Industrial Arts teacher, Henry Munroe, is a ‘Special Person’

Mar 08, 2015 News

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 “I am a strong advocate for teachers to work hard in schools and do what they are paid to do—teach! Don’t try to short-change the children!”

By Leon Suseran

To mention the old adage, as agile as a monkey, is what describes veteran educator Henry Munroe. His

innate ability to think on his feet, literally, has kept him active, busy and provided an avenue for him to continue giving back to society in very practical ways.
Today, five years or so after he retired from the public education system, Munroe still plumbs. His area of expertise over the decades—plumbing—keeps him on the go.
He is also an energetic gardener, spending long hours in his kitchen garden, tending to his pepper as well as fruit plants. Additionally, Mr. Munroe has spent over 30 years in heartfelt service to a field that seems to be dying today, in terms of the dearth of those in its specialization, Industrial Arts.
Mr. Munroe has made an indelible contribution to the field of Industrial Arts, and it does not end there. He was also instrumental in the participation of the athletic sporting activities of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), whether it was chairing events or commentating, or officiating at the National Schools Athletics Championships.
Of no less importance is that our ‘Special Person’ is happily married to Corinne and they share three children – Olsyn, Arlene and Marcus.
Born to cash crop farmers, Cecil and Enid Munroe at Fern Village, West Bank Berbice, he attended St. Catherine’s Lutheran School. In 1967, at age 12, young Henry and his family moved to Liverpool Village, Corentyne, where he spent the remainder of his childhood days. He continued his education at Manchester Primary. He later attended the then Manchester Secondary (present-day Winifred Gaskin Secondary).
After high school, Henry, not doing too well in the academic subject areas, opted to

pursue practical areas at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI), in 1975. He particularly loved plumbing and graduated two years later with his City & Guilds and Certificate of Attainment.
“In a sense, I was not academically qualified, so I wanted to learn a trade,” he noted. But his application to work with the Ministry of Works was unsuccessful, so he opted to teach Industrial Arts.

TEACHING AND DEDICATION
In January 1978, Henry commenced teaching at Tain Primary School. He taught plumbing, which was a separate subject back then. During this period, he began his teacher training at the In-Service Centre of the Cyril Potter College of Education, New Amsterdam Multilateral School compound. The young teacher was one out of 13 persons selected to be trained in delivering Industrial Arts across the curriculum.  He made huge sacrifices during those years, since he travelled back and forth from Corentyne to New Amsterdam almost daily. But he enjoyed being endowed with the necessary skills to teach the subject. He recalled utilizing the services of the Tata Buses.
He taught four years at Tain after which he was transferred to Manchester Community High School as Deputy HM. He said those were his best years, working under then Headteacher, Mr. Dalton Lashley. “We had very good camaraderie.”
Seven years later, he was promoted Head of Department (Industrial Arts) at Kildonan Primary. After that, he assumed the position acting Deputy Headteacher at Winifred Gaskin Memorial Secondary. He spent the bulk of his teaching career—18 years to be exact—there.

Mr. Munroe taught several practical subjects, such as Welding, Carpentry as well as Technical Drawing and Sheet Metal Drawing. The students enjoyed the subjects, he recounted. Being a very dedicated teacher, who always strived to be on time for work, Mr. Munroe would spend his August vacation designing and constructing teaching aids. Yes—when most teachers would be visiting other places and having fun out of the classroom and away from school, our ‘special person’ would be planning what he would be teaching during the new Academic Year.
“I used to collect cardboard and make my teaching aids—so when you go to school, you don’t have to hustle,” he said. “I never used to go to work late, too—never!” He boasted about always being the first person to arrive at work.
Additionally, Mr Munroe took pride in never having to exhaust all of his annual leave. In his 32 years of teaching, never did he use up all of his Sick or Urgent Private Affairs (UPA) Leave.

In those days, there were separate Education Officers with responsibilities over the technical fields of Industrial Arts, Home Economics, Agricultural Science, and such like.
The young teacher became entangled during this period with the activities of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), where he was urged  by  veteran educator and trade unionist, Ms. Winifred Haywood, to start attending conferences and meetings.
He swiftly moved up the ladder of that organization and became Treasurer of the Central Corentyne area. “You learn a lot—you get to know your rights and responsibilities and the activities of the union.” He regularly played Cricket and Dominoes for the GTU’s Central Corentyne area.  He also commenced officiating at the GTU National Schools’ Championships since 1993, a task he does to this day, making him one of the longest-serving officials at that event. “That is where you get to meet teachers from all over the Districts,” he reflected.
The leadership skills of Mr. Munroe are highly valued, as he has participated in the

monitoring of every GTU Biennial Elections over the past decades.

SHORTAGE OF INDUSTRIAL ARTS TEACHERS AND ADVICE
Addressing the shortage of Industrial Arts teachers in the system today, Mr. Munroe said “I believe the training affects them…because now, to be trained, you have to go to CPCE Turkeyen.” Underscoring the importance of the subject area, Mr. Munroe says that “it makes you an all-rounder in life, skills of which are very essential for the youths of today”. He also stressed on the importance of other Technical Vocational subjects such as Home Economics and Agricultural Science as well.
Reflecting on his years in teaching, he is quite satisfied, having made numerous contributions. Today, he takes on plumbing and guttering peoples’ homes, earning something on the side as well.
“Plumbing keeps me active; for instance three weeks ago I went to Parfaite Harmonie to do work. There is something of a scarcity of plumbers today.” He acknowledges that he is one of the only plumbers in the Central Corentyne area. “The thing is not about (just) cutting and pasting—you have got to know the technicality in plumbing. Plumbing today has changed extensively.”
“With regard to teachers, first of all they must like the job. I am a strong advocate for teachers to work hard in schools and do what they are paid to do—teach! Don’t try to short-change the children!”
“I must admit that today’s children are of a different calibre, in terms of their behaviour, attitudes and discipline. It is important for parents to assist teachers in the discipline of their children. In our days, parents used to support teachers. And not only do some parents not support teachers these days, they talk a lot of negative things about the teachers in the presence of their children.”
“Quite frankly, I a firm supporter of Corporal Punishment, and have used it during my 32 years of teaching, because I found that no matter how much you talk to some children, they don’t hear, and when they see the whip, they get quiet. Corporal Punishment should not be abused, though, and must only be used with a good cause.
“And then there are some troublesome children who fight and take advantage of other children, so you whip them. But as with everything, there are advantages and disadvantages,” he thoughtfully concluded.
Your work did not go in vain, Mr. Munroe, and Guyana thanks you for your dedicated and committed service.

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