Quality teachers for education sector imminent

Sep 12, 2009 News

By Sharmain Cornette

The Education Sector is poised to be adequately augmented with aptly qualified teachers in the areas of Mathematics and English before this year-end.
According to Minister of Education, Shaik Baksh, the move comes as part of his Ministry’s plan to improve the quantity and quality of teachers in the public education system. As such, the training initiative will cater to the training of Science teachers, who are in even shorter supply, the Minister revealed.
Regarding the move to train teachers as a special initiative, Baksh said that it is designed to be an 18-month certificate programme which is undertaken through distance mode.
The distance programme, Baksh disclosed, is made available through the Cyril Potter College of Education and the National Centre for Education and Research Development (NCERD).
This newspaper understands that two groups of teachers had commenced the first bout of the programme last year and are expected to complete the intense and comprehensive curriculum by next month. Another batch had also commenced the programme in January last.
Baksh during a recent media briefing revealed that “we had to find innovative ways of bringing in other teachers to address the current shortage of teachers in the system.”
Additionally, he revealed that the Ministry is also seeking to incorporate third and fourth year teachers from the University of Guyana.
Officials of the education sector had for some time now recognised that there is an evident shortage of qualified mathematics and science teachers. Consequently, he noted, the ministry has engaged a number of initiatives, among them the distance programme, to boost the quality of teachers and by extension, the delivery of education.
At the recent unveiling of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination results for instance, Pulandar Kandhi, Permanent Secretary within the Education Ministry, had attributed another year of unsatisfactory performance in mathematics to the shortage of trained teachers.
According to Kandhi, candidates’ performances in Mathematics continue to be an area of immense concern to the Education Ministry although there has been an increase in the grade one to three pass rate when compared to last year.
The overall performances in Mathematics saw 31.46 percent of the candidates passing the subject this year. The subject, as a result, falls among five other areas in which unsatisfactory performances were recorded. Other subject areas of concern include Caribbean History which saw a 43.76 percent pass rate, English B (38.4%), Geography (44.75%), Information Technology – General with a (12.5 %) and Electrical and Technology with a 49.81 percent pass rate.
But according to the Minister, Guyana cannot be left behind, “we have to move forward, improve and then sustain what we are doing.”
Baksh also sought to rule out the common belief that the school system will fail to improve unless teachers are better compensated. “Money is not everything.
The Arab countries which are rich, they only have a 60 percent literacy rate,” Baksh asserted.
“I strongly believe that we must improve pay and conditions, and we will continue to do that. I will continue to make representations at the cabinet level for this to be done, but we tend to link pay with improvement and this is wrong. Teachers are taking on a job that they are being paid for…so that is their duty.”
“Many people are not satisfied with their pay, not only teachers, but they need to deliver to the children under their care…and that is the only way we can improve the system, but this is not happening in too many cases,” Baksh stated.
According to the Minister, it has been brought to his attention that many teachers are not delivering the curriculum, especially at the secondary level, adding that they are doing so in order to offer extra lessons.
Regarding the situation as a dangerous development, the Minister pointed to the fact that he intends to put an end to such practices countrywide.
“They are not teaching the children and are forcing them to pay for lessons within the same school. I have no problem with teachers offering extra lessons outside of the school buildings, they can do that.
But I would have to set up a team to investigate if we can allow teachers within a given school to offer lessons to children in that given school.”
The Minister, as a result, hinted that a study will be conducted in order to determine if the offering of extra lessons complies with Human Rights and the Constitution.

Latest News

Quality teachers for education sector imminent

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Groups, schedule announced for One Guyana 3×3 Quest

2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League...

Virtual Meeting of Caribbean Boxing Promoters...

GBA AirBadminton Tournament spikes off with...

Briton John sets sights on another sweep with...

Waramuri stuns Vreed-en-Hoop 7-1, as Bush Lot...

Features/Columnists

Desecration, Disrespectful, and Disgraceful

The Caribbean: Destined to Grin and Bear the Consequences of Its Self-Created Vulnerabilities?

Radical left-wing lunatic

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Quality teachers for education sector imminent

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]