Master trainer Maydha Persaud with the top performers
Seventeen educators from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) on Friday graduated from the Education Ministry’s Management Certificate Course.
The programme – a specialised course designed to improve teachers’ leadership skills – was executed through the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) and catered to Heads of Departments, Senior Teachers, and Head Teachers.
During the 11th graduation and prize-giving ceremony at the Anna Regina Secondary School (ARMS), master trainer and retired Head Master Maydha Persaud stated that it has been recognised and agreed that one of the key factors influencing effectiveness was the nature and quality of the leadership and management provided by headteachers.
Persaud emphasised the importance of the Head in an institution, describing them as the heart and as such, their leadership style as the heartbeat. He highlighted that an effective Head should inspire the staff to prioritise quality teaching and view students as knowledge consumers.
Persaud added that it was against that backdrop that the Education Ministry embarked on the Management Certificate Course.
The course was introduced to Guyana in 2000, as a joint effort of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Education Ministry, and the pilot project started in Region Two.
A section of the gathering on Friday
It is the brainchild of the Commonwealth of Learning and was first conducted in Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe, all in Africa, Persaud noted
Speaking on the achievements of the course, Persaud mentioned that the management course was taken to Belize and then brought to Guyana.
“In 2000, it was piloted in Region Two for 30 Head Teachers and the master trainers were from Guyana and Canada, and the outcome was a resounding success… since 2003, the course has been undergone by school administrators in all 10 regions under the management of the NCERD Director and conducted by regional master trainers,” Persaud added.
The duration of the course is 18 months.
Persaud said the course qualification was also used for senior promotions and was worth six points which are equal to that of a Certificate in Education at the University of Guyana (UG).
Meanwhile, the Regional Education Officer of Region Two, Shoundelle Hercules extended heartfelt congratulations to the graduates and urged them to consider applying for senior positions.
Delivering the charge to the certified graduates was the top graduating teacher of batch 10, Vishnu Narine, who charged the educators to be good teachers and managers in their respective schools.
Alicia Moore, an English Head of Department (HOD) of the Charity Secondary School, was awarded the prize as the best graduating teacher and as such, received a number of trophies for her outstanding performance.
Additionally, Chalisa Nandram, a teacher at the Abram Zuil Secondary School, copped the second position while Sandiya Samaroo copped the third position.
Also in attendance at the ceremony were the Regional Chairperson Vilma De Silva, Regional Vice Chairman Humace Oodit, Regional Executive Officer Susan Saywack, and the various District Education Officers.
