Veteran education officers (from left) Vincent Guthrie, Vivette McIntosh, Norma Lee-Hayles, Francina Heaven, Joyce Blackwood and Irvin Green pose at an appreciation function at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort last Monday. - Photo by Denise Reid

WESTERN BUREAU:

A university lecturer has called on stakeholders in the education sector to recognise their capacity to engineer change throughout society.

Drawing on the recent successes of athletes in Beijing, Zellyne Jennings-Craig, head of the Department of Educational Studies at the University of the West Indies, said transformational leaders were those who could develop the potential of others, enabling them to believe in themselves.

"They are able to get people to believe in themselves, to feel that they are capable of achieving, no matter how poor their circumstance. Our athletes who participated in Beijing are testimony to this," said Jennings-Craig.

She was speaking at an appreciation function for cele-brated education officers at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in Montego Bay last Monday.

Performance standards

Jennings-Craig explained that though the athletes hailed from a small developing country, they proved they could surpass the performance standards of athletes from the developed world.

She said it was up to education officers and school leaders to help to develop excellence in students.

The lecturer stressed the importance of encouraging, motivating and providing necessary support. She also said teachers should possess critical traits such as fairness, patience and compassion in order to become positive role models.

Six education officers from the Ministry of Education's Region Four, four of whom are on the brink of retirement, were given awards for their long service and contribution to education.

The six were Vincent Guthrie, Vivette McIntosh, Norma Lee Hayles, Francina Heaven, Joyce Blackwood and Irvin Green.