Region 10 officials press for foreign, sign languages in schools

Officials in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) are pressing for foreign languages, including Spanish and Portuguese, to be taught at more schools around the region, after it was highlighted that only a few schools benefit, given the lack of qualified personnel to take up the responsibility.
Regional Chairman Renis Morian in a quest to improve the situation has asked that the Region 10 Department of Education assist in facilitating the hiring of trained personnel. Morian asked about the number of foreign languages presently being taught in schools across

the region and the availability and accessibility of qualified people to teach. He alluded that Portuguese and Spanish are two important languages which should be learned by students in order to break the language barrier.
“We find ourselves at a disadvantage when it comes to training and doing business since we can’t communicate,” the Regional Chairman said.
Meanwhile, Regional Education Officer Marcia Paddy Andrews noted that qualified persons can be employed to teach the subjects on a part-time basis, a move which the Department of Education is willing to assist with. Chairman of the region’s Education Committee Denise Belgrave also suggested that sign language be taught inside regular classrooms throughout the region, noting that it will be a positive step in assisting students with special needs.