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Hindsbury school children reach out to??Polite Percy, the Pig, a value messenger being used by the National Initiative For Service Excellence to promote Courtesy Month, November??15 to December 3 .
The Ministry of Education today joined with pupils and teachers of the Hindsbury Primary School to support the principles of Courtesy Month, being promoted by the National Initiative for Service Excellence (NISE) from November 15 to December 3.
The occasion marked the launch of Polite Percy the Pig, a mascot being used by NISE to share useful information and techniques to empower Barbadians to be respectful, polite, attentive and appreciative of the kindness of others, among other things.
Lending his support to the initiative, Minister of Education and Human Resource Development, Ronald Jones, commended the work of NISE. ??He said: "In our country, we really have to work very hard to ensure that persons carry the [right] kinds of attitudes for character development, so that the types of personalities that we want in Barbados would really develop."
The Minister noted too that as a country that was developing, Barbados needed to place particular emphasis on young people to ensure they possessed the correct attributes, important not only for their own personal development but their communities and schools.
Hindsbury students were also encouraged to start with patience from an early age, so as to avoid stress later in life.?? Mr. Jones pointed out that sharing, caring and showing respect, sympathy, empathy and love for others, particularly "loving your neighbour as yourself," were important values to inculcate.??????
The Education Minister further referred to a statement made by the late Prime Minister David Thompson that "Barbados Is More Than An Economy, It is a Society as Well".?? He told his audience "I believe that he meant that we need to nurture all of our people to have the right kinds of attitudes, the right kind of manners, character and behavior; all of those help make us a responsible society."
Alluding to the theme for the month "Let Courtesy Shine Through", Mr. Jones also urged Hindsbury students to, "Let your manners shine through; let the punctual shine through; let listening to your teachers shine through; let your decorum – how you dress and how you look – shine through."
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Board of NISE, Sir Keith Hunte emphasised the importance of the values of Courtesy Month to the students, and complimented them on accepting the invitation to launch the programme.
He said: "We are happy that we are able to present to you and through you, to the children of Barbados, the message that there are certain values which…?? are important to guide you in your relations, one to another; in your relations between yourself and your parents and other adults.
"But, these are not values like clothes that you grow out of; but rather like an expandable suit you will be trying your best to fit in [to] as it expands and as you go through life."?? ??
Courtesy Month activities have been conceptualised around three consecutive weekly themes namely: Respect (November 15-19, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, NULL, NULL, 0); Politeness (November 22-26) and Punctuality (November 29-December 3). Activities for the month will be communicated by the illustrated Courtesy value messenger, Polite Percy the Pig, brought to life in public service messaging through the dramatic talents of Tony Thompson.??jgill@barbados.gov.bb
Minister of Education and Human Resource Development, Ronald Jones imitating Polite Percy, the Pig, a value messenger being used by the National Initiative For Service Excellence to promote Courtesy Month, November??15 to December 3.
Chief Executive Officer (NISE), Kim Tudor (right)??showing examples of two Percy Pals at Hindsbury School – Erynn Reid (left ) and Jashara Farley (centre, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, NULL, NULL, 0); two five-year olds in Reception Happy, who today displayed characteristics of helpfulness and attentive listening, during the launch ceremony of??Polite Percy, the Pig, at that school.????