Tobin, Principal of the Seventh Day Adventist School, said he always wanted to be a teacher and was inspired to enter the profession by some great teachers that inspired him during his years as a student.

“It’s a challenging but rewarding experience. Working with so many different personalities and nationalities that is what makes it rewarding. Also interacting with different stake holders and government and the community,” the SDA Principal described his years as a teacher.

Tobin spent 19 years in the public service at a teacher and taught at several public schools on Tortola before moving on to his current employment at the SDA.

After graduating from the then BVI High School now Elmore Stoutt High School in 1990, Tobin landed his first job as a Class Three Teacher at the Enis Adams Primary where he spent a year from 1990 to 1991, before taking up a Class Four Teacher position at the Althea Scatliffe Primary from 1991 to 1993.

He then moved on to the Ivan Dawson Primary and stayed there from 1993 to 1997 before his final employment in the public service at the Elmore Stoutt High School from 2001 to 2007 as Year Head/Teacher of History and Social Studies.

His natural love for teaching led him to complete his Associates Degree in Teaching at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in 1996.

Tobin did not stop there, but went on to pursue higher teaching education at the University of the Virgin Islands where he obtained his Bachelors in Social Sciences/Secondary Teachers Preparation in 2001 and finally in 2004 he proudly completed his Masters in Education Administration from the same institution.

Tobin, the son of Bernice Tobin and the late Acting Chief Inspector of the RVIFP, Ronald Anthony Tobin, said he is very humbled by his education accomplishments.

“I am open to learning and learning new ideas, I believe learning is important and higher you go is better for you as you get to learn new ideas to help put you on the cutting edge of your profession,” said the SDA principal who hails from Sea Cows Bay.

This is the third year that Principal Tobin has been at the helm of the BVI SDA School and is proud to highlight that his most outstanding experience of his 22 years of teaching, is leading the institution’s first secondary graduation exercise in 2007.

Prior to that, the school only had up to third form in the secondary division, and has since been established to become a full secondary institution.

Currently, the SDA School is going through its regular accreditation process which is done every four years and Tobin said he is hopeful it will continue to be recognized as an Adventist institution where good learning takes place.

This is not the first time the school is being assessed and accredited as it is a regular accreditation for the Adventist institution and the proud Principal would like to make it known that while it is done by an Adventist accreditation system, the school’s accreditation is recognised worldwide.

After 22 years in the teaching profession, Tobin said it feels great, knowing that he has put in the time and “worked hard to reach this level and being appreciated by others for what he is doing.”

The experienced teacher strongly believes that teachers need to continue to improve on their teaching skills to keep abreast with the times.

“I would like to see that teachers after a certain number of years in the profession, at least 10, be given the opportunity to take a refresher course. I think it’s very important in the teaching profession so that they don’t get burnt it and bring them up to par with the latest changes in their relevant area of the profession,” said Tobin, noting that in the technological age it is become necessary for teachers to remain on the cutting edge.

In addition, he said he would like to see more male teachers in leadership positions at the principal level.

“This is nothing against female teaches, but I still believe there are a lot of good male teachers who can make a difference in male leadership,” said the Principal.

Being a Christian, Tobin advises young people to put Christ in the center in all that they do and to develop a personal relationship with him.

“The sky is the limit and whatever purpose you have in life, nothing comes easy. Surround yourself with positive individuals and whatever goals you have you will reach,” said the proud husband of Anessa Tobin and father of K’Moni and K’Asia.