NEWLY installed president of the Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA), Ena Barclay, has warned that there will be no honeymoon for whichever party wins the 2007 general elections.

Delivering her maiden speech as president before hundreds of delegates at the JTA’s 43rd annual conference at the Sunset Jamaica Grande in St Ann Monday night, Barclay said the JTA will hold them responsible for their stated intentions as it relates to the education system.

“The major political parties have declared their intentions about the education of the nation’s children. It is the responsibility of organisations such as the JTA to hold whichever party that becomes government on September 4 to those commitments. Let them know that there will be no honeymoon,” Barclay said.

The two major political parties, the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) have stated their intentions towards the education sector in their respective manifestos.

But while issuing the warning to the political directorate, Barclay nevertheless underscored the importance of collective effort to enable education to be the foundation of nation building, reflected by the theme of the conference ‘Quality Education: A National Responsibility’.

According to Barclay, the theme has made it “quite clear that quality education is unmistakably the foundation on which a society that emphasises social justice for all and sustainable development is built”.

“It is therefore not the responsibility of some sectors of the society, it is a national responsibility,” she declared.

The new president emphasised the need for a greater partnership between home and school, encouraging parents to be aware of their responsibilities and to foster a nurturing environment at home.

This, Barclay argued, would complement meaningful programmes at school.

“Parents must set good examples for children to emulate. Parental expectations should be clearly communicated to children and efforts made to support and encourage them as they strive to fulfil their potentials,” Barclay continued.

Students, she added, must understand that they also must take greater responsibility for their own education.

Citing the need for a more collaborative relationship between the JTA and the Ministry of Education and Youth, Barclay commended the ministry on some initiatives that included the construction and expansion of some schools, training programmes initiated for principals and teachers at various levels, and the implementation of the loan scheme to assist teachers pursuing degree programmes.