Teachers’ Week |03 October 2019

Cutting a commemorative cake for the occasion

Ministry honours retired teachers

‘Once a teacher, always a teacher’ is a saying often heard during the Teachers’ Week celebrations.

With this motto in mind, the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development yesterday organised a reception at the Sunset Hotel, Glacis as a tribute to around 50 retired teachers.

Although it is the fourth time that the ministry has hosted a reception for retired teachers, it is the first time that the reception is held in a hotel setting.

This had been facilitated by local businessman, Ian Charlette.

The reception included lunch and refreshments, poetry and songs along with remarks from Minister Jeanne Simeon and Mr Charlette.

Also present at the ceremony were principal secretary for early childhood, primary and secondary education Odile de Commarmond, special adviser to the minister Merida Delcy and other ministry officials.

“This event is meant to demonstrate to the retired teachers that we are grateful for the work that they have done. We know that retired teachers are often nostalgic during Teachers’ Day hence we have brought them all together in order for us to thank them again and make them feel included in this week’s celebrations,” Mrs Delcy explained.

She noted that the reception also sends out a message to present teachers who are worried that they will be forgotten once they take their retirement.

“In fact the ministry thinks about the retired teachers frequently; we even come back to them to request that they teach on a part-time basis. There is always a place for them and we want to wish them Happy Teachers’ Day as well because once a teacher, always a teacher.”

There are more than 20 retired teachers who are teaching in public schools either on part-time basis or on the ministry’s Relief Teacher’s Scheme, wherein they would replace an absent teacher for a certain period of time.

76-year-old Valerie Tirant, who started her teaching career in 1971 and retired in 2014, said that she was happy to be included in the reception and hopes that these retired teachers can be used as mentors for the younger ones.

“Teaching is a noble profession; you have to love children because all children are unique and come from different background. Teachers should learn how to adapt to these children and help them especially since a lot of children nowadays face various social ills.”

It is to be highlighted that Ms Tirant had also taught Mr Charlette, the businessman who had sponsored the reception.

When asked whether she thinks she chose the right career, Ms Tirant expressed that she loved her job and the children she taught, and proudly stated that “I have no regrets”.