PEP students urge adults to keep unacceptable behaviours away from school

Two successful students in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations are urging adults to make school compounds free of unacceptable behaviours, as this can affect learning outcomes.

Kellisya Charles, who is the Top Female student at the St Catherine-based Crescent Primary School, told JIS News that adults who behave badly on school premises can influence students to respond to issues in similar ways, resulting in disorder and disruption to teaching and learning.

“Parents should not curse bad words at the school, or scold teachers or students at school. Instead, they should be reflecting on themselves, and wondering where the student got it (bad traits or prohibited substance) from,” she said.

Come September, the student will be going to the St Andrew High School For Girls.

She is pleading for discipline across the society, especially from her peers, noting that if they waste time at school, and lack manners, there will be few people to reach the top in education.

“I don’t think that is the world we want to be living in. We should be living in a world where adults inspire the children to become [top students],” she added.

On July 3, Kellisya will deliver the valedictory speech at her school’s graduation, which she has penned.

She said it will be about inspiring her fellow students who are entering high schools, urging them “to grow up to be responsible adults, instead of some of the bad examples”.

Kellisya is also concerned about students who are on “the wrong path”, which she believes is influenced by parents partying and providing little supervision for their young ones.

For Top Boy, Nathan Gersham, who will be going to Campion College in Kingston, being disciplined can take young people far, as someone without discipline can be the “smartest person, but still gets fired from their job for coming to work late”.

“Big people should set examples for the children. If you come on the school compound and behave bad and boisterous, the students are going to follow you, and do that to the teachers, their parents, and even their fellow schoolmates,” he said.

Meanwhile, Vice Principal at the school, Karian Patterson, said students at the institution are “allowed” to speak their minds, respectfully, and they are not timid to approach the teachers with “any situation”.

Patterson told JIS News that the two Top Students are “very disciplined and expressive”.

- JIS News

We want to hear from you! Email us at star@gleanerjm.com and follow @thejamaicastar on Instagram and on X @JamaicaStar and on Facebook: @TheJamaicaStar, or on Whatsapp @ 876-550-2506.