THE Ministry of Education through the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) has relaunched the Teachers Upgrading Programme at the Paramakatoi Centre.
The programme was relaunched when Education Minister Nicolette Henry led a team comprising Chief Education Officer, Marcel Hutson; Dr Allison Thomas, Vice-Principal (Development); Ms Noella Josephs, Vice President (Administration); and Mr Vivian Marco, Distance Education Coordinator of the centre, on a recent visit.
The programme was first implemented in 1999 but it experienced a lull during the period 2005-2006 because of various unforeseen circumstances, including financial reasons and access to the area.
It will be of great help to some 68 untrained teachers who will now be able to access the professional Trained teachers Certificate Programme offered by CPCE.
The lot includes three secondary school teachers while the others are from the primary and nursery levels. The standard upgrading programme will be conducted by CPCE through a locally-based coordinator for a maximum duration of two years.
Some students require only Mathematics or English while others require both and as such, the first year of training will be concentrated on Mathematics and English while for the second year, the focus will be on social studies and science.
Previously, the upgrading programme was funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Guyana Basic Education Teacher training (GBET) but was taken over by the Ministry of Education in 2002.
The estimated cost for training is $21, 177, 000 annually as submitted by ‘Regional Education Officer, Rabindranauth Singh in his 2014 proposal.
The face-to-face training will be done during the school holiday periods Easter, August and December.
The first face-to-face tutorial will begin on April 4. Vice President, Dr Thomas said the teachers’ foundation programme is intended to offer equal educational opportunities and to prepare more trained teachers. The college is hopeful that the Associate Degree programme will soon be introduced.
“Students, we are counting on you to make the best of this opportunity… make the necessary commitment, be proactive, seek help from tutors as you strive to be successful at the course,” Dr Thomas admonished.
“We in the Ministry of Education are seriously concerned about learning and are happy that this will help to bring the regions in the hinterland and riverine on par. We want to ensure that there are parity and equity, hence, teacher training to produce proper students,” CEO Hutson said.
Training has significant positives. It raises standards of learning, creates a conducive learning environment for students, problem-solving, supporting the vision for planning and coordinating to lift standards for quality learning outcomes.
Minister Henry said the Ministry wanted to remove from the equation the long distance teachers in the region have to travel in order to get the trained teachers certificate.
“We want to see all our people have the good life through education and this is the track we are aiming for. As Minister of Education, I am expecting great things. A quality education will allow all of us to take our rightful place as part of the education and unification process of Guyana. We believe in the development of our people.”
Reflecting on the improvements, Minister Henry noted that she looks forward to sustained improvements and great results.
“Education is the bedrock for development. People come from unexpected places and very humble beginnings and achieve great things and I believe that we may even have future ministers among us.”
Minister Henry stressed the need for value for money and urged the student-teachers to put their best foot forward and complete the programme. Trainee-teachers for the upgrading programme are drawn from 18 villages in Region Eight, sub-region One. These include Paramakatoi, Chiung Mouth, Bamboo Creek, Chenapou, Itabac, Kaibarupai, Kurukubaru, Kanapang, Kopinang, Kamana, Monkey Mountain, Waipa, Tuseneng, Kato, Karisparu, Maikwak and Taruka.
