Training will deliver required personnel for new institutes
EDUCATION Minister Shaik Baksh said yesterday that requisite personnel will be trained to ensure the new technical institutes operate to full capacity.
He gave the assurance after the signing last Thursday, of a US$9.6M agreement for the construction of two technical and vocational technical institutes.
Mr. Baksh acknowledged that there is a human resources shortage in the education sector but maintained that efforts are being made to train teachers to fill the gaps.
He said migration certainly affects staffing but the nursery and primary levels are adequately staffed.
Baksh said the secondary level is the one that suffers, particularly in the areas of Mathematics and English.
“We know the areas that are affected and have taken measures to address them. We have part time teachers, University of Guyana (UG) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) level teachers,” he informed.
Alluding to the issue of teachers attending University of Guyana (UG) affecting the delivery of education in schools, he said: “If there are teachers at UG, then there are systems in place for schools to request relief teachers.”
Baksh explained that, in other than the outlying regions, relief teachers are supplied by his Ministry to ensure that the leave given others to attend UG does not militate against the daily routine of classes.
He said, in the outlying regions, replacement not relief teachers are posted to teach classes while others there seek to advance themselves.
Baksh admitted that there are slippages but said they are being addressed.
“They (the teachers) have to submit a timetable of their classes and it is the same with the relief teachers who are monitored,” he explained.
Meanwhile, UG Registrar, Mr. Vincent Alexander told the Guyana Chronicle that the mainstream courses taken primarily by teachers are scheduled for after work.
“The Certificate of Education and the Bachelor’s Degree in Education are courses that are done exclusively by teachers. In timetabling the classes, we consider their schedule,” he said.
Alexander said the Faculty of Education and Humanities deals with the two programmes but, as part of the entire programme, teachers may be required to take different courses offered by other faculties.
“This is where there may be some courses scheduled in the mornings,” he stated.