–in light of advancements in technology

By Navendra Seoraj
DUE to the continued advancements in technology, Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine has come to realise that it is time for a curriculum review.And this review of which he speaks is to be done across the board, including at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE).
As he observed at a function Friday, education is a constantly evolving process and for a nation such as Guyana to advance socially, economically and politically, its education system will have to rise to the challenges.
“Our education system is based on an old model of development, and not much has changed from the dogma of the 1960s and 1970s,” he told attendees at a Career Day exhibition hosted by Tutorial High School.

He went on to say that because the current system is so antiquated, there’s room for lots of improvement in areas such as career development, technology, science, and mathematics to name just a few.
What is encouraging, he said, is that both the president and the government seem to be on the same page as he, where the plethora of challenges facing the school system is concerned, and want to make a concerted effort to fix them.
However, problems such as poor performances in English and Mathematics at both the primary and secondary schools, teachers giving inadequate attention in the classrooms, delinquent behaviour by students and the need to shift greater attention to science, mathematics and technology are issues which cannot be addressed overnight, but over time.
These, nevertheless, are issues which will be addressed, in time, given that as the curriculum review focuses on the revamping of the academic system, the ministry will move to engage teachers and education stakeholders in conversation so as to hear and address some of the hidden problems, as well as longstanding issues which affect the sector.
“Employers ought to be engaged in discussions with us, so that the education system can produce what employees that the country requires,” said the minister, as he stressed the importance of deliberations between stakeholders and the ministry, as well as career development programmes in schools.
Added to that, for the review to be effective, the curriculum of the CPCE has to be revamped, so that potential teachers would be up to date with the new additions to the education system.
The advent of this will see an improved and modernised system, especially in the area of technology and science, which will, in turn, produce well-rounded students of a high calibre, once the right measures are effectively applied.
A modernised system will open new avenues for Guyanese to not just excel locally and regionally, as seen in the past, but also the chance for students to be somewhat on the same grid as international students, when it comes to the knowledge base they possess.