The matter was raised recently with Education Minister Shaik Baksh at a meeting of primary, secondary and nursery head-teachers. Baksh promised that a team would visit the centre and this has been done.
Stabroek News spoke with Deborah Short Parker and Ziska Williams, who despite challenges, report to work each day and help in every way they can. The school offers Building Technology, Technical Drawing, Electrical technology and masonry in its Industrial Arts Department and Food and Nutrition, Clothing and Textile and Home Management in its Home Economics Department.
Parker admitted that her only real problem is the shortage of staff. She joined the school in 2007, at which time students from Peter’s Hall, Houston and Providence schools attended. However, since criminal activities heightened, students from Providence have stopped attending.
The PIC does not have its own students but at different times, children from the two schools visit and engage in practical learning in the different areas. Parker emphasised that the school needed teachers trained in administering the Secondary Competence Certificate programme (SCCP).
She explained that the programme was once called the basic competence certificate programme and helped children to work at their own pace. “If we are trained in this regard it would benefit the children greatly,” she stated. She explained that some PICs had the programme up and running but it was not clear why the Agricola PIC was not selected.
Meanwhile, Williams reiterated her colleagues concern about the teacher shortage. She told Stabroek News she felt that the stigma attached to the village has also fallen on the institution.
“I realise that because of the area people are not opting to work here,” she said.
Williams, who has been a resident of the village for the last seven years, noted that teachers are highly respected in the community and as such she called on interested teachers to make the sacrifice. “Put the children at heart. Anything we do is risky and if we take a risk we can at least do this for the children,” she said. Both teachers said that the children have been responsive but felt that more personnel would be of greater benefit to them.
