Students, trainee teachers engaged on education day

─ hears of ministry’s revised education curriculum, TVET and Teacher training opportunities

DPI, Guyana, Saturday, September 14, 2019

As activities for Education Month continue, a symposium on literacy, technical vocation and chartering a career in education was hosted on September 13 – Education Day.

Students from various secondary schools and trainee teachers of the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) packed the Queen’s College Auditorium to engage in discussions.

Presentations were made by Assistant Chief Education Officer, Samantha Williams, Director of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Floyd Scott and Principal of CPCE Viola Rowe. They each focused on various aspects of education in Guyana and the direction in which the country is going in facilitating an improved education sector.

[In the photo, from left to right] Those who made presentations at the symposium; Chief Education Officer, Dr. Marcel Hutson, Principal of CPCE, Viola Rowe, Assistant Chief Education Officer, Samantha Williams and Director of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Floyd Scott.

Some of those who were in attendance.

Some of those who were in attendance.

In her presentation on literacy, Samantha Williams noted that while the ministry aims to eradicate illiteracy, nationally, there are some challenges. However, “We [Ministry of Education] intend to eat, breathe and consume the literacy agenda until all of our citizens are functionally literate and possess basic skills to lead successful lives.”

Positing that literacy is the catalyst for learning on any front, Williams emphasised that there needs to be a robust implementation of the ministry’s programmes with monitoring and support along with adequate local research available to all citizens.

C-TVET’s Floyd Scott noted that Guyana is on the cusp of a technological boom with the coming of first oil in 2020. It is for this reason; education must be tied closely to this particular development.

“Technology has always played a prominent role in education but its relevance and importance have posed new requirements and demands on us as we relate to the changes that have taken place from the stone age to current or through the industrial revolution.”

Meanwhile, CPCE’s principal, Viola Rowe, encouraged the students to consider a career in teaching. She noted that it is the responsibility of the CPCE to equip teachers with the tools needed to teach.

As Education Month continues under the theme ‘Education: the key to national development’, the move to engage senior secondary school students in these discussions is considered timely; as the aim is to encourage them to consider careers in the education sector.

Also, in attendance were senior education officials including Chief Education Officer, Dr. Marcel Hutson, Director of the National Centre for Education and Resource Development among others.