With the innovative and new technological approach to education demanded by the COVID-19 pandemic, Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) sees the need to bring its system more in line with modern practice, and it is moving towards offering Programs online.
The Head of College, Viola Rowe, recently stated, “The scheme to offer Online courses will expand beyond the curriculum.”
He added: “The college is a powerful learning institution, which will continue to look for ways to demonstrate resilience and flexibility in fulfilling our mandate to provide trained students. We recognize that the college must find new ways of providing access to teachers. I would like to commend the Ministry of Education for charting the course for the college to offer completely online programs. “
CPCE offers teacher training programs for individuals wishing to pursue a career in teaching, with programs including a two-year Associate’s Degree in Education, with specializations in early childhood, primary or secondary education; Three-year Tutor Certificate; and a one year Associate’s Degree in Education.
College-based programs are government-funded, and students who would have completed their studies at college are expected to serve government for a fixed term under a contract at a particular public school.
Last month the College held its 86th assembly ceremony, where about 501 students graduated, the largest graduating class for the school.
Rowe noted that it was a particularly challenging year for the organization, given the constraints posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which required schools and other learning institutions to close by law.
“Educational institutions in Guyana closed in March 2020. At that time, the College was involved in two critical areas: Processing the January results, and completing curriculum delivery. The lock-down affected both areas; we didn’t have the necessary infrastructure to make the curriculum, ”said Rowe, adding:
“What the pandemic has done is expose the College’s vulnerability to rapid and active response in a social health crisis. To ensure relevance and fairness, we embarked on a data collection exercise. ”
He noted that the lifetime needs of COVID-19 have accelerated the school’s need for modernization with a particular focus on Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
“We need to look critically and firmly at our ICT department; if we have to catapult our college, ICT must be brought to the heart of the discussion. The CPCE continues to embrace the opportunities in the midst of the threat of the pandemic to fulfill its mandate. The demonstration of resilience and flexibility to challenge times is not new to the college, ”he said.