MORE than 130 parents from Clarendon and St Catherine have been recognised by the Ministry of Education and Youth for outstanding parenting values.

Fourteen received special awards for exceptional parenting skills at an awards ceremony hosted by the ministry’s Region Six office in Ascot Hall, Old Harbour last Tuesday.

The awardees included Daylievans Worrie of Gimme-Me-Bit Primary; Suzette Rodney of Hazard Drive Basic; Reverend Ranford Hewitt of Vere Technical High; Reverend Oakley Greaves of Denbigh High; Morris Lawrence of Brandon Hill Primary; and Sharon Allen of Mitchell Town Primary, all located in Clarendon.

Those recognised from St Catherine were Paul Harris of Bridgeport Infant School; Carla Howell Sinclair of St Mary’s All-Age; Mary Barrett of Berwick All-Age; Primrose Scott of Cumberland High; and Primrose Erskine of Naggo Head Infant school. Also recognised were Yvette Blake of Gregory Park Primary; Reverend Morris Thomas of Troja Primary; and Junia Creary of Cassava River Primary and Infant School.

The awardees were presented with certificates of recognition and trophies. Two outstanding parents from the region will be chosen for recognition at the national awards ceremony.

In an interview with JIS, community relations education officer for region six Yvet Dennis said that the parents were being recognised for their contribution at three levels.

“We’ve recognsed parents who are being effective as parents of their own children. We are also looking at how they assist other parents in doing an equally good job and then how they mobilise the community where parenting is concerned,” she said.

Dennis noted that the parents being recognised had also become involved in developing literacy among their children and had also mobilised external support towards this focus.

“Some of these parents have raised funds. Some have established homework programmes in their own homes or at schools. Some have acted as volunteer teachers for classes of students,” she saidd.

“Some have helped to establish literacy resource centres or reading rooms, all towards enriching the literacy programme in schools. They have also helped in a number of ways in the matter of literacy as well as other areas of schools such as speaking at parenting seminars and we want to acknowledge their efforts,” she added.

The awards ceremony – held under the theme “Parents: Today you guide.Tomorrow they lead” – formed part of a series of activities put on by the region six office in recognition of Parents’ Month, which is being celebrated this month.