Teenage mothers reintegrated into education system

Last Updated on Friday, 7 December 2018, 16:32 by Denis Chabrol

Teen mothers preparing their dish for the final practical exercise of the course.

As part of efforts to give teenage mothers another opportunity to continue their education, 30 of them on Friday graduated from the Carnegie School of Home Economics, the Ministry of Education said.

They pursued studies in Elementary Cookery and Cake Decorating.

“These courses that were offered form part of the reintegration programme being executed by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health,” the Ministry said.

Programme Coordinator, Ms. Janel Sweatnam told the young ladies that they are now equipped with skills to provide for themselves and their child and to advance their skills in the respective field by taking advantage of opportunities that will become available.
She said that the collaborative effort between the two Ministries began a number of years ago and it has been successful with today having the first batch of graduates from the five-week programme.

Several of the graduates.

On behalf of the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Boyle, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said that the collaboration is part of the Public Health Ministry’s community support programme for young mothers.
She said that the families of the graduates must be thanked for providing the support to the teenage mothers so that they could have been able to attend classes every week.

Dr. Boyle reminded the graduates about late American Author and Political Activist, Helen Keller. She said that the late American was able to achieve a lot in an era where a woman’s presence was considered to be necessary only in the kitchen.

She said that Ms. Keller’s story was remarkable since she was both blind and deaf but was still able to defy the odds.
Dr. Boyle shared with the graduates a famous quote by Ms. Keller which is “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”

The Public Health official encouraged the women that regardless of their background and situation, they need to have a vision as to what they want to achieve in life and work towards that by not limiting themselves. “It is an important message for us women today. It doesn’t matter what your circumstances started off as. It doesn’t matter what the curveball in life might throw at you, the important thing is that here and now, to have a vision for yourself”, Dr. Boyle was quoted as saying in a Ministry of Education statement.

The principal of the Carnegie School of Home Economics, Ms. Myrna Lee told the graduates that it was a great pleasure to share in the experience. She said that the collaboration between the two Ministries is outstanding. She congratulated the teachers and the students for beginning well and ending well.