CPCE launches 4 new teaching programmes

…Education Ministry working to transform college into internationally recognized institution

The Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) on Wednesday expanded its list of teaching programmes with an additional four courses being added to its catalogue.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand, in highlighting that the Education Ministry’s goal is to transform CPCE into an internationally recognized intuition, has said, “So, today gives me great pleasure to commission these four new programmes… From the time we started to now, we have moved them steps forward towards perfection…So today, as we launch these new programmes at CPCE, I say this is the beginning. We have our eyes set on CPCE becoming an international teacher training college, and that is what we are working towards.”
One of the programmes launched is the Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) course, which focuses on equipping teachers with skills needed to deliver holistic education that nurtures students’ physical, emotional, and social well-being.
The Literacy Education programme has been launched to address literacy challenges in Guyana by equipping teachers with specialized strategies to improve reading, writing, and comprehension skills, particularly for students in the undisturbed and rural areas. By focusing on foundational literacy, this programme aims to reduce learning disparities and promote lifelong learning.
The Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) programme, geared to respond to the urgent need for educators who can support students with diverse learning needs by providing teachers with specialized training in exclusive education practices, has also been launched. As has the
General Teacher Education (GTE) Programme, which fast-tracks the preparation of highly skilled educators who are equipped to meet the demands of our modern classrooms.
Also speaking at the launch event, CPCE Director Dr. Julie Jailall highlighted that these new programmes are tailored to address the learning needs of children across the country.
“Today’s launch is historic. I’d like to emphasize that the ultimate beneficiaries of the four programmes are the students in our schools. We are training teachers here today in four programmes that are very, very critical to bridge the gap…they are not purely academic, they are more student-related, like I said, and you know what? These programmes are the strategies for achieving the goals in our Education Strategic Plan,” she noted.
CPCE Vice Principal for Curriculum, Nicola Tyndall-Pantlitz, highlighted that the new programmes reaffirm the CPCE commitment to improving education delivery for learners in Guyana.
“These initiatives mark a pivotal step in transforming teacher training and education nationwide. By focusing on health, literacy studies, inclusivity in education, and professional development, CPCE is preparing educators to inspire, empower, and lead the next generation. As stated in the education sector plan, teacher training is central to the transformation of the education system, and by extension our nation,” she said.
Over the decades, the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) has experienced many transformations, including in programme structure and curriculum offering. CPCE offers professional teacher training at the Turkeyen pre-service and at eighteen (18) in-service satellite centres. Training is offered via online mode, blended, and face-to-face modes.
CPCE offers a wide variety of courses and programmes for every level of teaching, including early childhood programmes for both pre-service and in-service students, the primary programme, and the secondary academic and pre-vocational programmes.
In total, there are four programmes for the Associate Degree in Education (ADE), along with a Trained Teacher Certificate (TTC) Programme for in-service teachers who are not eligible for the ADE Programme.
This year, for the first time in education history, CPCE students received diplomas and degrees in Special Education Needs.