As the education sector is very concerned of the high percentage of illiteracy in schools, may be it can take into account the advice by Sister Anna Rarasea as highlighted in an article in The Fiji Times (02/02/17) titled Love for God above all.
I thank Matilda Simmons for this article for I believe most of the things shared by Sister Rarasea are genuine and are based on her vast experience in the education sector.
She said and I quote “Very few students read nowadays. I think perhaps we need to concentrate on the formation of teachers so that they are able to teach grammar and how to construct all kinds of writing like creative writing, descriptive writing, exposing writing.”
Sr Anna further stressed that teachers should “teach things that are perhaps interesting and not necessarily what is according to what’s there in the syllable but allow them to be themselves so their ability can speak.”
If I reframe what Sr Anna said, today many teachers are concerned about the many paperworks they have to fill and syllables they have to cover as required by the ministry, which eats up most of their energy that was supposed to be spent on the children themselves.
I for one, as a parent, have witnessed teachers who do not care much about whether their children read or not as long as their paperwork is up to date and syllables covered. This I believe becomes the most contributing factor to the high percentage of illiteracy in Fiji’s schools today.
Thank you Sr Anna for your precious advice for the teachers to be given that space for them to decide what works best in their context of teaching rather than being dictated upon.
And I sincerely hope the education sector will take note of it.
