Ninety families make up the first group to complete the Parent Education Programme, better known as PEP, this year.
It is an initiative of the Ministry of Education, Transformation and the Inter-American Development Bank, aimed at equipping parents with practical skills to better support their children.
The programme provides parents with guidance from professionals on parenting techniques and strategies that can be applied in the home.
Speaking at a celebration held at Queen’s Park, Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw praised the initiative, stressing that it is needed now more than ever.
She noted that parents are their children’s first teachers and that it is therefore important for them to have access to the support and resources needed to navigate the challenges of parenting.
Dr Archer-Bradshaw further highlighted the importance of the initiative, saying the classes also helped parents understand that they are not expected to be perfect and that making mistakes is a natural part of the process.
The Chief Education Officer encouraged parents to be patient and kind to themselves, noting that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to raising children.
