PRESIDENT AND chief executive officer of the Jamaica Broilers Group, Robert Levy, has announced that his company willd be offering free computer training at its head offices to one computer teacher from each of the 14 schools situated in communities from which his company operates. These schools include the McCook Primary, McCook's Pen Basic, Innswood High, Old Harbour Primary, Old Harbour High, Old Harbour Bay Primary, Freetown Primary, Marlie Mount Primary, Spring Garden All-Age, Spring Village SDA Basic, Ruby Madden Basic, Spring Village Basic, Spring Village Development Training Institute and Dover Basic schools.
He was addressing 130 teachers from those schools who were hosted by the Jamaica Broilers Group to a 'Teachers' Day' luncheon on Wednesday, May 5 at the Caymanas Golf Club.
Mr. Levy also announced that Jamaica Broilers would be allowing two teachers from each of the schools to study free of cost under the company's self-study certificate programme, which is offered in collaboration with the American Management Association (AMA). The programme is accredited by most major universities in the USA.
In delivering a vote of thanks at the luncheon, the principal of the Old Harbour Primary School, Clyde Gopaul, said the 2,000 students at his institution stayed home on Teachers' Day, with his permission to allow their teachers to celebrate Teachers' Day at the Jamaica Broilers-sponsored luncheon at Caymanas Golf Club and Breezes Montego Bay.
GETAWAY
Mr. Gopaul said he felt the 57 teachers at Old Harbour Primary deserved to be away from the school room on Teachers' Day, having worked tirelessly to achieve a high academic performance among students, many of whom had also won gold and silver medals in speech, music and drama in recent years.
According to the school principal, the day trip to the north coast for the teachers was initiated by his administration, with the help of the public and private sectors. "So when I sought the permission of the Ministry of Education to close the school for a day, they gave us a favourable response," he said. Mr. Gopaul added that, although this was the first time that he was closing the school in celebration of Teachers' Day during his 10-year tenure as principal, he did not rule out of possibility of doing so again in the future.
At the luncheon, students of Spring Garden, McCook Primary and Old Harbour Primary paid tribute to their teachers in poetry, songs and dramatic presentations, with Kimberley Morrison and Kimberley Johnson giving outstanding performances. Kimberley Johnson got a standing ovation for her humorous encouragement to married couples to do all they can to enjoy an "eternal honeymoon".
At the end of the function, the 130 teachers were presented with gift packages of frozen meats produced by Jamaica Broilers and delivered from a refrigerated truck which made a special delivery to the Caymanas Golf Club.
