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Education system needs to be treated as a whole – Dr. Roopnaraine
There is a nexus between the quality of students leaving secondary schools and those entering University of Guyana, and as such, the education system needs to churn out students equipped for higher learning.
This notion was expressed by A Partnership for National Unity Member of Parliament, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, who also holds the portfolio as a Councillor on the University’s Board.
Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine
“When we talk about the quality of students coming out of the school system, we are also talking about the quality of students going into the University. And the fact of the matter is that if they come in poorly equipped, then the best University in the world would have a problem with them… to turn out the kind of student you want to turn out,” Dr. Roopnaraine stated.
He emphasised that the education system needs to be looked at as a whole.
“There is celebration of achieving universal primary education and aspirations for Guyana to achieve universal secondary education to satisfy United Nations Millennium Development Goals.”
However, though the increasing attendance of students in the school system is significant, what they encounter in the classroom is another issue.
“While it is good that many kids are accessing school we are very concerned with the quality they are accepting.”
Dr. Roopnaraine recalled that many years ago the University had begun the process of having persons from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) join its classes in certain subject areas. He lamented that whilst teaching a final year literature class in which teacher trainees were part of it, it was noticeable that those from CPCE were always more poorly equipped. As such, the teaching was organized to meet the slower students – the trainee teachers.
“This is not a yesterday problem this is an old problem and we cannot hold out longer in addressing the issue of quality of teacher performance or teacher training… this is essential.”
“Perhaps I come from too early a generation… When I read that a child passed 20 subjects I was just flabbergasted and don’t know what this really means,” Dr. Roopnaraine said.
Questioning what the students who are super achievers would do, he emphasized that education is not simply the accumulation of data and facts; instead, a student must be an all-rounder.
He mentioned that social apartheid is taking place in the education system not just between hinterland and coastland schools, but between those who could afford private education as against those in the public education system.
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