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Minister of Education and Human Resource Development, Ronald Jones (FP)

Minister of Education and Human Resource Development, Ronald Jones today paid tribute to the Principal of West Terrace Primary School, Ovid Gibbs for his able leadership at that school.

Mr. Gibbs, who retires during the academic year 2012-2013, received accolades from Minister Jones at the school’s graduation ceremony held today at the Western Light Nazarene Church.

Acknowledging that he had continued on the path of other good leaders at the school, the Education Minister stressed: "It is as a result of good leadership that schools perform…It is as?? a result of being able to harness the collective talents of teachers that schools perform… It is as a result of having the support of parents, all within that collective that schools performed… it is as a result of students responding to the quality of leadership in any environment that schools perform.

"The totality is important. If there is fragmentation within the collective you are going to get fragmented results, but when it is holistic you get holistic results and West Terrace has demonstrated holistic results."??

While stating that West Terrace Primary had always been ranked in the top 10 performing Schools over the years, Mr. Jones said: "But you can be in the top ten and be static…but if you listen to Mr. Gibbs you would realise it is dynamic."

The Principal, in delivering the school’s report for 2011-2012, appealed for greater support from parents and noted that the Schools Positive Behavioural

Management Programme was responsible for bringing about the desired behaviours of students there, and had forged the necessary interaction between school, the community and other stakeholders. He said the focus during the year was to streamline some desired behaviours and to accentuate the positive. "I am convinced that with sustained effort and much collaboration among the stakeholders our learning institutions can become more productive," Mr. Gibbs stated.

He disclosed that all 87 students who took the Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination (BSSEE) had been offered places at secondary schools and that the school ranked seventh in both Mathematics and English with a mean of 67.1 per cent and 70.2 per cent, respectively.?? He added that the school was also in the top 30 in Mathematics, with one boy scoring 100%.

During the ceremony, the award for Top Boy in the BSSEE went to Jamal Burke and Jaduante Richards, while Chloe O’ Neal won the Top Girl award. She was also the Student of the Year.

joy-ann.gill@barbados.gov.bb

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