Latest update February 3rd, 2025 7:00 AM
Latest News
- Govt. assures Exxon not hiding true oil data
- Sheriff Holdings distances self from convicted fraudster Ed Ahmad over suspicious Ogle land deal
- Trump says Americans could feel ‘pain’ in trade war with Mexico, Canada, China
- Soesdyke man killed after car crashes into truck
- Patterson pillories govt. for reckless spending of oil money
1502 teachers graduate from CPCE
…51 trained as special needs teachers
The three mother-daughter pairs that graduated from CPCE on Friday with Minister of Education Priya Manickchand. They are Annie and Anessa Isaacs from Region 7, Janella and Rachael Fernandes from Region 9 and Verlyn and Joanna Krammer from Region 7. (Ministry of Education)
Kaieteur News – Fifteen hundred and two teachers graduated from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) on Friday. Among this year’s cohort were 51 teachers who were trained to cater to special needs children.
CPCE in collaboration with the Ministry of Education held its second largest graduation under the theme, ‘Transforming education through investments in teacher training bridging gaps’ at the National Stadium, Providence.
During the institution’s 90th graduation ceremony, it was disclosed that there were 602 graduates in primary education with 15 earning distinctions, 574 receiving credits, and 13 passing.
The Early Childhood Education program saw 447 graduates, including 2 with distinctions, 436 earning credits, and nine passing. The Secondary Academic Program had 169 graduates, of which 161 received credits and eight passed.
Meanwhile, the Secondary Pre-vocational program saw 251 graduates, with 244 earning credits and seven passing. Additionally, 33 graduates from the Graduate Teacher Education (GTE) and Technical Teachers Education (TTE) programs completed the one-year associates degree, achieving 19 distinctions and 14 credits.
Additionally, 13 police officers were trained and certified in andragogic principles and practices.
Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier Mark Phillips who attended the graduation ceremony congratulated each graduate and emphasized the importance of teachers.
“It is important to remember that education is about imparting knowledge as much as it is about guiding and nurturing the potential that lies between each child,” the Prime Minister said.
“So, every teacher graduating here today immediately on graduation acquires the title of educator, mentor, role model and architect of our nation’s future,” the PM continued.
Phillips further highlighted that the Government of Guyana for the past four years has invested over $200 billion in various education initiatives to improve the delivery of education.
The Prime Minister related, “We (Government) have built just over 80 schools… and rehabilitated just over 900 schools countrywide.”
Furthermore, also speaking during the graduation, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand underscored her appreciation to the graduates, highlighting the value educators have in a classroom.
The education minister said, “I’m always excited when we can add value to any classroom and you are valued, we are adding to each and every classroom that you will stand before from now until you leave the teaching profession and even thereafter for everybody that comes before you.”
She recalled the challenges posed due to the Covid-19 pandemic noting that CPCE was closed for a short period given the need for the teachers to be trained.
“So, it didn’t have to stay close, it needed political will and direction to ensure and funding to make sure it opens up back,” she said.
Manickchand continued, “Every trained teacher we put in front of a classroom ought to give us a higher quality delivery of education towards the children before him and her.”
With that aside, she stated that about 86 percent of the graduates were females while, 14 percent were males. This is equivalent to 1297 females and 205 males.
Using Region One as an example, the minister said that in 2023, the country recorded 9762 primary learners with 208 trained teachers. This made an average class size of 46.9 to one trained teacher.
These stats were described by the education minister to be, “Way too high of learners to trained teachers.” However, this year with 88 trained teachers being added to that region the class size decreased from 46 to 32 students.
The minister noted that across the regions, more trained teachers will be added to classrooms so that the number of students to each trained teacher is reduced.
“Training helps us to make sure we have the least number of children to a trained teacher,” the education minister said.
Meanwhile, three pairs of mothers and daughters graduated on Friday. One pair, 44-year-old Verlyn Krammer and her 20-year-old daughter Joanna Krammer from Kamarang, Region Seven graduated from the Early Childhood programme.
Teachers resighting their oath. (DPI) (1502 teachers graduate from CPCE)
(1502 teachers graduate from CPCE)
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The PPP/C’s greatest liability
Peeping Tom Kaieteur News- One might have expected that a ruling party basking in the largesse of oil wealth would chart... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
