S.E.A. RESULTS AND SPORT
Congratulations to all children who sat this year’s S.E.A. Examination as well as their committed parents, teachers and coaches…. yes sport coaches! In a nation where we are fortunate to access free universal primary and secondary school education, the placing of a child in a secondary school is one of the most anticipated occasions. This is no different for aspiring athletes, several of whose first choices are influenced by sport.
Many children who have excelled in sport at the primary level wish to further exploit their sporting prowess at a school with a track record of success in their preferred sport. This is not necessarily a bad thing and parents are well within their right to seek a school that gives their child a fair opportunity to shine in their preferred sporting discipline. This applies to all fields of endeavor.
However, parents should be careful that they do not discourage their children if they are not placed in their preferred school. The sight and sound of a parent immediately demanding a transfer form upon hearing results will ruin what should be a celebratory moment. Regardless if a child’s school choices were made based on sport, academics, religion; not every child can be placed in his or her first choice school.
In the end, it is the students and staff of the school which will determine its success and establish its name. The emergence of Speyside High School as a force in Secondary School Football, despite its short history, is just one example of what hard work and self-belief can accomplish. Thus an alternative to seeking an immediate transfer is the accountability which can be demanded by a vibrant parent body.
Parents must mobilize efforts to mandate that teachers give their children a fair opportunity to obtain quality education and pursue other talents. Furthermore, parents have a responsibility to ensure that they assist schools in fund raising activities which will provide improved opportunities and facilities for their children. Aspiring athletes placed in a school with little or no track record in sport will now have a genuine opportunity to create history!
About The Author
Rixon Powder is a former Primary School Teacher and has been a Sport Services Officer for the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago for over five years, having previously served the Department of Education, Tobago House of Assembly as a Sport Officer for a similar period. He is a former Vice Chairman of the Tobago Athletic Committee and former Vice President of the Primary Schools’ National Track and Field Association. He graduated from the University of Tampa with a B.Sc. in Sports Management and recently completed the M.Sc. Sports Management program at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine.
Legal Disclaimer
The information contained in this article is for general knowledge only. You are responsible for how you act on the information. Form decisions based on the article at your own free will and at your own risk. This legal disclaimer applies for ALL the articles written by the author Rixon L. Powder.