Education official wants more salaries for teachers as a result of World Teachers Day celebration. Former school principal and senior program officer at the Ministry of Education, Simeon Joseph, was the guest speaker at the World Teachers Day in Dominica. He addressed teachers on the theme “Young Teachers: The Future of the Profession” at the event which held at the North East Comprehensive School.
Joseph said teachers would do well in their profession if the government would pay them better than they presently earn. He said many teachers actually enjoy their job but their performance is hampered by how much they earn as salaries. He urged the authorities to pay teachers more to get them living a decent livelihood. He said this is one of the main ways to make the teaching profession desirable and honorable.
President of the Dominica Association of Teachers, Mervin Alexander, agreed with Joseph that teachers ought to earn more.
Joseph furthermore counselled young teachers to run from anyone or anything that constitutes negativity and unpleasantness. He asked teachers who are still young in the profession to run or stay away from people who love lateness to work, unpreparedness to everything, dress badly to their workplace, and have little to no regards for school officials or the education system.
“Run away from those who encourage procrastination and disrespect and lack of confidentiality in the profession; run away from those who resist change and innovation and spread negativity; run away from those who do not know how to be confidential and professional in school matters; run from those who do not support school management and who undermine school authority and do not support their colleagues in school matters; run from those who choose to behave unprofessionally in public or among the students,” Joseph warned.
Simeon Joseph: Senior Program Officer at the Ministry of Education
He tasked young teachers to be passionate, positive and enthusiastic about their job. He counseled them to run to older and more responsible teachers who value positive work ethics, take pride in their classrooms, and manage every student under their care with efficiency. He bid them to work with senior colleagues who mentor and grade their students with transparency, as well as those who consult with parents to make students better in their education.
“Run towards those who keep abreast with education policies and legislation and also constantly seek new subject knowledge to share with their students; run towards those who let excellence be their aim, who constantly seek improvement and set high standards and expectations for themselves and others,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senator and UWP candidate for the Roseau Valley, Attorney Ronald Charles, visited several schools which included the Community High School, Morne Prosper Primary, Trafalgar and Wotten Waven Primary and the Cochrane Primary where he appreciated teachers for their good works and presented them with gifts.
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