They may not do the job of principals or teachers but school wardens are an important part of your child’s education. In fact, because they are on the school grounds and not in the classroom they meet parents more than the teachers do, and they also get to spy on kids when they are up to break-time badness. And that’s why the Ministry of Education is hosting these often overlooked school functionaries at a two day workshop. With so many children out of school, Jacqueline Godwin found out how the wardens can help.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
These young boys may have stayed home from school because of today’s rain but did you know that in Belize City alone there are an estimated one hundred and fifty children who are absent from the classroom every week? It is a problem that confronts truancy officers like Marjorie Foreman who are among the fifty ordinary citizens hired to do foot patrols and visit homes twice a week to see that children are in school.
Majorie Foreman, Truancy Officer
“Many parents use the excuse as if they don’t have food for their children, footwear, uniforms, and things like that – basic family needs. Sometimes they can’t afford to pay the school feels and they will not send their children to school.”
Dale Anthony, Manager - Truancy/School Warden Unit
“No children should be left behind and every child five to fourteen years should be in school. That is our policy and I will work with that. I am a former teacher so I have been working with kids for 27 years so I know the importance of being in school.”
Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
“The truth of the matter though is that it is not only an issue for
the Ministry of Education, we have been working with the Ministry of Human Development, the Ministry of Youth, the Ministry of National Security even to ensure that all the gaps are filled.”
Dale Anthony,
“I was assured just a short while ago by the Minister that the unit will be given a vehicle and our truancy officers, they are looking into the possibility of giving them motorcycles so they can be scooting around more and then the job will be easier, it will be more efficient.”
Hon. Patrick Faber,
“We have really tried to build the units of Truancy. Because of financial constraint we are not able to start this year with the kind of program that we wanted to but nonetheless we are trying to ensure that what we do have is strong and that we are working towards getting more kids off the street.”
While the children are at school equal effort is being made that the students are not only properly supervised by their principals and teachers but the school wardens. Jacklyn Franklyn is one of the sixty four wardens posted at primary schools in Belize City.
Jackyln Franklyn,
“There are times that they come to you with their little problems. As a school warden you should not chase them away, you should listen to them. If you can help them anyway you help.”
The school wardens are attending a two day workshop on how to effectively communicate with their school staff, students and parents.
Dale Anthony,
“And then when they need to relay certain things to the principal, to parents, to teachers, and to students because especially for the school wardens their main job is to secure the children in the schools so definitely there are times when they need to be talking to the children and so on so we saw the need and we jumped on the opportunity.”
The workshop ends tomorrow.
