Reverend Lennox Boyce speaking at the church service for Education Month at the Abundant Life Assembly. (E.Walker/Media Resource Department)
Achieving greatness, soaring to heights, realising our true potential in life, and making our mark on the world depends on a quality education, but must be supported by a value system.
This was the key message sent to educators and students yesterday, by Reverend Lennox Boyce, when Education Month got started with a church service at the Abundant Life Assembly, Bank Hall.
The cleric, who is also a teacher at Ellerslie Secondary School, said this value system must not only produce a person of competence and intellect but of character and integrity.
Stating that a quality education was built on solid foundations, he told students it was one that should be meaningful, worthwhile and responsive to individual needs, socially.
“It is a kind of education that adequately prepares a person not just to make a living but prepares the person for life. It is an education that enables a person to acquire the knowledge, develop the skills and realise his/her true potential in life.
“It is a kind of education that empowers individuals to work cross culturally in the global marketplace; it is the kind of education where the pedagogy is child-centred, promoting cooperative learning and the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills,” explained Reverend Boyce.
Emphasising that education was not just a mental journey but a moral one, the educator told those gathered that both the mental and the moral aspects needed care and attention, to make the journey as meaningful as it could be.
Stressing that the foundation had to be built on what was good, right and morally sound, he said, “A spiritual values-based foundation is essential because if what is in your hands is greater than what is in your heart, then sooner or later we are going to self-destruct.”
Listing some of the foundational things that kept one grounded Reverend Boyce said these included good manners, integrity, sympathy, empathy, conflict resolution, respect for authority, our elders and the dignity of all people. And, he further pointed out that the Bible was replete with guidelines and insights on these qualities.