“Beatings of Teachers”

Feb 12, 2023 Letters

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Dear Editor,

It is with deep concern that I write on the following caption “Parent Charged for Assaulting Teacher” (Guyana Times, 10th February, 2023). I shudder to think of the utter breakdown of values in our school system that would allow such a highly disrespectful action to take place against our Educators.

The media carried two such reports of violent acts against our teachers. One act being against teacher Nicasey Barker of St. Angela’s Primary School on the 12^th January, 2023; and teacher Shawn Marshall of Graham’s Hall Primary School on 11^th January, 2023 (Guyana Times 10^th Feb, 2023)

It seems gone are the days when the teacher was esteemed highly. When their words or actions or guidance were greatly prized and looked upon with reverence, as words of wisdom and consider as next being after GOD. Back in the days when I was a child, it was an honour to carry the teacher’s bag, to fetch the teachers’ books with which they taught us as students.

It was an honour to accompany your teacher safely to their homes, as a student, after they would have spent long hours after school in the evenings teaching you the subjects of Mathematics, the Sciences and the Language that you need to past the GCE “O” and “A” Level Exams.

My heart pains greatly to know that a parent or a child taught by the hand of a teacher will slap or kick a teacher. A parent, should honour a teacher for that parent has entrusted the safe keeping of his/her child to the teacher. Who the parent can never recompense for the time and care that the teacher would be giving to the child or children when that parent is busy at work or at home.

The question that I have been asking myself after reading the reports of violence against our teachers in our schools here in Guyana: “is what is responsible for this complete breakdown of morals in our school system?”

The answer that I seem to be always getting is stemming from the removal of Religious Education from our Schools Academic Curriculum. Back in my days, almost every school had a church/chapel located within its building or time set aside in the study curriculum for the teaching of religions or morals. Church School was the norm in my day. You begin every school day with prayers to God. Where you asked the Almighty to bless your teachers and to protect them and to keep them safe and to give us students the capacity to absorb their teachings.

During religious teaching time in my days, you were taught at school to respect your elders, to treat their correction and discipline as acts to lead you in the “straight and narrow way”.

You were taught the self-discipline of morals such as honesty, hard work, and to be good states men and women of your country, to be leaders of integrity. And how well these teachings by our most loved teachers have served us. Just look at the kind of Statesmen that the Church School System has produced – likes of Mr. Rashleigh Jackson, Mr. Odeen Ishmael, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Mr. LFS Burnham, Mr. Pryor Jonas, Judge Duke Pollard, Dr. Steve Surujbally, Mr. Malcolm Parris: all Diplomats and Honoured Guyana Scholars (and I am tempted to state my own name- Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan (you may smile reader).

How far has our education standards fallen since these golden years. Teachers are now afraid to be in the schools of our country. A place where they once felt safe and free and happy to engage the minds of their young charges without restrictions. Violent parents and violent students should have no place in our schools in Guyana. Violent parents should be dealt with according to the law to the maximum level. Students can be dealt with according to juvenile and criminal laws based on the ferocity of the acts that they have committed.

These kinds of violent oriented students could be leaders in gangs in the future. And gangs could lead to gang war fare in schools. Teachers, administrators and other students could become their target. This is a situation that needs to be “nipped” immediately. I am happy to see that the government and the authorities have taken action by charging Ms. Ashelle Clement (parent) with assault and finding her before the courts for assaulting the teacher (Guyana Times 10^th Feb, 2023).

I applaud the statement by the newly appointed Chief Education Officer, Mr. Saddam Hussain, for his statement in the media that “Whatever the circumstances, it (assaulting a teacher) is a reprehensible and ghastly act. It is unacceptable and will not be condoned by the Ministry of Education” (Guyana Times, 10th February, 2023). We, the people of this country, need to see more of this to send a serious message to violent parents and students.

We need to go back to the days when teachers were divine creatures held in high esteemed and are the people who we can say, can truly help to create change and standards in our country.

Sincerely,

Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan (Snr)

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• Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan (Snr), media, Parent Charged for Assaulting Teacher, Shawn Marshall, teachers

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