| Education Minister Shaik Baksh, on Tuesday warned private education providers who have not been registered with the National Accreditation Council (NAC) to get their houses in order by next month end or face being penalized under current legislation.He made the announcement at the opening of a two-day workshop hosted by the NAC at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).The occasion featured representatives from several public and private post secondary institutions.The initiative,http://www.soccerpro.us.com/Wales/, among other things, seeks to orient accreditation assessors, private and public education providers and the NAC of trends in quality assurance,Erik Gustafsson Jersey, develop standards by which programmes will be evaluated for accreditation, build capacity of the NAC and its secretariat and prepare institutions to undergo the accreditation process.Baksh pointed out that currently 85 education providers below the tertiary level have applied for registration and 30 at the post secondary level have been registered.The Ministry of Education and the NAC have been appealing to the proprietors of these institutions since the last quarter of 2009 to record their existence but some prominent providers at the post secondary level are yet to do so.The Minister explained that the Ministry of Education is moving in this direction to ensure that the services offered by these institutions meet standard quality imperatives that will positively transform their graduates and the country as a whole.He noted that the issue of quality assurance at the University of Guyana (UG) has been a concern of the government and lauded the strides being made by the current Vice Chancellor to have these matters addressed.Baksh praised, too,Claudio Bravo Jersey, the accreditation of the UG Medical School and pointed out that the development has no doubt enhanced the confidence, pride and prestige of the medical faculty and the university.On that score, he urged the university to embark on a drive to increase the number of foreign students on campus, contending that this move will significantly improve the reputation of Guyana’s premier tertiary institution.The quality of graduates at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), the Minister said has also been an issue but the Ministry of Education has embarked on a teacher education and training reform programme which tackle this and other short comings.As part of the reform agenda, college will from September this year, introduce an Associate Degree in Education (ADE), replacing the Trained Teachers’ Certificate Programme.The ADE significantly reduces the study duration for a teacher to obtain a Trained Teachers’ Certificate and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education.Baksh underlined too that quality teachers, produce quality students and plans are in place to ensure lecturers with first degree at the college are upgraded to acquire their master’s in education certification.He stated that there must be a paradigm shift in the delivery of education at the college. This, Baksh said, must include the redesign of the curriculum to de-emphasize knowledge content which leads to cramming and regurgitation.The new curriculum design and delivery methodology,Rod Woodson Steelers Jersey, he articulated, must emphasize processing, problem solving, developmental,Carl Banks Giants Jersey, technical,http://www.airmaxfantasy.us.com/Nike-Blazer/, communication, reasoning and interpersonal skills.The Minister said that it is not only at the tertiary level that the government is pressing for quality assurance but also at the pre-primary, primary and secondary levels as outlined in the Ministry of Education 2008 – 2013 strategic plan.He also lauded the strides made by Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council in developing quality standards. He is hoping that the local programmes will receive regional accreditation this year.The workshop facilitator and Executive Director of the University Council of Jamaica, Dr. Ethley London, said that accreditation offers broader recognition of qualification, better quality graduates and demand for efficiency and competition.She proposed that all overseas institutions of higher learning must be accredited in their respective countries before they are allowed to operate here and urged students to verify the legitimacy of online degree programme offered by foreign universities before pursuing studies.The NAC, a statutory body under the purview of the Ministry of Education was established in July 2004.It functions essentially as an accrediting,http://www.theworldsoccersshop.com/Colombia-James-Rodriguez-Jersey.html, awards and academic development body for degree, diploma and certificate programmes proposed and developed at approved tertiary institutions.The Council establishes guidelines and procedures for institutions seeking accredited status for particular programmes and grants approval in expression of confidence in their mission,Curtis Martin Jets Jersey, goals,http://www.theworldsoccersshop.com/Cruz-Azul-Rogelio-Chavez-Jersey.html, quality of faculty and students, academic programmes and the level of appropriateness of resources.The assurance of quality education by member institutions is the Council’s primary consideration in confirming or reaffirming accreditation. |
