Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Science and Technology the Hon. Chester Cooper said there is perhaps no partnership more important to the success of the nation’s education system than the partnership between the home and the school.
“We can have excellent teachers, strong school leaders, modern facilities, innovative programmes and ambitious policies, but if the home and the school are moving in different directions, our children will feel the consequences,” the DPM said during the Ministry’s Virtual Parents Meeting on Monday, October 5, 2026.
“So, I come tonight not simply to speak to parents, but to speak with parents about the work ahead of us and about the partnership we must strengthen if we are serious about improving education in The Bahamas.”
He said the Ministry’s goals for this school year are clear. “We must strengthen literacy, numeracy and the foundational skills of our children. We must improve student achievement and increase the number of young people who successfully complete high school. We must expand academic, technical and vocational pathways so that every child has a meaningful route to success. We must strengthen the quality of our teachers and school leaders.
“We must use technology and innovation more effectively. We must improve attendance, behaviour, safety and student well-being. And, importantly, we must continue building an education system that recognizes that children have different abilities, different needs and different pathways, but every child deserves the opportunity to succeed.”
The DPM noted that these are Ministry goals, but they cannot be Ministry-only goals, because if the nation wants children reading at the appropriate level, parents have a role.
He added, “If we want stronger mathematics performance, parents have a role. If we want better attendance, parents have a role. If we want improved behaviour and greater respect for teachers and schools, parents have a role. If we want our young people to graduate prepared for university, technical training, employment, entrepreneurship and responsible citizenship, parents have a role.”
The DPM explained that partnership does not mean that the Ministry simply tells parents what it expects them to do and then leaves them to figure out how to do it.
He said, “We must help you. If we are asking you, the parents, to become more meaningfully involved in your children’s education, then we have a responsibility to show you what meaningful involvement looks like.”
The DPM said the Ministry must give parents practical tools and provide information in language that is clear and accessible. “We must help you understand what your child should know and be able to do at each stage of his or her education. We must help you understand assessment results, graduation requirements, available pathways and the interventions that exist when your child needs additional support.”
He said parent participation cannot be reduced to attending a PTA meeting, purchasing supplies, helping with a fundraiser or appearing at school when something has gone wrong. Those things may have their place, but meaningful parental engagement goes much further.
The DPM explained that it means parents know whether their child is attending school consistently and arriving on time.
He said, “It means knowing how your child is performing, not only at report-card time, but throughout the term. It means asking your child what he or she learned today. It means reading with younger children and encouraging older children to read independently. It means checking assignments, communicating with teachers, attending conferences and seeking assistance early when there is a concern.”
The DPM also noted that it means helping children develop habits that schools cannot establish alone: discipline, responsibility, respect, perseverance, appropriate use of technology and an understanding that education matters.
He said, “We want parents to become partners in improvement at the school level as well. Your voice matters. We need parents participating constructively in PTAs and school boards, supporting school improvement initiatives, volunteering where appropriate, sharing expertise and helping us strengthen the connection between schools and the communities they serve.”
The post In a Virtual Parents Meeting, Education Minister Cooper Talks About the Importance of Partnership Between School and Home appeared first on ZNS BAHAMAS.
