As the summer break comes to a close and the advent of a new academic year is upon us, children and adults alike are either already back in school or going back to school. Over the summer, parents across our archipelago of islands would have invested in getting their children ready for the 2014/15 school year.
It is customary during this period for Bahamian parents to take time off to experience their children's first day in school, and we often memorialize this event with pictures and videos. The proud and satisfying look on the faces of parents as they drop their offspring off is always beautiful to behold.
In true Bahamian fashion, relatives and friends are often not left out of the major event that is the first day of school; grandparents, aunts, uncles, godparents and well-wishers also participate in this joyous occasion.
The vital task of teachers
We salute the teachers of our country and recognize that we will forever be indebted to them. No country, including The Bahamas, will ever be able to adequately or fully compensate these valuable gems for their toil and sweat in helping to mold our sons and daughters and by extension preparing the next generation for the future.
The reality that our children and full time students spend a great deal of their time with teachers, tutors and lecturers cannot be denied. It follows therefore that teachers are positioned by virtue of their role and presence to have a unique opportunity to impart knowledge and exert influence.
Teachers have the distinct privilege to shape the future of our country through their verbal teachings and the level of discipline they exercise. More importantly, their actions and inactions in key moments in the lives of their students will leave lasting impressions.
They must also remember that the emerging generations do not subscribe to the philosophy of "Do as I say and not as I do". Hence, teachers should try to exemplify and practice what they teach by being good role models. Going into the new school year, our teachers must not forget the charge they have to keep, even as we have entrusted to them our nation's darlings.
Outsourcing parental duties
A quick look at the social landscape and fabric of our country will show that the family structure is challenged and, it can be argued, is at risk. We seem to have intentionally or unintentionally neglected or outsourced our responsibilities as parents to others. The others in this regard includes the government, religious establishments, civic groups, teachers, sport coaches and in some cases the society as a whole with no specific delegation. The end result has been the decline in our educational grades, moral values, spiritual beliefs and our communities.
The new school year should be embraced by us all as a chance to go back to the basics and commit to greater involvement in the lives of our children. Individuals without children in school should consider adopting a relative or unrelated student to support during this academic year. The saying that it takes a village to raise a child must be put into practice and all hands must be on deck.
Our country needs us all to prepare the next generation to whom the torch must be passed in future. It must be noted that while teachers, religious leaders and others will play different roles in the lives of children, parents are ultimately responsible for their upbringing.
Outside the classroom
There is a lot of emphasis placed on the information provided and lessons learned in the classroom setting. This is expected seeing that we send our children to school to obtain a formal education and develop skills that will make them productive as good citizens of The Bahamas. In the midst of this formal training, the importance of having the fear of God, the wonders of good attitude and necessity of respect for one's self and others must not be forgotten or overlooked. Students ought to be constantly reminded of the famous quote that "Your attitude determines your altitude".
There is so much to be learned outside the formal classroom and it is vital that we do not forget that there is much learning for our children as they observe us and the leaders of our country. Do we inspire them to be great or mediocre? Are they aware that sacrifices are required to achieve greatness but the prize is worth the price?
How much do we emphasize the dignity of labor and invaluable nature of the sweat from one's toil? Has it become old-fashioned to have verbal conversations with our children without being distracted by social media or technology? How well are we doing with educating the new generation outside the formal classroom?
In the final analysis, how well do we know our children and how much do they know about us? The answers to these questions will be unique but will determine our grades in the raising of our children.
Going back to another school
As I began to conclude this article, the thought crossed my mind that perhaps not only our children and adults returning to school for formal education require a return to the classroom. The current challenges facing our dear country and the current social climate in our Bahamaland suggests that we all need to go back to school; back to the school of fundamentals for lessons of life that have brought us as far as we have come. For as we march on and look to the future, we must not forget that the path we traveled has brought us to this point.
This writer submits that we must return to the simple and basic values that made us the envy of many nations. We must reintroduce the common courtesies and manners that were taught by our forefathers and foremothers. To paraphrase the words of a popular Chinese proverb, we enjoy the shade today because they planted the tree several years ago. The question arises as to what trees if any are we planting for future generations.
Have we become so selfish and self-absorbed in our own ambitions and comforts that we no longer care about the future of our nation? A return to the school of life, our spiritual convictions and a reflection on the fundamental lessons of yesteryear is essential if the glory of the latter house is to supersede that of the former. We pray God's blessings upon our children and students during this academic year.
o Arinthia S. Komolafe is an attorney-at-law. Comments on this article can be directed to a.s.komolafe510@gmail.com.

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