DEAN’S REPORT
5TH GRADUATION CEREMONY, MAY 22, 2010
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION REPRESENTATIVES, THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT OF WESLEY JUNIOR COLLEGE, MEMBERS OF THE METHODIST CLERGY, MRS. ARMSTRONG- PRESIDENT OF WJC, MS. ANN-MARIE WILLIAMS-GUEST SPEAKER, OTHER DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, FACULTY AND STAFF OF WESLEY COLLEGE AND WJC, FAMILY, FRIENDS, THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2010, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
Welcome to the fifth graduation exercise of Wesley Junior College. Wesley Junior College re-opened in 2003 as an Evening institution offering one associate degree course in General Studies and one Certificate course in Adult Continuing Education. The institution began with 54 students. The school year begun in August 2009 with 198 students enrolled in four associate degree programs and one certificate program. There was a further admission of 21 students in January 2010.
This year saw the addition of one new program, students now have the opportunity to pursue a program in General Studies and declare a major in History. The offerings for electives saw the addition of a new course in Web Design and Development.
WJC recognizes that the quality of the courses offered to students must be continually monitored and improved to make them relevant to the needs of the society. Our Computer Science program has seen many changes this year with the addition of a course in Computer Repair and Maintenance, the construction of a lab for this purpose, and the addition of other courses in programming and data management. Thanks to the computer science faculty members who have played a major role in improving the quality of this program.
The English and Communication Studies department has also been involved in the process of improving the quality of the English courses. WJC recognizes that English is not the first language for most Belizeans, we also recognize that English is the national language, our aim is to produce graduates who will be fluent in speaking and writing the national language after three years of study but who also appreciate their first language or mother tongue. To this end new changes will be instituted in the delivery of English language and communication studies, which involve the addition of another English course and the streamlining of all the other courses to meet the needs of our most important clients, our students.
An important aspect of improving the quality of any education program is the provision of affordable and relevant text books. Most text books for courses at the tertiary level are prohibitively expensive. The college has invested in purchasing text books and renting these to students to help to defray the cost. This school year saw the addition of new text books in communication studies, Caribbean studies, economics, accounting and business management.
WJC is indebted to the hard working and dedicated faculty who give of their time unselfishly to our students. Many work outside of the contracted hours making themselves available to students in person or via the internet. I would like to take this opportunity to recognise Magistrate Margaret McKenzie-Gabb, Mr. Marcel Palma, Mr. Obaniyi and Ms Ruth Reneau who joined the WJC faculty in the 2009-2010 school year. I would also like to thank our faithful faculty members who have returned year after year to work with WJC in a capacity which is almost akin to voluntary service, after their small salaries have been relieved of income tax. Thank you so much, you will get your reward in heaven! On another note, albeit, a sad one, I would like us to remember one of our faculty members who left us during the first semester. Mr. Alan Flores, who taught Ancient Civilization, became ill and died in October last year. He was an excellent teacher who touched the lives of many of our students, some of whom were able to visit him in the hospital before he departed this earth.
The 2009-2010 school year has been a busy one for us at WJC, some of the highlights of the year include the following:
*The female volleyball team advancing to the nationals of the ATLIB competition.
* The male basketball team advancing to the finals of the ATLIB competition where they were undefeated.
* WJC having its first Wellness Evening where students and faculty could avail themselves of various indicators of wellness such as tests for diabetes, hypertension, fitness, pap smears and HIV.
* The start of the Block Drive to build a second floor extension to provide more amenities for students at WJC and Wesley College.
And now let us look at the reason why we are gathered here tonight,…. to celebrate the success of the graduating class of 2010. Ladies and gentlemen: you are looking at an exceptional group of students. Some have followed the traditional path as students, some have been the main caretakers of their families, some are raising families of their own, many are the sole bread winners in their families. But all have recognized the need for a tertiary level education and dedicated themselves for three and in some cases four years to achieve this success. This group of students will also go down as history makers in the annals of WJC. They were the first group of students to do community service as part of their graduation requirement; members of this class were also the first ones to sit the Caribbean Advance proficiency examination (CAPE). This is the first graduating class in which we have a mother and son graduating together…Ms Gaynor and Aaron..please stand. This graduating class represents students who have delved deeply inside of themselves to find the strength and resources to persist in their determination to achieve their goals in spite of the obstacles in their path. I need to mention one of our graduates here who lost both parents at an early age, struggled to complete high school with a lot of hardships which we can only imagine, and yet did not turn to crime or seek to hurt others to survive. An old African proverb says that it takes a village to raise a child, in spite of his hardships Mr. Ernesto Kerr had a little village in the form of Ms Errolyn Wallen, Ms. Gina Scott and many others who encouraged him and supported him. Thank you very much. Belize needs more ‘little villages’ like you. Thanks to all of you who have supported our graduates in their endeavors.
Henry Ford is credited for saying that ‘anyone who stops learning is old, whether they are age 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young’. My beloved graduates of 2010, Stay forever young. Keep learning. Keep in touch with WJC, your alma mater, and above all, make God the centre of your life, herein lies true success, a relationship with your Creator.
May God bless you always.