Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 13, 2020 (ZIZ News): To mark the start of pre-service training for new teaching candidates this week an opening ceremony was held at the Antioch Baptist Church Conference Room on Monday.
According to a press release the pre-service training gives prospective teachers a realistic preview of the profession before engaging in actual classroom teaching.
Coordinator for the Pre-Service Training Programme, Francil Morris said that each prospective teacher will sit an English and Mathematics proficiency test followed by 2 weeks of training.
“Over the next 2 weeks our training sessions will take place using a blended approach, however, most of the sessions will be conducted virtually.”
He added that after the completion of the pre-service training, candidates will be invited to participate in an interview after which individuals will be informed of whether they have been successful.
“In the event that a prospective teacher is successful during the training and interview and if your services are needed you’ll be officially contacted by mail congratulating you and inviting you to attend our annual summer workshops which begin on the 24th of August 2020. You will then be informed of your placement to one of our educational institutions and will be introduced to staff and given an orientation exercise at that particular school.”
During his remarks, Minister of Education, Hon. Jonel Powell encouraged the prospective teachers to be honest with themselves throughout the duration of training.
“As you go through this course pay attention to how it makes you feel. If you feel what is required is beyond what you’re willing to give of yourself then teaching may not be your calling. In such instances, it is highly respected if you self-select out of the remaining days of the training and the subsequent interview if you come to such a place please exercise some professional courtesy and inform one of the coordinators of the pre-service training however if you are inspired and excited about what you’re learning I urge you to stay the course, education is very likely your calling.”
The ceremony was guided by the theme, “Education for All, Embracing Change, Securing the Future”.