Scores of aspiring teachers attend CPCE’s open day

May 17, 2025 News

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Kaieteur News- More than 200 young aspiring teachers on Thursday attended the Cyril Potter College of Education’s (CPCE) annual open day event, where they explored programmes and expressed interest in becoming qualified trained educators in Guyana.

The event which was held at Guyana’s premier teacher training institution at Turkeyen, saw in attendance many individuals who are already serving in the public education system, but are desirous of becoming formally trained and certified teachers through CPCE’s nationally recognised programmes.

The open day was held under the theme: ‘Mastering the art of teaching’.

Speaking to a packed audience at CPCE’s auditorium, Director of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), Oma Ramdin, told the prospective applicants that the noble profession is seeking teachers who will make a difference. She noted that teaching is not merely a profession, but a calling.

“The fact that you are here is that you are interested in becoming a trained teacher and that is an exciting thing. On behalf of CPCE, I want to send a heartfelt welcome to each of you, it is both a joy and honour to have you here today,” she expressed.

She added that it marks the beginning of an exciting and transformative chapter in their journey as educators.

“As Guyana’s premier and only teaching institution, CPCE has a proud legacy preparing educators to meet the evolving and diverse needs of our nation’s children.  As you heard, Guyana is on a mission to train every single teacher and that alone should tell you how important we see the Cyril Potter College of Education, because this is the only institution that exclusively train our teachers,” she stated.

During her remarks, she mentioned that CPCE’s programmes span across the country from the coast to the hinterland, ensuring every aspiring teacher has access to quality training. Among those, they are proud to offer new dynamic areas of studies including Health and Family Life Education, Literacy Education, Special Needs Education and Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

These programmes she said, reflect their unwavering commitment to be inclusive, relevant and forward thinking.

Alluding to the theme, the director noted that mastering the art of teaching means, “you have to be creative and innovative.”

In further explaining what this means, she told the aspiring teachers that each student is unique and that teaching requires flexibility to respond to different learn style to different capabilities among the students and to different circumstances.

“Teaching requires more than knowledge after you graduate from CPCE, it doesn’t end there it demands empathy, dedication and a deep love for learning. Teaching isn’t a skill to be mastered, teaching is an art to be loved,” she added.

Reiterating that CPCE offers diverse and specialised programmes and is committed to 100 percent trained teachers, she noted they have flexible learning modes, which include both online and face to face.

Committed to having every school equipped with trained teachers, the NCERD Director briefed that the government is building and would soon complete some 20 new secondary schools mostly which are found in the hinterland regions.

“What does that mean for you, that mean we need you to work in those schools,” she said.

Encouraging those interested teachers in considering working in the hinterland regions, the Director said that the Education Ministry is rewarding teachers who take up the post through a three-point promotional approach.

“You get three promotional points for every four years spent in the hinterland and if you did not know, to those young aspiring teachers, being promoted in the profession is all about points. So you have to be qualified, have to be experienced in order to get a promotion and so you are getting points, while you are getting to learn about another region,” she related.

In a release from the Education Ministry, the agency stated that the Cyril Potter College of Education continues to play a pivotal role in advancing the Ministry of Education’s vision for quality education through professional teacher preparation. Interested individuals are encouraged to visit the CPCE website at http://www.cpce.edu.gy for application details and additional information.

It was shared that CPCE is also expected to host Open Day activities at several other locations across the country including at Vreed-en-Hoop in Region Three on May 20, New Amsterdam and Rose Hall in Region Six on May 21, Anna Regina in Region Two on May 22, and both Linden in Region 10 and Belladrum in Region Five on May 23.

Notably, dates for outreach to the hinterland regions will be announced soon.

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