Teachers reminded that their role in society is essential

Today, in Antigua and Barbuda, numerous teachers are rejoicing in their chosen profession.

Today, on World Teachers’ Day, hundreds of teachers have gathered at Teachers Place for a function that will conclude with a grand rally.

Meantime in an address to mark the occasion, Clare Browne, the Director of Education, highlighted that teachers have always played an essential role in Antiguan and Barbudan society, much like they have in societies worldwide.

“You have not always received the affirmation you rightly deserve. World Teachers Day is an opportunity for us in the Ministry of Education, Sports and Creative Industries to express our sincere gratitude for your selfless service and encourage you to remain a teacher, doing the best you can in this noble profession. You are making a worthwhile investment in the development of the youth and the nation as a whole. Your nation needs you”, he said

This year’s World Teachers Day is being recognized under the theme, “The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage”.

Browne said schools in Antigua and Barbuda are populated with Generation Z and Generation Alpha members, so, as educators, we must consider the nature of the education necessary for their well-being. Gen Zs and Alphas need an education responsive to their increasingly complex needs.

Furthermore, he said it is the kind of education that prepares them to survive in a continually shrinking world as the effects of climate change result in large masses of uninhabitable territory while, at the same time, communication technology is making physical boundaries irrelevant.

“It is the kind of education characterized by keen intercultural sensitivity and adaptability to rapidly changing economic and political states. Today’s students need an education that will prepare them to exploit and advance current innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, quantum computing, and the internet of things. Given their complex education needs, we must also take into account the kind of teachers that they require,” he added

Browne said students need teachers who understand that teachers are integral to the development of society. They need teachers who appreciate the fact that a teacher’s role is a powerful one.

They need, according to him to have teachers who understand that the quality of their instruction is the single most significant school factor in student learning.

“They need teachers who appreciate the essentiality of lifelong learning for instructional effectiveness. They need you,” he added

He said that the Ministry of Education, Sports and Creative Industries, the Ministry of Education are keenly cognizant that the diverse needs of the students who populate our classrooms and the many challenges that they bring daily make teaching extraordinarily complex.

“We are, therefore, hugely appreciative when the needs of students and the efforts of teachers align. We know many of you across Antigua and Barbuda do your best daily. You realize that good teaching is difficult, but you also know that bad, insensitive teaching contributes to unrealized student potential,” he said in his address.

 Adding, “many of you strive to help students reach their fullest potential; we are truly thankful for this. We encourage all of you to continue to do your best, even as we strive to do our best to make teaching as comfortable and rewarding as we can,” he added