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Jul 11, 2014 News
“Worrying” was the adjective used by Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, to describe the trend of teachers not opting to enter into the field of Science. The Minister was at the time addressing a Science forum at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) Kingston, Georgetown, on Wednesday.
“We don’t see too many teachers opting to do Science…and right now the statistics are a little worrying. We see a lot of teachers, too many perhaps, opting to do Social Studies and some of the other subjects, and we could possibly see ourselves having an overcrowding if we are not careful to try to guide our new intakes in particular areas.”
This strategic move, Manickchand said, would even be instrumental in ensuring that teachers, once trained, are very marketable, not only here but across the world.
“We are currently examining some of those issues, because we know what some of those (related) shortages could be. We don’t want to be expanding inquiry-based Science in the primary schools with micro science kits in all of the secondary schools and expanding the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge, and not have the requisite teachers to make sure that when we bring all these children and create all these interests that we have no one to take this interest forward.”
The Minister said that efforts are being made within the Education Ministry to ensure that there is sustained success in the area of Science. In this regard, there is particular focus on encouraging more students to become interested in Science-related ventures.
And already there is a very noticeable interest in this area, which has been driven by increasing Science programmes in the school system. The Minister informed that over the last two years “we have been able to see a 20 per cent increase in the number of students enrolled for Science subjects in the single Sciences because of specific investments and conscious actions taken in the area of promoting and advancing science education.”
The Minister on Wednesday credited the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge, which is premised on encouraging students to embrace the subject areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for this development.
Sagicor Visionaries Challenge was conceptualised by the Caribbean Science Foundation in partnership with the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and represents an opportunity for young people to make a difference, learn more and challenge themselves.
Schools across Guyana participated in the Challenge last year before the winning school – Zeeburg Secondary – was able to face off with its regional counterparts.
On Wednesday, the 2014 round of the Challenge was launched by Corporate Communications Manager at the Trinidad-based Sagicor Life Inc., Ms Marlene Chin.
Added to the Sagicor collaboration, Manickchand noted that while hinterland schools and some other out-of-Georgetown schools have not been boasting sophisticated laboratory facilities, moves were made to find a solution which is manifested in the form of the introduction of micro-Science kits.
“We do not need sophisticated matured laboratories in every school…we can use these micro-science kits to bring Science and expose children in schools that may not have been traditionally exposed to the Sciences.”
Moreover, Manickchand noted that efforts are being directed to encourage more students, as well as teachers, to train not only in the area of Science, but also the other subject areas that fall under STEM.
“We have this understanding that almost all civilisations are developed on a conscious expansion of STEM subjects and STEM practicals, and so with this understanding we are looking to see how we could incentivise students’ training further in Sciences, and how we can make sure that we interest more of our teachers in focusing on sciences,” the Minister said.
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