St. George: May 4, 2021: The Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development, Religious Affairs and Information joins millions around the world in expressing heartfelt appreciation to all our past and present teachers. In the 1940’s, the earliest advocates of setting aside a time to honour and appreciate teachers agitated for this cause and today, we have the annual Teacher Appreciation Day.

We owe you an enormous debt of gratitude for your contribution to the development of our world and indeed the preservation of our civilizations. Your hand of inspiration rests on every professional, every skilled artisan, every shrewd businessman and all whom we refer to as successes in our society.  In the words of Henry Brooks Adams “a Teacher affects eternity; he/she can never tell where his /her influence stops” Thank you Teachers.

This last year has presented several challenges with which you, our teachers, have had to grapple, as you continue to change the world one child at a time. The disruptions ushered in by the Covid-19 Pandemic forced many of you into a new paradigm of educational delivery which many are still understandably adjusting to. The Ministry appreciates the effort and sacrifice you have put out to continue inspiring our nation’s children during these times.  We are confident that our students will be even more grateful. “To the world, you may be just a Teacher but to your students, you are a STAR.” (Selina Jones)

The Ministry acknowledges that there are some issues over which we may have disagreement, but this in no way diminishes the value we attach to you and the work you do within the education sector. We remain committed to amicably resolving every issue that presents itself, as we collaborate with the Grenada Union of Teachers and other stakeholders. It is the Ministry’s firm belief that with every challenge comes opportunities. We urge you, our valued teachers to see this time as a period for upscaling operations, a time to retool and remain current and on the cutting edge. It is also a period where educators can help each other to navigate these changing and difficult times.

On behalf of the Permanent Secretaries, the Chief Education Officer, other members of staff of the Ministry of Education, and on my behalf, we say thank you to all our teachers.  We appreciate you immensely. Your contributions go beyond a lifetime.