The opening event for the observance of Early Childhood Education Month, now in progress in Anguilla, was a divine service at the Church of God (Holiness) on the Queen Elizabeth’s Avenue on Sunday, March 4.
Among the congregation were teachers from the various preschool education centres on the island.
In delivering his sermon, Pastor Gumbs said as follows:
“Teachers must assure children of their worth and those teachers must be assured of the incredible honour of their profession. To wound a child is to disfigure a life and unborn generations. Thus, all of society must heed Jesus’ warning of several severest judgement on those who do such.
“Our boys are in crisis and we must save them. Educators need to discover how boys actually learn and effectively reengage our sons n the learning process.
“We have failed to instil manners and respect in our children. While there are exceptions, they do not represent themselves nor Anguilla well in the workplace, and in life’s competitive marketplace they are at a critical disadvantage. Homes and schools need to launch a systematic approach to raising well-mannered children.
“Teachers should also strive to inspire national pride by drawing from history to show the dignity, creativity, resilience and solidarity of the Anguillian spirit, and from the environment to show the uniqueness and value of Anguilla.”
Pastor Philip’s sermon was entitled: “Doing A Jo Or Blessing A Life?.” He earlier said: “Jesus’ supreme value of children was not only based n what they could become, but, even more so, on their immeasurable worth as they are.”
He emphasised that childlikeness is the true quality of those who would enter the Kingdom of Heaven. “All must aspire for those childlike qualities of humility, trust, forgiveness, innocence and tenderness,” the Pastor added.
