In recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week, the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Vocational Training, has begun an initiative called PRESENT (Proudly Representing Each School, Exalting Our Nation’s Teachers).

As part of the activities the ministry invited all Saint Lucians to wear their former school’s uniform on Oct. 5 and 7.

Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Education, Michelle Charles, said the initiative is to show that despite alma mater, all citizens contribute positively to society.

“Generally, it speaks to the hard work that our teachers have done. It also is to send a message to everyone that regardless of which school you attended, everybody contributes to society because you see everybody decked out in their various uniforms,” she said. “Some persons are deciding to wear their infant school uniforms, secondary school, tertiary level education and all persons are going to be decked out. So, you get the opportunity to see where persons would have come from and where they’ve ended up and you would realize too that regardless of which school you went too, everybody contributes positively to society.”

The initiative, PRESENT, specifically recognizes teachers as the ministry’s front-line workers. The aim is to make the activity an annual event.