Basseterre: St. Kitts, Tuesday, October 12, 2021: On October 12, 2021, the Ministry of Education held the opening ceremony for its annual In-service Training Programme for the new staff who began teaching at the start of the 2021-2022 school year in September. The sessions were held at the Immaculate Conception Catholic School Auditorium and will become a staple in the lives of these teachers throughout their first year of teaching.
Extending congratulations to the new teaching staff, the Minister of Education, Honourable Jonel Powell, reiterated the Ministry’s commitment in ensuring the professionalization of the teaching cohort.
“The Ministry is particularly mindful that in transforming teaching and learning, the skill sets, knowledge-base and expertise of our teachers will also need to be greatly enhanced. We are therefore cognizant of, and promoting the importance of continuous professional development for teachers. The In-service training will be for you a relevant scaffold as you journey through this year of teaching,” he said.
Minister Powell reminded teachers of the Ministry’s commitment in being a system of support for teachers.
“The Ministry of Education is fully committed to providing support for all its teachers because we want all teachers to provide quality teaching so that our students may experience quality learning. During this training, you will be exposed to different pedagogical and professional skills that you can utilize in the classroom daily. I therefore urge you to be open, receptive, and responsive to what you are taught,” expressed Minister Powell.
Chief Education Officer, Mr. Francil Morris, impressed upon the teachers the importance of these sessions in shaping their professionalism.
“The In-service training will make it possible for you to enhance the competencies that you need to address the varied learning needs of our students in the classroom. The dynamics of education undergo a consistent change and it is essential that our teachers also remain consistent and updated with these changes. The In-service training for teachers aims to help you as new educators to become good learners by acquiring the habit of consistent learning,” stated Mr. Morris.
The new teachers were encouraged to make the most of the upcoming sessions. The sessions will be held every Tuesday afternoon for the entire 2021-2022 academic year.
