Education Ministry rewards students for prompt attendance

Sep 29, 2012 News

Activities to mark Education Month continued last Thursday with a focus on the importance of school attendance and punctuality. The event was the Ministry of Education’s Schools Welfare Services attendance and punctuality rally which, coupled with a Special Awards ceremony, was held at the National Cultural Centre.
Children from a total of 18 nursery, 20 primary and 17 secondary schools were rewarded for the highest attendance and punctuality during the past school year. They were presented with certificates and plaques.
Although it is important to reward children for their interest in school, Chief Education Officer, Mr. Olato Sam said, it also imperative that parents are recognised for their input as well. In fact, he noted that the Ministry cannot attain its broader objective without strong support from the domestic sphere. He alluded to the fundamental role of parents to ensure that their children are always on time, even as he pointed out that theirs is a very difficult task.

Chief Education Officer Olato Sam presents a certificate to a South Road Nursery pupil

The Chief Education Officer added, too, that consistency in attendance has countless benefits and allows for teachers to place confidence in their pupils/students. He further noted that such children are often the ones who are the best performers.
Against this background, Sam said that the Ministry of Education has invested a great deal of effort and resources in ensuring that there is a cohort of well-trained and well-placed Welfare Officers. As such, he applauded the effort of the Schools Welfare Department which, according to him, has been carrying out its mandate with much efficiency and effectiveness, resulting in an impressive school attendance rate which was reflected Thursday.
District Education Officer, Ms Baramdai Seepersaud, in commending those selected for awards, revealed that research has shown that children who attend school regularly are more successful in school than those who do not. She also pointed out that parents who make regular school attendance a priority are also teaching their children to accept responsibility. This, she said, is an important lesson for a successful life, as attendance patterns are usually formed early in life. With such a background, she added, children will be able to develop such patterns throughout their careers.
The intent of Thursday’s ceremony was to not only reward those children who were prompt in their attendance, but also to encourage those who are known to lag behind to endeavour to do better, according to Chairperson Collette Horatio.
Those who were rewarded would have attained a 98 per cent attendance rate.
“Apparently neither our girls or our boys or their parents thought that that mark was unattainable,” Horatio noted as she considered the number of children that were up for awards.