Greater emphasis on parenting education during November – Williams
KINGSTON, Jamaica – This year’s Parent Month, to be observed in November, will place greater emphasis on parenting education, says Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams.
In her address at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing on October 25, at Jamaica House, the minister said several programmes will be hosted throughout the month.
“We have significant programmes in November. We will use it to scale up our efforts and will use it to celebrate our hard-working parents and use parenting education to build their capacities,” she said.
The launch of National Parent Month is to take place on November 1, and the activities will be guided by the theme ‘Participation for Purpose’.
Willaims said the parenting education programme will be built on three pillars.
She explained that the first one will begin at home, to help parents to understand that they are their children’s first teachers and what they do at home matters.
The second pillar calls on parents to enrol in a parenting education class to emphasise the importance of parents building their knowledge and skills in parenting, and the third encourages parental involvement, as this leads to their [child’s] success.
“For the month there will be heavy emphasis or concentration on parental involvement in school,” the minister said.
Williams said the vision of the ministry is to formalise parenting education through credential courses.
Chief Executive Officer of the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC), Dr Kaysia Kerr, said parenting education sessions will be held every week, Tuesdays to Fridays, throughout November.
A graduation and awards ceremony will be held to recognise parents who are contributing to the education sector, to culminate the month’s activities.
Dr Kerr noted that the NPSC has been actively encouraging this alliance between school, home and community in providing support to parents.
Support at the community level, which is available to parents, includes guidance counsellors, health and family life educators, and parent mentors – more than 400 islandwide.
“When we get parenting right, then we will make right many things in the society,” Dr Kerr said.
– JIS