The following is the Teachers’ Day message from the Leader of the Opposition, Portia Simpson Miller.

I extend best wishes to all teachers in Jamaica on Teachers’ Day. Teachers are the cornerstone of the education system and a major influence on the development of our children.

As important agents of socialisation and role models for children, our teachers are powerful agents of change in our society, which is in need for radical social change to become a more wholesome, gentler and more caring society.

I take this opportunity to salute teachers and commend them for their hard work, diligence, patience, and perseverance in the pursuit of excellence in their vocation even in the face of very daunting challenges. Despite these constraints, teachers go the extra mile to prepare our young ones for life, higher education and the world of work.

Teachers are a special group of workers in our nation. The impact of their work is felt across all sectors and is a vital part of laying the critical groundwork for the continued social and economic progress of the nation.

Their efforts are therefore worthy of special focus and I am delighted to join in paying tribute to them today.