Do not stigmatise students struggling with literacy and numeracy, says Marist Brothers High School principal Asish Dayal.
Speaking at the Fiji Head of Catholic School Education Summit last week, Mr Dayal said students who were struggling with reading were identified during their assessments this year.
“We keep their data with the teachers and key stakeholders like the Parents Teachers Association (PTA),” Mr Dayal said.
“But we do not print those data on the notice boards to stigmatise the children because we don’t take out the non-readers and struggling readers out of the class and embarrass them.”
Mr Dayal said MBHS valued the importance of participating in activities outside of the classroom.
“One thing at Marist, any opportunity we get to participate in oratory and in any competition, we take them out on a tour and any invitation from iTaukei Affairs Ministry, we always say yes because we believe that we must be in touch with realities.
“And the classroom is not the only place where children learn, so we trust that we have to learn in a holistic way and not to put pressure and a specific benchmark to the teachers.
“We believe that together we can impact changes but at the same, we invest money into resources and we are happy to say we have got two ICT labs for senior and junior students,” he said.
Mr Dayal commended the support of MBHS stakeholders for providing computers and books for students in the school library.
“For 10 years, our library was bare but thanks to all the stakeholders we have got about 20 computers that are connected to the internet and books.
“So when we have these spaces children would make use of them.
“I’m also a Year Nine English teacher and it’s important for us to continue to teach and experience what the children and teachers are experiencing so we can do it together.”
