25 volunteers here to boost teaching staff around the country
By Michel Outridge
The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with World Teach U.S., yesterday welcomed 25 teachers from Canada and the United States during a ceremony at the Bain Gray Hall, Cyril Potter of Education (CPCE), Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown.
The volunteers will be deployed for one year in Regions I, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10 where they will teach biology, chemistry, physical education and other subjects.
The World Teach programme provides native English speakers who are college graduates as full-time, on-site overseas volunteers teachers (OVTs) for selected public schools in Guyana for the academic year to teach subject areas as assigned by the Ministry of Education and agreed to by World Teach.
World Teach is here to serve as resources for school principals, communities, and the Ministry of Education, to strengthen school systems, to improve education and to strengthen cross-cultural understanding, deepening the appreciation for other cultures.
According to Deputy Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Mr. Winston Brown, education is the hardware for development and in order for further improvement in the education sector, a comprehensive programme is needed.
He said after two years of diligent work, the joint programme was made possible to deliver quality education, especially in the hinterland areas.
He said World Teach has agreed to provide resources and will work closely with the Ministry of Education during the one-year programme.
Mr. Brown added that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Ministry of Education and World Teach for a three-year programme and two more batches are expected next year and 2007.
Chief Education Officer, Ministry of Education Secondary, Ms. Donna Chapman, said the batch of teachers will be taken care of as they boost our teaching staff.
She added that the Ministry of Education will absorb most of the cost for travelling for the volunteers and the programme is regarded as a very sustainable one.
Field Director World Teach, Mr. Nick Wexler, said the joint programme seems a very promising one from the start. He was here ahead of the teachers to make preparatory arrangements, and he was so impressed by the warmth of his Guyanese hosts that he thinks he will like the idea of spending a year here.
The ceremony culminated with a dance performed by the National Dance Company.
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