On Thursday, 12th March 2015, the Minister and a team of Education Officials visited the James A. Pinder Primary School in Sandy Point to officially commission the Preschool unit. Making good on his promise to increase access to preschool education not just in New Providence but throughout the Family Islands, the residents of South Abaco expressed their appreciation and gratitude for having a preschool attached to the primary school.
The Minister of Education, Science and Technology highlighted the importance of preschool education and made reference to research regarding the benefits of preschool. “According to the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) children who attend a high-quality preschool enter grade school with better reading skills, richer vocabularies and stronger basic math skills that those who do not.” He further emphasized than the beauty of our preschool environments is that children are given the opportunity to explore, create, imagine, observe, listen, ask questions, try new things and very importantly, practice the skills they learn.
The Minister also heralded Mrs. Agatha Archer, a pioneer in early childhood education for her tenacity in establishing preschools, as well as the role she plays as Co-Chair of the recently formed Preschool Council. Committed to making preschool mandatory and changing the entry age to four, the Minister indicated that the Early Childhood Care Act has been passed by Parliament and this will continue to be an area of importance for the Ministry.
Minister Fitzgerald charged the parents to play an active role in their children’s learning and to model the behavior they wish their children to emulate. He also emphasized that parents are the child’s first teacher and that school should be an extension of the home.
After the commissioning of the Preschool Unit in Sandy Point, the Minister took the opportunity to meet with the 12th graders of Abaco Central High who held a panel discussion to showcase their understanding of the national theme for this school year as well as the 19CCEM theme “Quality Education of Equitable Development: Performance, Paths and Productivity.” The students focused on the role technology can play in enhancing teaching and learning in the 21st Century classroom and discussed the benefits of integrating technology in schools throughout The Bahamas.
Rather intrigued with the thoughts and ideas expressed by the students, the Minister thanked them for engaging him in this manner and as he addressed the students, he took the opportunity to share with the 12th graders how fortunate the students of The Bahamas are, in that, the government provides a free education for all school-aged children. He mentioned the fact that many children in the region do not have access to the school and classroom amenities that they enjoy and urged the students to take full advantage of the education opportunities afforded to them. The Minister further highlighted that research on the world’s educational superpowers prove that technology plays a very insignificant role in the learning process and is not a major factor for academic success.
He noted that the key factors for academic success was grit, determination and the high value parents place on education. Minister Fitzgerald spoke particularly to the female students, noting the role they would play in helping to shape the future of the country and in educating the next generation.” Among the latest research regarding student achievement and how children succeed, is the level of education of the mother and the interest the mother takes in the education of her child.” He told the young men that they were not off the hook and that they too would have a role to play in helping to shape the future of our country.
The following morning, the Minister travelled to the northern end of the island to the Fox Town Primary School to officially open the Preschool Unit there. Scores of residents from Fox Town and the surrounding settlements showed up and the support was overwhelming. He spoke to the parents and reminded them of their role in the education process and the importance of them being partners with the school to ensure that their children succeed. He asserted that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology would have put the necessary infrastructure in place; the classroom, the teacher as well as the teacher’s aide, the teaching resources and materials and other relevant items to provide their children with a learning environment designed specifically for them. “The government has done its part; now you must ensure that you do yours.”
Considering the number of preschoolers enrolled in both units, the Minister is optimistic that the facilities are and will continue to be put to good use. He was delighted to know that of the 48 students enrolled at the James A. Pinder Primary school, 19 were in the preschool; approximately 40% of the school’s population is in the newly established preschool and the Fox Town Preschool Unit reflects similar numbers.
The James A. Pinder Preschool Unit and the Fox Town Preschool Unit take the total number of government operated preschool units throughout The Bahamas to 61; approximately 22 in New Providence and the remainder throughout the Family Islands. As preschool education remains a priority for the Minister; to ensure a solid education foundation, the government will continue to identify where there are needs for a preschool and work diligently to meet them.
