A special service in appreciation of teachers in Anguilla was held at the Mount Fortune Seventh-day Adventist Church on the afternoon of March 24.

The educators were welcomed on behalf of Pastor Danny Philip, his wife and the congregation, by Marilyn Hodge, General Secretary of the Anguilla Teachers’ Union. She expressed thanks for the kind hospitality, untiring support, generosity and thoughtfulness of the Church for organising the Teachers’ Appreciation Day Service.

Teachers receiving gifts

“Teaching is the most important profession in our society,” Mrs. Hodge went on. “Teachers change more lives than any other profession – hence they should be paid more than any other profession. With so many teachers retiring or leaving the service, the shortage of good teachers is becoming critical. The work of a teacher should never be underestimated, under valued or under appreciated. Teachers hold great power and can have much influence either for good or evil.” She called on teachers to be vigilant in order not to lose their fragile opportunity to improve the lives of children and the community and to make the world a better place.

Teacher Art and other teachers

Pastor Philip said he was aware that teachers were functioning in an environment that might not always be the best and that they were playing a very important role in the society. “This is why we have taken the time today to publicly recognise and award teachers for the contribution they have been making to the community. Our theme for this afternoon is Touching Lives, Moulding Future because we believe that every child who passes through a teacher’s hand that his or her life has been touched and their future has been enhanced. This is why the Seventh-day Adventist Church has invited you to be here.”

President of the Teachers’ Union, Leroy Hill, was grateful to the Church for recognising the contribution which educators are making to society. “We, the teachers, educators, visionaries, guiders, leaders stand to be recognised,” he told his colleagues and asked them to recognise their calling.
Permanent Secretary, Foster Rogers, spoke on behalf of Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming. He commended the Church for taking time to recognise the teachers as their work had a very tremendous and direct impact and effect on the lives of persons of every age bracket. “Each of us can think of a teacher who, at some stage in our life, touched us tremendously and whose impact to this day continues to direct our lives in some way,” he said.

“The responsibility of educating students, makes teaching one of the most important jobs in our society,” he continued. “Teachers make a difference in the lives of their students – whether it is coaxing, inspiring, nurturing or even talking with them. Teachers love working with children and enjoying the connection that comes from being an educator.

Some of the teachers at the service

“One cannot succeed as an educator without acquiring a generous heart because the work of a teacher does not end with the close of the school day. The after hours of a teacher require more than grading papers, planning lessons or learning a new subject or instruction method. Teachers are role models...”

Mr. Rogers encouraged the teachers to continue to be a part of the children’s lives both inside the classroom as well as in the community at large.

A video recording of an address by Minister of Education, Evans Rogers, was played in his absence. He congratulated the Church for its initiative and for being an active partner with Government in its social development programme.

He said that the success or failure of children to build on the present accomplishments in Anguilla, and the safe-guarding of its future development, was directly related to the success or failure of the work of teachers. “A teacher’s job is therefore one of the most onerous, challenging and responsible jobs anyone can have,” Mr. Rogers stated. “Teachers have an awesome responsibility. Teachers today must perform the role of parent, counsellor, psychologist, pastor, friend, nutritionist and adjudicator. I wish therefore to commend our teachers on the excellent job they are doing.

Dr. Vincent David

“I assure you of Government’s appreciation and my own appreciation for the job you are doing, in many cases, in less than under ideal conditions. We value the tripartite partnership that teachers are helping to build with Government and parents for the successful educational development of our children. Teachers in Anguilla deserve this recognition and I join with the Church in congratulating our educators at the pre-schools, primary, secondary and tertiary levels of our education system.”

The main address was delivered by Dr. Vincent David who holds a BA in Theology and Business Administration from Oakwood College, Alabama; a MSc degree in Administration from Andrew’s University in Michigan; a PhD in Education from the same university and apart from having served as an educator, he has been a pastor for more than 20 years. At present he is the Director of Education for the North Caribbean Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
Dr. David declared that “if the world or Anguilla is going to be transformed there was a need for parents and teachers to return to the basics of training children. “Don’t take your work for granted. Your work is an appreciated work,” he told the teachers. “Look at every good and successful person in the community and you have done well. You have to give yourself a round of applause.

“Teachers are challenged to face every foe that the world, the home or the community has to offer. The fact of the matter is if teachers are not equipped to face the challenges and controversies of the 21st century, they are in the wrong profession. A teacher’s job never ends. It is 24/7. They are teachers, morning, noon and night and the challenge that they have is to be real dynamic and honest teachers. It is more than collecting a salary. As a matter of fact teachers don’t make money.”

He called on politicians to take care of teachers in order to have fewer problems in the community. He also urged all persons to show respect and appreciation to teachers irrespective of from where they came because their work was making a difference in the society.

Towards the end of the service all of the teachers were presented with tokens of appreciation for their service to the island.

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