Nevis Education Planner – Bronte Gonsalves
Charlestown, Nevis
October 11, 2010
Primary and Secondary School Teachers and Guidance Counsellors on Nevis, attended the first of a five part series of the Anger Management and Conflict Resolution Programme on Monday. The ongoing workshop sponsored by the Organisation of American States (OAS) in partnership with the Federal Government, are being held at the Red Cross Conference Room in Charlestown.
Education Planner in the Ministry of Education on Nevis Dr. Bronte Gonsalves, in her welcome remarks at the opening ceremony, referred to the programme as essential and timely, as the Ministry of Education strived to arrest the incidence of violence among the school population.
She said the White Paper on Education Development and Policy 2009-2019 included as part of its policy portfolio, teacher training and parental education programmes which focussed on equipping teachers, Guidance Counsellors and parents to better identify and cope with children who were at risk and who demonstrated anger, in order to implement early remedial measures.
“The Anger Management and Conflict Resolution Programme, utilising a Handbook written by the Consultant and facilitator Dr. Neilson A. Waithe, seeks to improve educational outcomes for less advantaged and most vulnerable groups of students (at-risk youth) who engage in risky behaviour (school violence) which potentially can lead to suspension and ultimately, school dropout,†she said.
The programme content for the workshop covers the topics: Introduction to Emotional Intelligence; Understanding Anger; Understanding Emotional Literacy and Using the Anger Management Handbook.
Meantime, in brief remarks Dr. Waithe said he had successfully held consultations on the same matter in Antigua, Grenada and Barbados. He said he had learnt much from his consultations in St. Kitts and looked forward to the same on when he interacted with the course participants and students on Nevis. His next assignment is slated for Jamaica.