Principal explains CPCE response to changes in society
HUNDREDS of teachers were present yesterday when Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) kicked off its Education Month programme, at the Turkeyen Campus, under the theme ‘One Team, One Goal, No Barrier’. The Principal, Mrs. Deborah Thomas said, at the start of CPCE Day: “Education is our job. This celebration is late but better late than never.”
She said the institution which has some 900 on roll across the country, close to 300 at Turkeyen, is on the move and responding to the changes in society.
Thomas said the introduction of an associate degree is expected this month, for the beginning of the first semester in the 2010-2011 academic year.
She explained that there was no delay in getting it started but it was a case of ensuring that things are in place for the innovation.
The Associate Degree in Education (ADE) will replace the three-year Trained Teachers’ Certificate, significantly reducing the period of study for a teacher to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Education.
Students who successfully complete the ADE will only have to spend two years at University of Guyana (UG) to secure a Bachelor’s.
In effect, with the substitution, a teacher can become a trained graduate in four years, unlike previously when the process required seven years, three at CPCE and four at UG.   
In the past, too, a two-year in-service stint had to be completed before a teacher gained the Bachelor’s, requiring a total of nine years studies, which have now been lessened to four years.
Thomas said phased out the three-year system is what CPCE once boasted was an indication of the path forward, in sync with similar educational institutions in the Caribbean Region.

HIGHER LEVEL
She said the goal is to have teachers with at least a Bachelor’s qualification and, to maintain the quality of their education, the entry requirements have been raised so aspiring persons are beginning to train at a higher level.   
In addition to that and, more importantly, Thomas disclosed that the curriculum has been revised to accommodate the ADE requirements.
“We are focusing on the skills they need so that they can, effectively, deliver the curriculum to students,” she said.
Head of the Social Studies Department at CPCE, Ms. Paula Willis said yesterday’s event showcased different aspects of the curriculum, as well as the College’s ability to deliver in a society where reality is rapidly changing.
Among the areas of focus were inclusive education, which was advanced by the late Minister within the Ministry of Education, Dr. Desrey Fox.
It is considered necessary by sector stakeholders, for Guyana to achieve universal education, as the curriculum, based on that concept, will cater for all the diverse backgrounds and cultures in the country.