UNDER the theme ‘Eliminating literacy, modernising education and strengthening tolerance’, the Ministry of Education has intensified efforts to have Portuguese taught in schools countrywide.
The aim is to further develop the capacity of modern languages teachers within the education system, as the Education Ministry launched the ‘Training for Teachers of Portuguese’ programme yesterday at theatre Guild.
Presenting an overview of the programme, Deputy Chief Education Officer (Development), Ms. Doodmattie Singh reminded the gathering of the pioneering work done by the ministry to establish Portuguese as a new modern language on the national curriculum when it initially launched the Portuguese curriculum last year in six schools.
She pointed out that an additional 15 schools will now offer Portuguese when the new school year begins in September 2014. The initial six schools that formed part of the initial launch of Portuguese in Guyana were Queen’s College, The Bishops’ High, Saint Stanislaus College, Saint Roses High, Saint Joseph High and North Georgetown Secondary.
The additional 15 schools earmarked to carry Portuguese in 2014 are as follows: In Georgetown – Brickdam Secondary, Christ Church Secondary and Central High; Region #3 – Zeeburg Secondary and West Demerara Secondary; Region #4 – Hope Secondary, Annandale Secondary, President’s College and Diamond Secondary; Region #5 – Rosignol Secondary and Bygeval Secondary; Region #8 – Mahdia Secondary; Region #9 – St Ignatius Secondary; and Region #10 – Mackenzie High.
Ms. Singh explained that this new “Training for Teachers of Portuguese” programme forms part of the teacher professional development programme and will facilitate training of teachers from the schools identified in the delivery of the Portuguese curriculum.
The Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) will expand its teacher training in Portuguese as part of its modern language teacher training programme.
Remarks made by representatives of various educational institutions reiterated the necessity of Portuguese being taught in schools. One great example given was by Principal of CPCE, Ms. Viola Rowe, who explained that she had been given the chance to acquire her Master’s degree in Brazil, and because of her inability to speak or understand the language, she was made uncomfortable and passed up the opportunity.
Education Minister, Priya Manickchand expressed satisfaction that, after nine months, the ministry can be embarking on a programme of this magnitude, which further establishes Portuguese in schools across the country.
“We at the Ministry of Education are very conscious that we have a huge responsibility to make sure we meet the needs of Guyana today, as well as prepare our young people to meet the needs of Guyana tomorrow,” she said.
Ms. Manickchand highlighted the importance of Guyanese children being able to access and learn foreign languages, particularly Spanish and Portuguese, which significantly help in communicating and integrating with our immediate neighbours.
The minister emphasised that the launch of this programme is in line with the commitment that the ruling PPP/C Government made during its Election 2011 campaign, in which its manifesto unquestionably stated that within the next five years it will work at “Strengthening foreign language teaching, both in the school system, including at the primary school level, and for the public at large; with special emphasis being placed on Spanish and Portuguese, reflecting our country’s continental prospects”.
She said that the Government was fulfilling part of that promise by “preparing ourselves to introduce Portuguese all across this country”.
The minister further indicated that to enable parents and the country to be able to converse with our children, the ministry will be reaching out, through the Learning Channel, with specialised programmes to teach Portuguese in very creative and innovative ways.
Written By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally
