Sixty-two Primary School Teachers graduate from special training course

Sixty-two primary school teachers from throughout St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) will now be better able to deliver instructions and enhance their pupils’ learning experiences. The teachers graduated from an 18-month course in Remedial Education Strategies and obtained a certificate in Learning Support.{{more}}

The programme was delivered by the Cambridge Education Limited and the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Jamaica and funded by the European Union (EU).

The programme was designed to equip primary school teachers with the skills necessary to assist students with learning difficulties and those that might be at risk of academic failure and to equip teachers to be able to differentiate in instructions. The course focused on four modules: Special Needs Education, Literacy, Numeracy and the Foundation of Education; a course in Information Technology (IT) was also taught as most of the programme was delivered online.

Seven graduates were awarded distinctions, while 21 received credits. Those who completed the programme obtained 30 credits towards a degree at the University of the West Indies.

The graduation ceremony was held at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown. Valedictorian Rouna Burke said that she is already implementing what she has learned in the classroom and that the programme will impact the nation in the short term. She encouraged her fellow graduates to use the knowledge gained to enhance their classroom practice, motivate their students and consequently improve their performance.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves delivered the feature address. He congratulated the teachers on their success and the told the Ministry of Education officials that they should send the relevant information to him so that he could include a raise for those teachers who passed the course in the 2009 Budget. “This government is serious about education,” he said.