Teachers receiving quality training

Teachers have been called upon to take the two-week summer institute, which commenced this week very seriously.

Speaking at the institute’s opening ceremony at the Peace Memorial Hall last Monday, first vice-president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union (SVGTU) Vibert Lampkin said the workshops, which are hosted by the SVGTU, the Canadian Teachers Federation (CTF), the Ministry of Education and the Basic Needs {{more}}Trust Fund, are held annually to ensure that teachers are receiving quality training, which they can use to ensure that no student in their class is left behind.

He, however, noted that quality education is accompanied by parents being involved in the lives of their children, the Ministry of Education providing the resources that are necessary for the teachers to be quality teachers and the Government providing quality remuneration for the teachers so that they could perform better in the classrooms.

“When we have excellent teachers, we would then have quality teachers performing quality roles, imparting quality education to all of our students,” he said, adding that the teachers who are a part of the workshops would be exposed to excellent teaching methodologies.

Further, he urged that teachers not leave the workshop without becoming a member of the SVGTU.

“If we are to fight a long and struggling battle we need all foot soldiers… and I’m sure that where you sit, if you’re not a member, you would be so anxious to become a member even after I have spoken; you would then ask for membership forms when I’m finished speaking,” he said.

During his remarks, leader of the CTF team Alan Kwok stated that they were proud to be a part of the partnership with the organizations involved.

He noted that the team follows in the footsteps of many other Canadian teams who have been part of the summer institutes over the past decades.

Kwok added that since their arrival, they have worked closely with members of the SVGTU executive, as well as local teachers to prepare workshops in the areas of assessment, literacy, mathematics, science, social science and information and communication technology.

“We look forward to co-facilitating these professional development support workshops over the next weeks and we are confident that each of you would return to your schools in September with new ideas, new methods and new energy, as you begin the next academic year with your students.”

The CTF team consists of members from two different provinces and one territory which represent four different local teachers’ unions in Canada.

Kwok said that united, the unions would improve public education in SVG.

The workshop, which involves over 100 participants, began on Monday, July 11 and concludes on Friday, July 22. Sessions begin every weekday at 8:30 a.m., with a 30-minute break at 11:30. They conclude at 1:30 p.m. every day.(AS)