Latest update December 23rd, 2024 1:37 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Guyana to hire overseas teachers

Feb 18, 2011 News

Government has signaled its intentions to hire Maths and Science teachers from abroad and is even considering retaining those that are of retirement age.
The surprise announcement was made by government spokesman, Dr. Roger Luncheon, yesterday during a post-Cabinet media briefing.
The decision to go outside of Guyana to satisfy the aforementioned purpose speaks of a growing concern over a teacher shortage situation which has been known for awhile, with Luncheon admitting that it may be a case of not enough teachers being produced locally.
It was disclosed that the Ministry of Education approached Cabinet, the highest government decision-making body, on the need for more teachers in the two critical subject areas.
According to Luncheon, there are also needs in other subject areas, but Maths and Science are of greatest importance at this time.
Guyana had previously gone this way, hiring teachers from Sri Lanka and Sudan, with a number of them even staying on and becoming citizens.
Yesterday’s announcement also saw the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) reportedly warning that it would be objecting to any arrangements that would see any hired overseas teachers being paid more than the locals.
“The urgency in responding to the created need for Mathematics and Science teachers now has… more or less outstripped what national production levels can provide and this is why a decision has had to be examined and looked at to return to an older model of addressing the human resource needs of the teaching profession,” Luncheon stressed.
Any remuneration arrangements will be in keeping with models used in the past.
It was pointed out that a number of countries like Montserrat and Grenada, and members within the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), have already been advertising for professionals to fill vacancies within their respective public sectors, targeting Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and North America.
Government will not be ruling out using professionals within the region under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CMSE) arrangements which allows for the free movement of skills.
The Teaching Service Commission will have the final say in ensuring that the requisite documents like the CSME certificates are produced, Luncheon disclosed.
While Guyana is working to raise the number of teachers and is “ramping” up the exercises for these, the current teacher shortage still has to be dealt with.
The official also pointed to cases in other fields, such as medical, where specialists had to be hired from overseas.
The shortage of teachers can be blamed on a number of issues including migration and a few “multi-factoral” issues, which may include the fact that Guyanese have not abandoned the belief that a sound education is needed, Luncheon argued.
It is an established fact that many of the country’s trained teachers have been leaving Guyana to take up more lucrative posts abroad, creating a headache for policy makers.
It was not immediately disclosed how many teachers are being sought.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

 

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Chase Academy squares off with St Benedict’s College ahead of today’s final

Chase Academy squares off with St Benedict’s College ahead of...

Dec 22, 2024

-Petra-KFC Goodwill Int’l Series concludes day at MoE Kaieteur Sports- The two main contenders in the KFC International Under-18 Secondary Schools Goodwill Football Series faced off yesterday ahead...
Read More
Cliff Anderson Sports Hall to showcase Dharry/Allicock fight-card

Cliff Anderson Sports Hall to showcase...

Dec 22, 2024

Topp XX, Winners Connection advance to last eight, Botafago crush Net Rockers 9-4

Topp XX, Winners Connection advance to last...

Dec 22, 2024

Regal Stationery onboard with inaugural One Guyana Berbice Softball Cup

Regal Stationery onboard with inaugural One...

Dec 22, 2024

Power outage disrupts Thursday night play; 8 matches slated for tonight

Power outage disrupts Thursday night play; 8...

Dec 22, 2024

Dookie XI overcome North Soesdyke by five wickets in T20 fixture

Dookie XI overcome North Soesdyke by five wickets...

Dec 22, 2024

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]