KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams is urging parents to continue to support their children as they transition to high school.

Speaking at Hope Valley Experimental School’s graduation exercise at the University of the West Indies Chapel in Mona on Wednesday, the minister said parental involvement is a critical factor in children’s educational success.

“They are going to need you now, even more than they did in primary school because they are transitioning into a more complex environment in high school, one in which they… are expected to be more independent. Nobody is going to be running behind them saying ‘do your work’ or ‘go to class’. So, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, they are going to need your support every step of the way,” she pointed out.

The minister also implored parents and guardians to offer a listening ear when children return from school with complaints and concerns.

“I beg of you to listen to them. Do not brush them off. Hear what they are saying and encourage them because they need your emotional support,” she pointed out.

Noting that today’s students are growing up in the social media age, where many of them do not yet know the difference between fake news and reliable news, Williams said parents have a responsibility to teach their children to be discerning.

“They are being bombarded from all sides. The only sure, solid persons that they can look to are their families,” she pointed out.

Williams commended the 93 graduating students for their performance in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), noting that the majority were placed in a school of their choice and 32 per cent attained proficiency in all four subject areas.

“May God bless you as you continue on your educational journey. May you grow in spirit and in grace. Go forward and conquer the world,” she encouraged them.

Williams presented book vouchers valued at $20,000 each to the top-performing boy, Jahmai Thomas and girl, Karetha Stephens.

She noted that Hope Valley Experimental, which accommodates both disabled and able-bodied children, stands as a “shining example” that children of all abilities can be afforded an education.

“I’m always happy to provide whatever support I can to Hope Valley Experimental,” she said.

The primary-level institution, founded in 1972, serves children living in the area surrounding the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre at 7 Golding Avenue, St Andrew.

-JIS