Diversity Education and Inclusiveness workshops for teachers across Guyana
The Ministry of Education through its Department of Education Georgetown held a workshop which focused on ‘Diversity Education and Inclusiveness’.
The two-day workshop which began yesterday was held at the North Georgetown Primary School and will re-occur again in the last week of August 2018. Workshops will continue in similar fashion during the school breaks so that teachers can be engaged.
The initiative is as a result of direction given by Minister of Education, Hon. Nicolette Henry to enlighten teachers about how the education system needs to cater for diversities and the need to promote inclusivity.
Minister Henry had advised that the Ministry must devise an intervention to ensure that no child in any educational institution in Guyana experiences any form of discrimination.
Further, the Chief Education Officer, Mr. Marcel Hutson recommended that all education officers, teachers and other ancillary staff, from public and private schools be trained in Diversity Education and inclusiveness.
The exercise is also being facilitated through partnership with the Ministry of the Presidency, Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport.
The initiative is being executed by targeting teachers in clusters. It is the intention to reach as many teachers in the Georgetown district. However, this program will be rolled out in all of the remaining 10 education districts.
Delivering remarks to the 38 teachers present at yesterday’s exercise was Chief Education Officer, Mr. Marcel Hutson who reminded the teachers that they are critical to the process of education delivery.
He said that teachers are most knowledgeable about the issues that affect children. As such, the CEO said that teachers must be supported and their issues and needs addressed so that they can execute their duties.
He urged the educators to be constant and persistent with the work they do in the classroom. Mr. Hutson advised that teachers need to be conscious of how they portray themselves in-front of children because their actions can have either positive or negative impacts on the life of the child.
“They (the children) can be encouraged or discouraged. It is important to build healthy positive relations with people” Mr. Hutson said.
The CEO said that the Ministry of Education believes strongly that teachers are the person that can change the status quo in Guyana through the delivery of education.