The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

ORGANISERS of the Timothy Education Programme Bahamas have launched the programme’s first cohort of students with the aim of empowering inner-city youth through balanced mentorship and education.

Through its affiliation with the Canadian charitable foundation, Won By One World Outreach, TEP Bahamas President Dr Giavana Jones laid out plans at the weekend to assist 25 deserving students as they begin seventh grade, remaining with them throughout high school.

According to Dr Jones, the “ultimate goal” of the foundation is to increase the likelihood of successful high school completion through commitment, support and encouragement.

TEP Bahamas, partnering with the guidance departments of select primary schools in New Providence, identified the 25 members of its first group, among them students from E P Roberts, Woodcock Primary, Albury Sayle and Columbus Primary, students who have shown academic potential and interest in their school work but are from families that face adverse economic conditions.

As an organisation, TEP has pledged to support these students and their families over a six-year period – through junior and senior high schools – with the provision of school materials, textbooks, school uniforms and shoes. In addition to materials, students would be provided with mentoring, tutoring, and spiritual counselling by Dr Jones and her team.

“Our goal is to ensure that our students not only have the materials needed for seventh grade, but also the awareness and skill set to tackle the transition from primary to junior high school,” Dr Jones said. “To this end, our kids have participated in three workshops over the past two months which have all been centred around preparing for the new school year. Workshops will continue monthly throughout the school year, and as needed other services will be made available to our “Teppers”.

“This is the first cohort for the Bahamas team,” she said. “We are excited that we are so close to our goal.”

Andre Davis, a beneficiary of the programme’s aid, labelled the foundation’s mandate as a “life-changer” for youth that would have otherwise struggled through their formative years. As the most recent head boy of Yellow Elder Primary School, the 12-year-old noted that while studying came almost as a second nature to him, the expenses associated with it came at a heavy cost to his single mother.

“It is more than a big deal,” said the now student of H O Nash Junior High School. “TEP has done so much to help us, my family, my mother.”

His mother, Donna Williams, explained that the assistance given by TEP would encourage her son to continue in education. She added that, often, kids in Andre’s position lose out on a quality education because parents can’t afford to give them the basics they need.

“I am so happy. On the way here today I was stressing over how I would find the money for the textbooks he would need. Now I find out that TEP has that covered,” she said.

While Dr Jones insisted that the programme hopes to expand in the coming years, she said the focus will remain on ensuring that the initial cohort has the strongest foundations and support system possible. TEP Bahamas is sanctioned and supported by the Departments of Youth and Education.