Most teachers not imparting knowledge gained at annual Summer Institute – SVGTU head

President of the SVG Teachers Union (SVGTU) Oswald Robinson is not satisfied that teachers are imparting knowledge gained at the annual Summer Institute.

Robinson was at the time addressing the opening ceremony for the Summer Institute at the Peace Memorial Hall yesterday.

“I’m not satisfied that from the fruits of these workshops that we are really seeing the majority of our teachers going back to the classrooms and really implementing what they are taught over the years.”

Robinson further told the teachers to make the most of the opportunity given to them to develop their craft.

“We give you an opportunity to enhance your competencies, to develop your skills, your knowledge and to enhance your attitude in order to execute that awesome responsibility that’s placed upon the shoulders of educators of SVG.”

The president noted that there are still a number of challenges facing the teaching profession, namely the issue of punctuality and irregularity to work.

“I want to use this opportunity to challenge you to do justice to the efforts that we put in over the years. It’s a lot of money, a lot of effort and hard work.”

Five Canadians are here from the Canadian Federation of Teachers (CFT), who have been partnering with the SVG Teachers Union and the Ministry of Education over the years to host the Teachers’ Summer Institute.

Team leader of the CFT Robert McKague says that he is aware of some of the challenges with which teachers in SVG are faced, which include universal access to education, inadequate facilities, limited resources and materials.

“Together we will work towards a common goal of quality public funded education for all students.”

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Morine Williams told the teachers to ask themselves how effective is their classroom practice and what needs to happen at their level to ensure that at the end of the school year the students have learnt what was set out.

The areas being covered in this year’s Summer Institute are Mathematics, English Language, Science, ICT and Technical Vocational Education.(BK)