Fathers,

Those of us who were raised in humble settings where love was real and life was challenging, cherish the impact of a good father. I witnessed first-hand the sacrifices made by my parents, especially my father, and the premium they placed on providing opportunities for a good education. I can testify about the difference my rural village made in providing me with mentors, teachers, and other father figures who helped me to navigate life’s twists and turns. 

So, on this Father’s Day, I speak from a place of gratitude, with a responsibility to help ensure that many more young people enjoy this right. Therefore, while we celebrate our fathers today, we must also confront a painful truth that many of our children are growing up without father figures who provide a positive influence. 

There are thousands of men who deserve to be honoured for their faithful, loving and strong presence and dedication to fatherhood. As we salute these stalwarts, there are also too many who have failed to be responsible fathers, and who have caused emotional stress for their sons and daughters because of their absence. In fact a 2021 study estimated that 47% of Jamaican households are single-parent units, led by biological mothers. 

More than 80% of children in Jamaica are born out of wedlock, and a large percentage of them are raised in single mother households. It follows that for many of our sons and daughters, their first experience of abandonment is not from a stranger, but from the man whose presence was supposed to anchor them. Many children to this day, try to understand why abandonment was the chosen option. Their self-esteem gets shattered as they wonder why they were not worth staying for.

Why More Men Must Teach 

In many instances, teachers and schools are left to fill the emotional gaps created by the broken homes that some absent fathers help create. Schools have had to become not only places of learning, but also spaces for healing. Of great concern is the fact that an imbalance also exists in schools as only around 15% of Jamaica’s teachers are men. We therefore need more male teachers not just for balance, but also for restoration. 

A good male teacher becomes more than an educator. He becomes a consistent voice, a model of respect, a mirror that shows a young man what responsibility looks like, and a guide who helps young women set their standards. When boys and girls grow up seeing men who listen, who lead with love, who value education, and who carry themselves with integrity, decorum, pride and dignity, their experience as males will cause them to model these qualities, while females will seek these higher standards and qualities in the men they find attractive.

My Story. Our Challenge. 

Education saved me because I was that child from humble rural Jamaica who could have fallen through the cracks. However, because of the love and care of teachers, I found my footing, found my purpose, and found the path that led me to being the President of The Mico University College, an institution that has shaped the lives of countless Jamaicans for over 190 years. 

So, on this Father’s Day, I call on all men in our island home to stand up for a generation that is desperately calling for positive role models to emulate, and for wise guidance as they chart  pathways towards successful and honest living. Let us stand as men who are fathers, brothers, teachers, confidants, and mentors to send a message today. 

This Father’s Day, Let Us Be Honest 

We are celebrating some of our men and challenging the others to stand up and become excellent fathers. To the fathers who are present, protective, and proud – we honour you. To the men who stepped in when others walked away – thank you. To the young men searching for purpose – I invite you to consider teaching, mentoring, and guiding. The classroom needs you. Our boys and girls need you. And to the fathers who have failed – now is the time for reconciliation and restoration, as we strive to inspire all to be more. 

Let us commit to moving from excuses to action. Start by showing up, by staying consistent, listening, apologizing, and teaching. Jamaica must rise above broken homes and absent men to truly improve our society and create a new legacy. 

The Mico is committed to help build that new legacy. The  University College is even launching a ‘Join the Legacy campaign’. The initiative aims to not just attract students, but to also call the best of our young men into service. Together, we can build a Jamaica where more men inspire, teach, and mentor. 

Happy Father’s Day – to the men we honour and the men we still need. 

Dr. Asburn Pinnock
President The Mico University College