NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (October 05, 2020) – Ms. Tricia Williams, President of the Nevis Teachers Union (NTU), says teachers will continue to lead during the COVID-19 crisis.

Speaking on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day, on October 05, 2020, and Teachers Appreciation Month, Ms. Williams said teachers are accustomed to dealing with adversity and have risen to the occasion in the face of this most recent challenge.

“Teachers are not strangers to hard work and leadership. We have been resilient even before the pandemic fell on our doorstep. We have endured many situations that have tested our resolve…We have been able to adapt and carry on in spite of these adversities.

“Over the last six months we have used many opportunities to upgrade our knowledge about electronic devices, various learning platforms and online learning. We have successfully interacted and engaged our students during this time of crisis. We will continue to lead and make it known that we are essential workers, the foundation of our country,” she said.

The NTU president encouraged teachers to ride the wave of change and challenge themselves to keep abreast of the changes to secure a sustainable future for the country.

She made the call for education to be celebrated and appreciated and for teachers to elevate the noble profession.

“The future is unknown. The challenge of COVID-19 has forced us to move beyond our comfort zones. There is no blueprint to follow, therefore, we as educators have the awesome task to indeed lead in crisis and reimagine the future,” she said.

In his address on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day Hon. Troy Liburd, Junior Minister of Education in the Nevis Island Administration hailed teachers’ continued investment and contribution to the development of the nation.

He said they have demonstrated they are resilient agents of change, and in the midst of a pandemic and its related challenges, educators are continuing to shape the future of the island’s students.

“Teachers overcame many obstacles in the months of extended lockdown. They learned how to effectively teach students online and ways in which they could keep students engaged when there was no way to have physical contact…Our teachers, in the midst of a pandemic and all of the subsequent changes are continuing to shape the future of our students.

“The Ministry of Education appreciates you!” he said.

World Teachers’ Day 2020 is celebrating teachers with the theme “Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future.”