Retired educator Edward Jarvis is a ‘Special Person’

Oct 22, 2023 News

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For his sterling contribution to the education sector and his community…

Kaieteur News – These days, Edward Jarvis would keep abreast with current affairs mainly through social media. On many occasions, he would analyse the state of the country’s education system.

Although retired, the former educator is still passionate about the education system to which he dedicated most of his life. His passion lies so deep that he would call up young teachers, education officials and professionals connected to the sector with words of advice, words of encouragement and he would listen attentively to their ideas during the discussions.

Jarvis told The Waterfalls that his career in the education system started in 1972 when he applied for and was offered a job as a school teacher at the Santa Rosa Primary School at Moruca, North West District.

At that time, he said it was not the field of work he thought he was going to enter since his parents were involved in forestry and mining. “At one point, I thought I was going to be a miner,” he said.

He said the school system at Moruca was managed by the Roman Catholic Church and the head teacher at the time advised him that he should enter the profession, “since she saw it as a stepping stone for me.”

Jarvis was in his mid-teenage years and after contemplating the idea, he applied for the job and started teaching after successfully obtaining the job. He then enrolled in the teacher’s training college, what is today the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE).

In 1974, after successfully completing the training programme, he returned to Santa Rosa and two years later, he moved to the Arakaka Primary School in the Matarkai sub-region of Region One where he spent a year.

Moving to Georgetown

In 1979, Jarvis moved to the city to teach at the Carmel Secondary School. He spent a number of years there before moving to the Graham’s Hall Primary School on the East Coast of Demerara around 1994.

He enrolled in the University of Guyana in 1997 and successfully read for a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, graduating from the institution in 2001.

He described his move to Georgetown as a major “culture shock” and he noted that moving to the city and teaching the children in a different environment were two instances which he had to adapt to. “Teaching in the hinterland is quite different,” he said.

Jarvis said in the hinterland, he would spend many multiple hours providing extra lessons for students to ensure that they perform well exams. “Sometimes we would give lessons until 5 p.m. after school, for free,” he said.

In Georgetown, he said he had to adapt to the thought that nothing is free. “Lessons, fruits, even the basic necessities like water I had to adjust to paying for these,” he said of the wider culture of living in the city.

“I grew up in the Waini River and when someone gives you a fish, they give you a fish, it’s for free. In Georgetown, nobody gives you a fish and it’s the same with everything else,” he said.

In addition, Jarvis said he was also faced with a difference in the type of students he taught in the city when he first arrived. “In the hinterland, the students are more quiet and you don’t have to do much to ensure they are disciplined,” he said.

He said at one point while he taught at the Carmel Secondary School, he stayed home for a month. “The head master told me that I should not allow the tail to wag the dog,” he noted, adding that it was an adjustment he had to face and take control of.

Being a shoe maker

In addition to adaption to the school environment, Jarvis said he had to also cater for his family’s welfare and as a father of four, he would soon realize that the teaching profession could not sustain all their needs while in Georgetown. “One of the first things I had to do was to augment my earnings,” he said.

Jarvis had relatives who were involved in the shoemaking business and he soon entered the trade. “That helped me quite a lot,” he said, and he noted that he primarily manufactured slippers. He said he used mainly rubber to make the footwear. “Bhaichandeen store imported the rubber so I would purchase it there to make the slippers,” he said.

He said he plied his trade at the market. “At one point, I had a stall at the La Penitence Market,” he said.

Transitioning from teaching profession

 

In 2006, Jarvis joined the staff of the Ministry of Education as the hinterland coordinator and in 2008, he was tasked with overlooking all fast-track initiatives in the interior locations.  During this time, he noted that an important aspect of his role was to implement community-based feeding programme across the country as part of his tasks.

The wider programme he overlooked ended in 2012, however the government decided to retain the school feeding programme.

Jarvis said that he was then contracted in the post of hinterland coordinator for another decade and it was during this time that he gained much knowledge and understanding of the education system across the country.

He said that since he was familiar with Region One, his role was expanded to becoming familiar with all administrative regions of the country. Jarvis said that there is always the perception of a “gap in education” with a comparison drawn between the hinterland and the coastland.

Education gap

His role, which was supported by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), was one which focused on “closing that gap” and to advise the hinterland communities of the mandate of the Ministry of Education.

“That was challenging,” he said of the mammoth task which lay ahead of him. He said that while there are similarities between the two environments, there were marked differences. In addition, he obtained overseas exposure of what occurs in the education system in other countries. “As a quick learner, it was helpful to obtain that type of experience,” he said.

Jarvis said that when he considers the “perceived gap” in the education system, “I have a sense feeling as if I was a failure.” He explained however, that he recognised from his experience that closing “that gap” is beyond him.

“It calls for political will,” he said, noting that a number of questions remain relevant today.

“How will we train and ensure schools have teachers?” he asked. “How will we improve the system where we have the issue of poverty in the hinterland?” he noted.  Jarvis said too that in the hinterland, there are some communities where English is not the first language and he noted that these are among the challenges which the Ministry of Education faces.

Jarvis believes that the school-feeding programme is alleviating a major burden families in the hinterland face and he noted that this programme, where the students are given a hot meal at midday, as well as breakfast, is paying dividends. “It is paying off especially in Region Nine,” the former educator said.

He reiterated that improving the system and removing the “perceived gap” relies heavily on the policies of the education ministry.

Life changing experience

While the former educator reflects on his career, he recalled a life-changing experience in 1992 which he said impacted his appreciation for life. He said he hails from a family where diabetes is hereditary and in 1992, he woke up one day and realised his sight was waning.

At the time he was at Moruca and he was brought to the city to check his eyes. He said one of his sons, who is now deceased, decided to spend time with him and he noted that six months after the initial blindness which he felt, he went completely blind.

He received treatment and in June 1992, he was referred to the late eye specialist Dr. Alphonso at the Woodlands Hospital. He said he received treatment on credit since the $125,000 cost for the surgery was beyond him.

The surgery was successful; he noted and he was able to see again in mid-June, 1992, in time for his birthday. “I was able to see again through my left eye and several years later, I regained my sight in my right eye,” he added.

Jarvis said he has a holistic appreciation for life, noting that his love for the education system and developments within the system lie close to his heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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• Being a shoe maker, Education gap, Life changing experience, Transitioning from teaching profession

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