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Education Month…Cleveland Thomas: A Shining Example
Chief Education Officer Genevieve Whyte-Nedd, in a recent interview on NCN at the launching of Education Month affirmed that, “teaching is no easy task, and to run a school is no easy task.”
These very sentiments were echoed by one school head in Linden, who happens to be one of only two male head teachers in the mining town.
Cleveland Thomas recently sat down with Kaieteur News to share some of his thoughts on his life, and the job he loves.
Thomas was chosen as the subject for this feature, because of his shining example in a profession mostly dominated by females, and the views of many Lindeners who commended the work that he has been doing, resulting in visible improvements at the Multilateral school under his stewardship, “we certainly need more male head teachers in the education system.”
When questioned about the possible reason for the paltry number of males that enter the field of education, Thomas unreservedly cited the inadequate salaries presently being paid to teachers.
Nonetheless, this committed Principal said he would not switch careers even for the promise of more lucrative remuneration.
He declared, “I see myself playing a very important role in helping to mould the youths of this country, and I love doing it.”
Cleveland Thomas grew up at 18 Melville St Wismar, Linden, and was formally educated at the St Aidans Anglican and Christianburg Wismar Secondary Schools (CWSS) respectively.
He began his teaching career at the New Silver City Secondary, which at the time was known as Johnson High School, at the age of eighteen.
After his tenure at that school, Thomas went on to teach at the Mackenzie High School, then later left to pursue a Degree in Education at the University of Guyana, from 1992-96. He taught at the Bishop’s High School during the same period.
Thomas said it was always his dream to teach at his alma mater, and that dream came true, when he was offered the position of Deputy Head at CWSS.
He was appointed Headmaster of the school in January 2005.
He noted that despite the negative image that was circulating about the school back then, he was by no means daunted, but rather felt motivated to step in and bring about change.
And change he did bring about, judging from the accolades that are now been heaped on his school.
But for this committed teacher, there were challenges, chief among them being to change the mindset of some youths, who felt that a secondary education was no “big deal”.
Cleveland Thomas
“As a principal, instilling in students the importance of a secondary education in a society where many of the richest people are quite often non academic is no easy task, but I persevered and I have been making inroads,” Thomas said.
Cleveland Thomas is a father of three, and has been happily married for twenty years, to the Deputy Head Teacher of the New Silver City Secondary School.
Describing himself as someone of strong conservative Christian persuasion, Thomas said he places a “high premium” on family, and as such leaves “school” at school, when he is at home.
He also leads by example, both in his personal and professional life, and as a result, finds the task of being the leader far less complicated, than if he did otherwise.
According to Thomas, the most memorable times in his career as a teacher was when his Biology class obtained 100% passes at Mackenzie High School in 1991, and at CWSS in 2006, when his Integrated Science class obtained 100% passes.
“At the last sitting of CSEC, over 50% of the students obtained five or more subjects,” said a gratified Thomas.
His projections for the next couple of years are to see his school offering subjects at CAPE, and also offering evening classes for early school leavers within the community. He also advocates the school’s help in empowering parents to take up their respective roles in society; while steering his school to rise above the many challenges, and ultimately recapturing its former glory; that is to be one of the best in Region 10.
Thomas presently heads a staff of fifty-two teachers, and has responsibility for 943 students.
He reported that currently he has 21 male teachers on staff, which is probably the highest percentage of male teachers at a single school in Region 10.
Thomas reiterates that although being the head of a school is no easy task, a male in that capacity earns more respect, probably just because he is a man; and was optimistic that having more men within the education system would definitely have a positive impact, especially as it relates to discipline. (Enid Joaquin)
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