THE Ministry of Education hosted a consultation, with teachers and other partners yesterday, on the establishment of National Teaching Councils (NTCs).
The exchange was held at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, where, Chief Education Officer, Mr. Olato Sam said, if the country is to

benefit from the highest level of potential output from the system, it must ensure that teachers are the consummate professionals they are expected to be.
Speaking in the absence of Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, Sam said a partnership is required where teaching and professionalism are so intricately tied that they are almost mirror images of each other.
“We must create the enabling environment for this to occur and this begins with the establishment of professional standards for individuals in the profession. This means that we clearly set out who are the ideal candidates to join the profession, what skill sets, attitudes and general conditions we expect before they even step into the door. Beyond that, we should be also clear on what terms and conditions must govern their performance while in the profession. We must clearly outline the professional developmental pathway and also ensure that they are fully aware of the expectations required to move from one level of the system to the next,” he asserted.
According to him, the Ministry of Education has committed to ensuring that teachers throughout the country have ready access to the most up to date education and training and that the policy in that training is up to standard with the policies of education systems in other parts of the world.
He said a rigorous assessment system should be put in place to make sure that teachers deliver the quality of education that the children deserve and such should be the yardstick by which individual performance can be measured and be structured within the context that ensures teachers are registered and licensed practitioners.
Sam said further it is clear that if Guyana is to move as a nation and attain those lofty goals set for ourselves, we must regard our teachers as the driving force to meeting such ends.
He said the ministry, proudly, stands in partnership with all entities that are willing to further the agenda of teachers and he pledged that, through this effort and continuing consultations and open discussions with all stakeholders, a plan will, ultimately, devise a new dispensation that would see teachers being at the top of the professional ladder within the society.
Sam urged the teachers present to share their thoughts and ideas as they will ultimately shape and define the end product of the consultation.
Important
Also speaking at the forum, President of Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), Mr. Colin Bynoe said it is important that if any country is going to establish teaching councils, there must be wide consultations.
He said it must be ensured that not only the GTU is involved with its partner, the Ministry of Education, but also “members of the University of Guyana (UG), members of the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), Members of Parliament (MPs), the Teaching Service Commission (TSC)’.
“… and we have gone further to ensure that we also have students with us,” Bynoe pointed out.
He said they sought to involve students in this consultation because, sooner or later, they might become teachers and it may very well affect their lives.
“ We feel that the more persons we get involved in this will help to bring about the true picture of what we really need in Guyana and that will give us the type of help to professionalise education in Guyana,” he emphasised.
Bynoe said the teachers present have an opportunity, after hearing what is said about the establishment of NTCs, to make their voices heard.
They will be able to come up with one document that would point the way forward to successful education planning for Guyana.
Others there yesterday included representatives from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).