Proud image of teaching profession will be restored – Education Minister Roopnarine

Guyana Chronicle June 8, 2015

THE high esteem teachers were once held in years ago has significantly deteriorated but all may not be lost. New Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnarine has promised to work with all stakeholders in the education sector to restore pride in the profession.There was a time when teachers were held in high regard, were highly respected, carried themselves with dignity and were good role models to young people in society. Though these standards are still upheld by some teachers, in general, the high standards once upheld have fallen. The drop in elevated values once embraced by teachers can be compared, but to a lesser extent to the deteriorating standards of the Guyana Police Force. Dr Roopnarine pointed out that he recalled a time when a person dares not ride his bicycle without lights in front a policeman, but it happens at times today. The same, he said is with teachers, noting that it was a gross travesty in his days as a student for a student to be openly disrespectfully to his teacher. “A lot of these high standards deteriorated over the years. I am hoping that a lot of it can be restored through serious and systematic work. I have not given up on the re-creation of standards and to bring back into the education system the qualities that once drove it,” Dr Roopnarine, a former university professor, told the Guyana Chronicle. The Minister was reluctant to say the possible reasons that contributed to the dampening of the image of the teaching profession, but contended that it is a “complicated thing” which needs a good sociological explanation since generally it did not happen in isolation. “I can’t isolate what has happened to teachers to what happened to the police and other figures of authorities. I think that there has been a general breakdown… I don’t think that there is a single reason for the breakdown. I think that they are a number of complicated factors that come together, releasing this kind of phenomenon,” he reasoned. Much work Getting back on track, he said will require much work but no effort would be spared to ensure that the teaching profession enjoyed the respectful status it once enjoyed. “A code of conduct for teacher is not a bad idea to start with. It is something I would want to work out with the Guyana Teachers’ Union. The union must be consulted in creating such a code. And once we have an enforceable code, we should enforce it. “We don’t need pedophiles in our school system; we don’t need sadist in our school system. There are lots of thing we don’t need in our school system. We need people who can really bring out from the child the best within the child and they are not going to do this by coercion and bullying, but through love and care.” Since assuming office, Dr Roopnaraine has received scores of letters from persons, many highly qualified, both locally and abroad, expressing an interest in volunteering their services to help raise the standard of education delivery. The Minister said he is heartened by the interests shown in this regard, noting that it is a good sign that with all working together, Guyana will enjoy a bright future. Aside from the expectations from teachers, Dr Roopnaraine said the school system needs to be more supportive in helping children to overcome challenges they face as teenagers, and other problems. “I don’t’ believe that we have enough or sufficient trained and motivated social workers in the school system. Frankly, every school needs a social worker; not enough counselling is taking place in the school system. “Children are going through stages of development, and for some, the movement from one stage to the next is traumatic. Children undergo psychological and physiological dislocations and interruptions that need to be dealt with professionally. “I want children to have access to trained professional counselling. It is a vital in the staffing of schools and in ensuring a smooth delivery and receipt of education,” Dr Roopnaraine told this publication. The Ministry of Education is grappling with a number of challenges including truancy, teenage pregnancy and violent students.