| Several teachers who were trained 50 years ago at the former Government Training College yesterday celebrated the anniversary with calls for Government to assist with their National Insurance Scheme benefits.The event, held at the Cyril Potter College of Education at Turkeyen,Jerseys From China, would have been minus almost a quarter of the 150 graduates. These have since died. But there were lecturers who tutored them 50 years ago,Alex Delvecchio Red Wings Jersey, among them Blanche Duke, Edna Cadogan and Samuel Small, who was nicked Pavlov and Piaget because of his psychology lecturers.In addition to the unveiling of a plaque at the Francis Vaughn-Cooke Library at the college yesterday, several of the teachers, all now retired were honoured with gifts.Among the most notables of the 26th batch of graduating teachers back in 1959-1960, was former Chief Education Officer,Throwback Jerseys, Oswald Kendall, who joined with Samuel Small to provide reminiscences.The event also coincided with Small’s 50 years as an educator.According to Minister of Education, Shaik Baksh,David Njoku Jersey, who was present for the event, both young and experienced teachers are needed to help restore values of discipline in students along with the commitment which once was the hallmark of the education system.The Minister while lauding the contributions of the former students to the development of their country, pointed out that the level of discipline in students,Dwight Howard Hawks Jersey, along with the commitment of teachers and the role of the community have lessened when compared to the lofty standards of their olden days.He urged the old teachers to help play a more meaningful role in the revival of the declining culture of discipline.Baksh recalled the old days when the community would play a more active role in the molding and disciplining of the child; a time when teaching was viewed as a prestigious profession and insubordinate behaviour of students was almost not existent.“We have started the process, we have a vibrant Schools Welfare Department and more recent, with the introduction of the Associate Degree Programme, teachers graduating from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) will receive the kind of orientation that will make them understand the importants of their noble task of educating the nation’s children,” Baksh said.The Minister also urged for more men to join the teaching profession, pointing out that half of the 150 students of the 26th Class of Graduating Teachers were men 50 years ago.According to former Chief Education Officer, Oswald Kendall, who was among one of the batch celebrating the anniversary, it was during his studies that he became better acquainted with the values of life, role model, dedication to duty, caring and sharing-all of which instilled in him a high level of disciple and a fulfilling life long experience.His 1959-1960 class, he said, was a watershed period of teacher training in Guyana as for the first time 150 teachers were being trained at classes held at the building that now houses National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).Back then, he said,Arizona Diamondbacks Fernando Rodney Jersey, a trained Grade One Class One certificate was a very highly reputable qualification and was a certain pass to obtain admission to the University of Guyana.On a different note, the former Chief Education Officer said that while it is customary for graduates to petition for changes in the education system, he called on Minister Baksh to persuade Cabinet to intervene to help some teachers to receive their NIS benefits.Baksh assured that the matter would be raised.Samuel Small, who is also celebrating 50 years as an educator, said that there were certain students who stood out, including Kendall, who were noticeably brilliant and diligent in studies.Small also said that teachers are often times the unsung heroes and heroines of their country and on that point, he expressed gratitude to the college for the instrumental role it has played in building the nation.He said that prior to 1963 the Government Training College was the highest tertiary institution in the land and barring Queen’s College, the college was one of the oldest educational institutions in the country. |
