Milton Samuda, chairman of the Wolmer’s Trust, in declaring the academic year 2019 to 2020 officially open for the Wolmer’s Boys’ School, last week, reminded parents that “nothing except salvation is free”.
The Wolmer’s Trust governs Wolmer’s Boys’ and Girls’ Schools as well as Wolmer’s Preparatory.
Samuda, an advocate for the optimal delivery of education, exhorted all stakeholders of the Wolmer’s family that “in order to maintain the Wolmer’s tradition of excellence, support in time and financial resources is imperative”.
Samuda said this particularly in view of the policy of the Ministry of Education that financial contribution is not compulsory.
“We will not turn away your child for non-payment. However, what is equally clear is that the Wolmer’s standard exceeds the national standard, and, therefore, we require more money than is provided by the ministry,” Samuda said.
Trumpet fanfares, solemn oaths taken by parents, teachers, and students for “the greater glory of Wolmer’s Boys’ School and Jamaica land we love”, a drill performed by white-uniformed marine cadets of the Caribbean Maritime University, and the raising of the national and Wolmer’s flags characterised the opening-of-school ceremony and was a fitting start to the academic year.
Samuda, in articulating the position of the school, charged the parents: “You have sent your son here (Wolmer’s Boys) because of our standards. So if he falls short of them, don’t come here seeking to have us lower them to accommodate him. Rather, work with us to ensure that he improves to meet our standards.”
Wolmer’s Boys’ School is the oldest school in the Caribbean, having been founded on May 21, 1729, and is the product of John Wolmer, who left the bulk of his estate for the establishment of a free school in the parish of his death.