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CPCE, UG lecturers complete intensive training programme
…Need for special needs capacities highlighted
They rush across the campuses, the words of their coaches still buzzing in
Olato Sam, Chief Education Officer (seated, second left) with coaches and participants of the GITEP program.
their heads as they stumble into their classrooms full of waiting students. The process is one repeated several times in the span of 12 months but the end of a year’s worth of intensive training came yesterday when about two dozen persons graduated from the Guyana Improving Teacher Education Project (GITEP).
The graduates were teachers from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and the University of Guyana (UG) who had taken part in a year-long training programme in the areas of Science, Mathematics, Reading and Writing, and Special Education Needs.
The programme was facilitated by the Ministry of Education along with the Mount Saint Vincent University based in Canada.
Speaking at the closing ceremony yesterday, Dean of the Faculty of Education and Humanities at UG Alim Hosein said that it is critical for teachers to be adequately equipped with the best methods and approaches to deliver key subjects such as Mathematics, Science, Reading and Writing. He noted that these subject areas are “central to our push for national development”.
Further, Hosein said that the inclusion of Special Education Needs (SEN) as one of the subjects was equally important.
“In areas such as special needs education, this type of coaching is extremely important to us given our limited capacity in the area and we would need to build our capacity and extend it,” Hosein said.
A chunk of yesterday’s ceremony was dedicated to SEN with participants from the programme demonstrating methods on tackling the subject area. The use of technology was particularly highlighted, with presenters showing how mobile applications on tablets could help students with special needs focus, communicate and ultimately learn.
“It is my hope that the intensive coaching sessions have strengthened our teaching stock,” Hosein said. He continued, “Moreover, I hope the exercises have driven home two important things to our educators: firstly, the need to be up to date with the methods, contents and techniques and secondly, the realization of the truism that those who venture to teach must constantly learn, introspect and improve.”
Hosein further noted that the world is currently undergoing a revolution in education. He added that this was particularly so in the use of technology for the delivery of education. However, he said, “This will never remove the need for competent, involved, and informed teachers. To the teachers and lecturers who undertook the coaching sessions, I hope that you have gained immensely from your interactions with the facilitators and coaches and that you have gained insight to improve your practice as educators. To the coaches, I hope you too would have gained something from the cultural exchange with our teachers and that this will further improve your work as you go forward with many more such consultancies,” Hosein stated.
Similarly, Principal of CPCE Viola Rowe said that value was being added to the CPCE and UG lecturers who participated in the programme. She said too that the students were ultimately the ones who would benefit from this added value.
“Be proud of yourself and the hard work over the course of your training,” Rowe further urged.
According to Rowe, training courses are still ongoing and there are other lecturers who are benefitting from intensive training courses in other subject areas. These subjects include the teaching of English as a second language, multi-grade teaching and guidance and counseling and are being taught by the University of New Brunswick.
Hosein explained that GITEP is one of the significant moves undertaken by the Government of Guyana to reorganize and improve teacher education in the country. He said too that the project seeks to improve the quality and the “up-to-datedness” of educators.
He went on to say that two of the important components of the project spoke to improving the quality and efficiency of teacher education and building capacities for more effective teaching. He emphasised that the concluded intensive coaching workshop directly address the two GITEP components and were therefore especially relevant.
According to Project Coordinator of GITEP Tota Mangar, applications were received in 2014 following advertisements for firms and institutions for consultancy for intensive coaching of teacher educators. Mangar said the institutions were chosen after they ranked highest in terms of qualification, experience and relevance.
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