The Tribune

WHEN more than 100 aspiring teachers renewed their commitment to duty, service and leadership on Tuesday, they did so knowing their efforts and the future of the country are inextricably linked.

More than just a College of the Bahamas commencement ritual, graduates of the School of Education were told, the Teachers Commissioning Ceremony welcomed them into a noble vocation.

They vowed to promote equity in education, integrity, honesty and professionalism.

"The world progresses because all across the globe, a teacher is educating a student somewhere in some discipline," college president Dr Betsy Boze said.

"Each person here today, has a special teacher that has touched your life in some way, someone who has mentored you, someone who saw potential in you that you may not have seen yourself, someone who stood by you when you were ready to quit, give up or take the easy road."

The graduating students will receive their degrees and diplomas at the College's 35th Commencement Ceremony today at the Diplomat Centre.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt, an experienced educator, challenged the graduates to recognise their awesome responsibilities.

"I am speaking to you students because you are so awesome, so powerful and so much is dependent on you. You are dealing with young minds that are vulnerable," she said.

"You are in a different season, you are coming into a twisted world . . . a world where there is so much incest going on, a world where children are being molested every day, you will have teen mothers in your classrooms.

"Young men, you are role models, you can't be one way in the classroom and another way in the streets."

A former adjunct lecturer at the college, Mrs Pratt admonished the soon-to-be teachers to exercise patience and carefully nurture those placed in their care.

"This country is dependent on you. The kind of fruit you produce is determined by you; weeds grow up over night but fruit takes time to nourish them; it takes time for a teacher to nurture," she said.

Paul Knowles, who earned a primary certification, responded on behalf of the graduates.