-Education Minister Shaik Baksh
THE Ministry of Education is set to surpass the 70 per cent benchmark of trained teachers in the school system before 2013. This is the target outlined in its 2008-2013 Strategic Plan.
Education Minister Shaik Baksh speaking at a recent forum at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) disclosed that some 800 teachers would be graduating from the college this year and 900 the following year.
The acceleration has been made possible mainly through the Associate Degree in Education (ADE) programme which replaced the Trained Teacher Certificate Programme.
The new programme reduces the duration of the teacher training programme from three to two year and teachers on completion of the programme can proceed to the University of Guyana (UG) and complete their first degree in education also in two years.
This was a four year process under the former system. In essence, the new system allows a teacher to become a trained graduate in four years, unlike the former system where the process took at least seven years.
Baksh pointed out that those teachers who did the Trained Teacher Certificate Progamme and have not yet started UG will be upgraded to the Associate Degree level. He said that a short course will be developed for this purpose and the Ministry of Education is looking to offer it through the distance mode of delivery.
He also suggested that the university discontinue the Certificate in Education Programme and has on more than one occasions expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of graduates from the college.
Baksh on this point, stressed that the Ministry of Education has recognised the concerns of the university and the ADE programme was designed to address these shortcomings while at the same time modernise the delivery of teacher education in Guyana.
The minister has repeatedly emphasised that quality education delivery can only be achieved through quality teachers in the school system and this is the heart of the US$4.2M World Bank funded Teacher Education Reform programme.
The programme is placing attention on improving the learning achievement of students by advancing the quality and delivery of teacher education, placing strong focus on more effective performance of teacher educators and student teachers.
In general, it transforms the delivery of teacher education in Guyana to better cater for the needs of teachers and to meet the standard of an education system in the 21st century.
Baksh also announced that in keeping with the goal of quality education delivery, lecturers with first degree at the college will be upgraded to the master’s level.
The reform programme also provides support to improve the quality and implementation of the practicum for the ADE and Bachelors’ in Education programmes; the design and implementation of an induction year for all ADE graduates; the integration of information and communication technology in the teaching and learning process; the smooth transition of dual mode delivery of initial teacher education programmes; and the improvement of library access and resources.