Dear Editor,
There are over 50 million teachers worldwide, can you imagine—50 million! Teachers have always impacted our lives in some way or the other, positively and sometimes, negatively as well. In this column, I will share the names of a few teachers over the past 20 years or so that have made an impact on my life and who I am today. I believe it is a most fitting tribute, today, World Teachers’ Day 2010 (Oct 5), to mention these names in these columns in honour and recognition of the hard work the following men and women contributed in my life.
Here they are in random order: Sherrida Dildar, Mary Shankar, Maureen Jodhan, Barbara Frank, Carmen Crawford, Jacquelyn Murray, Shaundel Phillips, Jewel Liddel, Patricia Cipriani and Sunil Parbhoo. How can I forget my old headmaster at New Amsterdam Multilateral, Mr Elton Lewis, a true disciplinarian? The entire school population would stand in complete silence as soon as he made his way on the stage for the Monday morning address. I liked his style of administrating. He left the system too early, I believe. And that’s the thing; I believe the system gets rid of good teachers too early. While teachers need some time to enjoy their retirement, I believe that many more, who are willing, especially good administrators, can be called back to serve this noble profession.
Then there are those whom I have worked under, some of whom have retired or are still in the education system today but are serving elsewhere, like: Una Daniels and Jackie Benn.
The time I spent at the Teachers’ Training College allowed me to interact, interface, and be lectured to by some of the best veteran and experienced educators in Berbice, like: Norma Stuart, Urmia Hazel, Ella Marks, and now Guyanese writer and poet, Basant Raj, not forgetting Mr Michael Hackett.
Perhaps, though, my role model was—and still is—a man who gave his entire life to the public education system; a humble man, a man who quietly served under the colonial and post- colonial era. He spent much of his life serving as Headmaster of Berbice Educational Institute and later on, the Head of the Teachers’ college at Rose Hall Town. Today, he has retired and is enjoying the benefits of the system under which he toiled. He is a man who had the field of education right next to his heart. I vividly remember his very long speeches and talks to us at training college, about his many life experiences. Some of it has surely rubbed off on me. I am speaking about no other person than Berbice educator and a true son of the soil, Mr Rajkishore Mangal, MS. I will never forget a man of his calibre.
And it is to such degree that teachers can touch our lives and inspire us. I wish if they can share the magic that they use to achieve this mark on people’s lives.
While the field of education has been served by true statesmen and women in their own right, there have been a few that have tarnished the image of the entire sector from time to time. Sadly, I have interacted with such persons, with whom I am indeed disappointed to be associated with, especially in the exciting field of education and teaching.
The field of education in Berbice has also been served and is being served by stalwarts who love what they do every day for this noble profession and for teachers. They may not be teachers, though some of them may have been, but they surely have teachers’ best interests at heart, especially Mrs. Shafiran Bhajan. They are all hardworking public servants who continue to strive for excellence with teachers of Regions Five and Six in the various levels (Nursery, Primary and Secondary) even though many of us teachers would, from time to time, not see eye-to-eye with them on many issues. At the end of the day, we all work towards a common goal, and that is, for the betterment of the children of Guyana.
So, if you remember a teacher who has touched your life like no one else has, make contact with them today. Let them hear a few nice words from you. Let them know that you are thankful for what they did for you. It will mean so much. Teachers in Guyana must look out for each other and take care of each other, we have to, or it will be a long time before anyone else does.
Yours faithfully,
Leon Jameson Suseran
