− Education Minister says during tour of new Texila University campus
Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine on Thursday joined other officials from that Ministry to tour the new campus of the Texila American University.
The tour was the second official one to be done since the medical university
Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, along with Education Advisor Vincent Alexander, pose with officials of Texila University during the tour on Thursday
opened the doors of its new campus earlier this year.
The tour covered the six modern labs, including those used for biochemistry, pathology, skills, analogy and Information Technology.
Following the tour, Dr Roopnaraine said he was very excited about the work of the institution and the contribution it has been making to the health sector in Guyana. He said, however, that Government would be challenged with retaining the skills of Guyanese doctors who would eventually graduate from the university.
“It’s a wonderful environment in which to train our doctors; but, as I said, the biggest challenge for us after all of this is to ensure that all of them stay in Guyana. But I am very excited by what I am seeing,” he said.
The Education Minister and team were somewhat concerned about the welfare of
The Texila University at Providence, East Bank Demerara
students’, particularly those from countries around the world. The university has students from India, the USA and several African countries. Dean of student’s affairs, Marie Josephine Judy, has said the university follows a strict guideline to keep students in check. Alluding to the fact that coming from one environment to a completely new place is always a challenge, Judy said her job is to assist in the orientation of the new students with both school and their new home for their university life.
The university offers other programmes in the field of medicine, and hopes to expand and offer courses in areas of business as well as information technology before the end of the year.
Texila University is currently waiting for the Guyana Government to confirm the date for the official opening of its new and modern campus, in which all its local operations have become centralised.
With an investment of US$10 million, the new facility boasts some six modern labs, including those for biochemistry, pathology skills, analogy and IT. Students can put their knowledge to the test in the skills lab, where various medical procedures are practised on dummies.
The university also has a library, which focuses heavily on e-books, since more students prefer to read on their electronic devices. In addition to some 48,000 electronic copies of books, there are several hundred hard-copy books on the library shelves of the three-storey building.
More than 400 students are currently studying at this elite institution, including local and international students. However, the campus has a capacity to accommodate 1500 students.
Dorms, provided by investors, are on campus for international students.
The staff complement stands at 100, including teaching and non-teaching personnel, with the majority being Guyanese.
Already recognised by the Guyana National Accreditation Council (NAC), Texila University will apply to the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for recognition of Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP), in order to further boost its integrity.
CAAM-HP, the legally constituted body, was established in 2003 under the aegis of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and is empowered to determine and prescribe standards and to accredit programmes of medical, dental, veterinary and other health professions’ education on behalf of the contracting parties in CARICOM. CAAM-HP will serve as the means of providing the assurance of quality that generates confidence in the principal stakeholders, students and the public.
Another major plan the University has is for solar energy to power some 80 per cent of its operations.
The Texila American University is part of a global conglomerate, Texila American University Limited Hong Kong (TAU-HK), which also owns Texila Education Management Services (TEMS), USA; Texila Global Consulting Services, United Arab Emirates; and SAKSHI Education and Consulting and Training Limited in India.
The university began here in 2010 with seven students operating out of the Critchlow Labour College on Woodford Avenue in Georgetown. It then moved to establish a campus at Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara, due to a growing student population.
