishment. That is a good step! But they should also try studying corporal punishment in Belize to make their case for finding alternatives. (e.g. we have x, y, z regarding corporal punishment in our schools based on x, y, z studies; hence, we are going to x, y, z.)
All this should’ve been done before any announcement was made to remove corporal punishment from primary schools in efforts to prevent the mass “ignorant” protest. Again, this is an indicator of poor communication between the Ministry of Education and the school system.
I beleive that this minister of education is really tough on his way now. He di call the last teachers’ protest as political and ignorant. What does this mean in Belizean dictionary?(Stupid, fool, dumb etc..) What about when he was in opposition a few years da back? What would he call it? I am a support of his party but he want to think he and his party is there forever, let him do that and next three years is right around the bend. He has to remember that politician come and go but teachers are there to educate who want to be somebody, someday. WE can say that we use to be a teacher, that does not solve anything. The minister was very disrespectful to the teachers. Let’s see if he can practice what he use to and is preaching. WE can say things very easily but to produce its result is challenging. Do not give up teachers, you are our roots! CHOW! GOODBYE! HASTA LA VISTA! LATA! U LA’AK QUI”IN
How is it that Corporal punishment is such a big issue .Most Belizean was brought up under this system and i havn’t heard of anyone who died from it.Instead of ………. about corporal punishment why not make laws to protect these underpayed teachers that are educating our disrespectful kids.
I agree with almost all mentioned here even the committee strategy but man you know call people who voted you in ‘ignorant’ one has to be more tactful than that, When people are asking for something to be put in place before it is voted in as a bill even, that is no ignorance, that is communication asking with a purpose, finally it sunk in, let’s see what the committee comes up with, a suggestion; look at successful schools in Belize and other countries, ask the students, the parents and the communities for ideas about your system, consult with the poeple! they voted not only ministers in but all those committee members…then thru surveys and so on which cost no monies we can come up with something for the Belizean child, ours is a unique precious culture…if we as adults do not reinforce each other positively then we would not be able to peer pressure our own young uns positively and motivate them, we have to start somewhere, progress and be consistent.
Where do I start.
1. If this is the future of Belize, then there is need for serious concern. My hope for Belize is that its people will become enlightened and put party politics aside. In this way they will be able to discern between “real” leaders and “wanna be” leaders. Real leaders are those who lead by example and a big part of that example is embedded in RESPECT for ALL
2. Mr. Faber needs to read up and learn some more about what “pedagogical training” entails. Don’t try calling out your subordinates when you yourself lack an understanding of the concept. I think you need to be careful of what you say here especially when you have educated people reading the news. I was wondering, does Mr. Faber have any teaching experience?
3. “There is nothing in the laws of Belize that say that we have to consult stakeholders in order to change the education act; none” Patrick Faber (2010). Let’s hope that you do not need to consult anyone when you need votes. Just saying… Peace
It is a known fact that what a child learns between the age of 18 months and 3 years will rule their actions for the rest of their lives. You have TV and radio stations, use that means to start teaching parents this major fact of life. A child should already know good behaviors before they ever start school. Parents on any social level can teach a child good behvoirs and manners. It has nothing to do with anything else, it’s just simply better parenting. If you want to change the lives of childen that is where it starts, a teacher or police department should never need to use corporal punishment on a child. A child needs to learn respect at a very young age from parents.
Tyadia well said, I keep saying that a lot of us came from the ‘old school’ who are successful but a lot of them are in prison also. It is not only corporal punishment which makes us successful, we had to have had some other positive influences in our lives. It seems that a lot of us have lost our dictionary. All of a sudden we do not know what ignorant mean we do not know what corporal punishment means. I am sure that for every teacher who was out there protest there was one who did not agree with them. This si what a democracy is people. Jer, I do not believe that our teachers are ignorant at least not in the sense you all seem to continue to interpret it. I believe that they lack alternatives which is what is being worked towards. What is ignorant is all the people persisting to misinterpret and misrepresent what the Hon. Faber said.
well at least we can see a srtaight road ahead now, let see what will be the outcome since PANTI is part of the commission appointed, really don’t want to hear him railing and barking again cause he knows the truth that children are really physically abused in schools, we all know some of these teachers go to work especailly on monday morning with a BAD GOMMA, he can tell you that by expirience, nevertheless I am hoping for the best for our children and those good teachers who are like angels to our children.
I agree with Tyadia….”poor communication between the Minister of Education and the school system…” same thing happening here in the US, and the teachers continue to get disrespect and abuse from the Dept. of Ed., and some parents as well. The results here are….teachers whose hands are so tied that some, give up and go to work, but they really don’t teach, others are still committed and continue to teach, some are even leaving the teaching field, and finding second careers, or other jobs to do.
LETTE IF THE MINISTER DIDN’T MEAN WHAT HE SAID, THEN HE SHOULD NOT HAVE SAID IT!!!
THE MERE FACT THAT HE USED THE WORD “IGNORANT” REFERRING TO THE TEACHERS, SHOWS THAT HE IS DOES NOT SHARE THEIR VIEWPOINTS, OR EVEN CARE TO LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY!!!
Minister Faber means well and though he may come across as a hard …. the truth is Belize and especially our school system needs that. I understand his view point on the corpral punishment situation and he is right that has nothing to do with politics. I was a student not so long ago and i was lashed with rulers in a Belizean primary school. I have also seen teachers pound on kids continuously but the fact is that does not help them learn and it does not better their behaviour. It builds in them a fear of school and they never feel that drive to continue. People do not realize how much teachers affect the future of student. Whether it be positively or neatively. Minister Faber has recognized the source of our problem and he’s tryin to change the situation.
The dictionary meaning of “ignorant” is “Lacking Knowledge” and that is true. While they may know what they are doing they “lack knowledge” of classroom management and child psycology which are courses they need to be taking. So instead of pointing fingers make suggestions like these. Let the “UNION” set up workshops to help teachers obtain this skill. Minister Faber is the best thing to happen to our Education system. His passion is what we need for a better future. Do you not think it’s stressful for him to work without the support of the very people he works for. He cares and the last time i checked the betterment of our students, our future leaders, was not a political matter. So why are we tryin to make it one?
i agree with true belizean…too many of us belizeans speak ignorantly…FABER means well and i c him doing what no other minister of education has never done..
Julius Caesar was ambitious. For that Brutus had him killed. Et tu Dean.