At a recent cabinet discussion, Education Minister Hon. Petter Saint Jean stated that through government‘s revamping of the education system, teachers are now better qualified to enter classrooms.
This is due to a series of teacher training courses that prospective teachers are expected to go through before stepping into a classroom.
“The whole issue of teacher development, continuous teacher training is a big issue for us in the Ministry of Education. If every child is to succeed, teachers must be equipped to deliver quality education. We have addressed this issue head on so that today generally to get into teaching, one must not only meet the minimum entry requirements which are the four O levels CXC subjects, one must do the teacher training course.”
The education minister further explained that as a result of Government’s initiative, the Education Enhancement Project allows for teachers to expand their knowledge in a number of teacher training subjects.
“The Government of Dominica is currently paying for twenty-one teachers to obtain a Bachelor’s of Education degree, six of which are studying Mathematics. We are also focusing seriously on Visual and Performing Arts because some children are inclined in that respect. We have five teachers studying that, two in Agriculture, Special Education and Industrial Technology and Home Economics.”
In addition, Hon Saint Jean also noted that there were still more teachers studying for their masters degree.
“We have five teachers studying at the master’s level, being paid for by the Government of Dominica through the Education Enhancement Project. The master’s degree varies from Education, Counseling, Special Education and Speech Therapy.”
He also highlighted areas that teachers are being trained in the diploma level.
“We have fifteen of them at the diploma level doing post graduate diplomas in Education Plumbing, Auto-Mechanics and Home Economics and we have three of them at the certificate level in Cosmetology.”