Yolande Lanthe Jackson shows the medal she earned for 60 years of service to education during a presentation ceremony at Jamaica House on Wednesday.

After over 60 years of ardent and dedicated service to both primary and adult education in Jamaica, 87-year-old Yolande Jackson still finds time to teach.

Although Jackson said goodbye to the classroom many years ago, she has not been able to turn her back on the numerous students who still look to her for knowledge.

She admits that having been the child of two educators and the widow of a vice-principal, teaching was undoubtedly in her blood.

"They always find me and I can't say no, I still assist them," she said. "Parents will often come to me and ask me to help their children in certain areas and I will have classes with them at my home," she told The Gleaner.

Jackson, along with 39 other outstanding educators, was on Wednesday conferred with the Medal of Appreciation for Service to Education by Prime Minister Bruce Golding during a ceremony on the lawns of Jamaica House.

honoured to be recognised

The very pleasant and petite retired teacher told The Gleaner that even hours before leaving for the ceremony on Wednesday, she was busy helping several youth from her community with their studies.

"I feel good and honoured to be recognised," she said about getting the medal.

Reminiscing on the many years she spent in the classroom, Jackson said she felt fulfilled and grateful to have touched the lives of so many young people. She lists Grace Jackson as one of the many outstanding Jamaicans who passed through her classroom.

Jackson admitted that she has become a second mother to many of her students, many of whom, even to this day, still keep in touch.

"There is one young man who I taught over 30 years ago. He migrated to the (United) States and he still calls me to check up on me," she informed.

The veteran teacher is also still quite active in other areas of her community, including offering guidance and encouragement to many children in the Jamaica Red Cross, her church's Sunday school and the Glenhope Place of Safety.

outstanding contributions

Golding yesterday congratulated the teachers for their outstanding contributions and commitment to education in Jamaica.

The prime minister further spoke to the challenges that many of them are faced with on a daily basis.

"A teacher's job is one that defies job description, (because) so many of the social dysfunctionalities that we suffer from (in Jamaica) end up burdening the teacher with responsibilities that go far beyond what you were taught and trained to do," Golding said.

He said it was important to start rebuilding the partnership between the home and community and the school in order to correct many of the problems in the education system.

"We are going to have to start providing more support for the teachers in our schools," the prime minister said.

He said parenting and upbringing at the home and the community levels were important aspects of the learning process.

Vaz Preparatory School's dancers perform 'Offering' during Prime Minister Bruce Golding's Medal of Appreciation for Service to Education at Jamaica House on Wednesday. - photos by Colin Hamilton/freelance photographer

athaliah.reynolds@gleanerjm.com