Minister Parag announces new CPCE branch for Region 2
In a major move to decentralise teacher training, Minister of Education, the Honourable Sonia Parag, has announced the construction of a new Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) centre in Charity, along the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).
A total of $45 million has already been allocated in the 2026 budget to kickstart the project, which will specifically serve educators in the Pomeroon River and other nearby remote communities. This initiative ensures that professional development is accessible to teachers residing in those hard-to-reach areas, ending an era where they were forced to leave their homes and families to gain certification.
Addressing headteachers at a recent forum in Region Two, Minister Parag emphasised that the facility is a fundamental step towards national educational equity.
“Teachers no longer have to travel to wherever or go just online,” the minister stated. “You will have the experience of an in-classroom teaching at CPCE right here in Region Two. And that’s something that you should applaud.”
She further underscored that the project is about “quality education and quality delivery in the classroom,” noting that investing in professional growth ultimately translates into better outcomes for the nation’s children.
The impact of this decentralisation is already being celebrated by local educators like Ms Janika Jones, the Headteacher (ag) of Jacklow Nursery in the Pomeroon. Reflecting on her own journey to becoming trained, Ms Jones recalled having to arrive at the existing CPCE Centre in Anna Regina by 07:00 hrs and then rushing to complete her work by 13:00 hrs in order to make the trip back home.
“I have experienced that and it wasn’t easy. We usually have to be on the water top late at nights. Sometimes we reach home after 10:00 p.m. and then we still have to attend to our children, and our families,” Ms Jones shared.
Once completed, this new, modern facility will feature a dedicated classroom block, staff offices, a kitchen area and washroom facilities, all housed within an elevated, ridge-and-beam structure. This new facility will aid the government’s mission to move the national percentage of trained teachers from over 90 per cent to a perfect 100 per cent.
The development of the Charity CPCE branch follows billions in sector investment over the past five years. With the CPCE continuing to churn out record-breaking numbers of graduates, including over 1,300 in the most recent cohort, Minister Parag reiterated that this project is a direct response to the needs of local educators.
“The development of our teachers means the development of our children and our future,” Minister Parag posited.