CPCE expels trainees over poor attendance, grades

Sep 21, 2013 News

….can re- apply next year

By Leon Suseran
“We want the kind of cream of the crop, so if people are not psychologically, intellectually and socially ready for the programme, I think it’s fair for them to take some time and sort themselves out and come back,” said a senior official.
The future training of more than 80 teacher- trainees of the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) is therefore now in jeopardy after they have been asked to leave the college due to poor attendance and poor grades.
The trainees, who hail from almost all of the training centre branches across Guyana, have made less than the required 80 per cent attendance, thus they have been barred from writing the final exams. Others have had unacceptable exam results over the time spent at the college, and thus have been asked to leave.
Nineteen teachers from CPCE Johns centre have been asked to leave.
They all have the option of taking ‘leave’ from the college and re- applying next year; but one thing is certain, they will not be accepted back into the college during the ongoing academic year.
Kaieteur News was reliably informed that some of the trainees sought an audience with the CPCE Board as well as other senior officials within the Ministry of Education (MoE) but the college has stood its ground—the trainees cannot continue under their present underperformance.
CPCE has several satellite centres across Guyana including at Johns, Port Mourant; Linden; Anna Regina; Vreed-en-Hoop; Georgetown; New Amsterdam and the main campus at Turkeyen.
An official at the college confirmed the situation and mentioned that the college has a Handbook which states these rules. The official went on to say that there are rules and regulations in any institution of learning.
“In any institution, there are rules or regulations and students have to make the criteria for certification…number of courses pass or fail…”
The official added that the college has upgraded its entry requirements and standards since starting the very intense Associate Degree in Education (ADE) two-year Programme. After completing this programme, trained teachers will only have to spend another two years completing their Bachelor of Education Degree at the University of Guyana (UG).
However, teachers are not obligated to proceed to UG immediately after completing the ADE. In the past, trainee teachers had to pursue 3
other Teachers’ Certificate programme at CPCE then return to their respective schools to work for two years, then proceed to UG to do the one-year Certificate in Education programme before moving on to a four-year B.Ed programme.
At the 78th Convocation at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) last December at which a total of 862 educators (759 female and 103 male) graduated, among them the first batch of teachers (197 in total) under its Associated Degree in Education (ADE) programme.
The other 665 completed the Trained Teacher’s Certificate Programme (TTC). The TTC programme was discontinued to make way for the more recognized and accredited ADE Programme.
“If you fail more than what is according to the standard you have to take leave and return,” the official said yesterday.
When asked what the teachers’ next steps are, the official said, “They need to re- apply next year…but the fact of the matter, you need some time to sort yourself out and come back.”
The official added, “We are not debarring anyone from teacher training; the college is opened for anyone who is qualified for entry.”
“We want the kind of cream of the crop, so if people are not psychologically, intellectually and socially ready for the programme, I think it’s fair for them to take some time and sort themselves out and come back.”
When this newspaper contacted the Chairman of the CPCE Board, Mr. Roopnarine Tiwari, for a comment, he stated that the issue falls under Professional issues and it [a comment] will have to come from the Chief Education Officer (CEO) himself.
Several attempts to contact Mr. Olato Sam, the CEO of the MoE, on Wednesday proved futile.

5 thoughts on “CPCE expels trainees over poor attendance, grades”

Danita September 21, 2013 at 8:05 am

Well done! We need standards in the Education sector . Teachers who have a good command of English language and those who can contribute to a higher standard of education in beautiful Guyana.

I admire Dr. Amanda Kissoon Russell who has worked her way up and is today employed by NCERD. A trainee at CPCE had good and bad days but has done exceptionally well. She was very determine to get where she is today.

Come on student teachers make that sacrifice and go for it.
Besmart September 21, 2013 at 10:42 am

I strongly believe that the { Creator has decided to do his job too.} thank you Father.
smith September 22, 2013 at 2:52 pm

well said they are stating that the need people who are psychologically, intellectually and socially ready for the programme. They are not stating the they kept persons there for 1 year and a month when they could have send them home at the beginning of the second semester.persons put their all into this and that all they can say. I strongly believe that every one have the right to an education . if they are speaking about transforming classroom for the 21st century i think they should look into those teacher matter. whats the use of starting back next when those teacher are in their 4th semester. We need some justice in this place.
Stephen Monasingh September 23, 2013 at 11:36 am

This is an excellent move by the Cyril Potter College of
Education.
I pray that I do not have to continue correcting the blatant English and Mathematics errors committed by the Primary and Secondary School teachers as I had to with my children when they attended Secondary School and as I continue to do now, with their children attending Primary School.

When I had suggested at a PTA/Ministry of Education meeting
some years ago, that some teachers need to be taught, I was scoffed at by the members of the head table. I was forced to make this comment when a Grade 4 teacher had permitted a CPCE student to mark the end of term papers and all of
the percentages were incorrect.
The audience was promised that the marks not given will be added to the next term’s results and this never materialized.

Further a particular Grade 5 teacher had tutored her daughter, who was her student also, well ahead of the other students in the same class.
This strategy retarded the progress of the affected students by one year and now that they are in Grade 6, efforts have to be doubled for those poor students to be brought up to speed.

My question is, will that teacher and the teachers who accept bribes in terms of gifts/delicacies, be in the exam room with their favored students when they will be writing their examination to graduate to the Secondary School level?
Alexis Angelique Bobb September 23, 2013 at 2:23 pm

I do agree that the Teaching Profession needs capable persons in this day and age to deal with the levels of our future generation. I do hope that this encourages us all as aspiring teachers to see the importance of being in the teaching profession in our society.