Ministry of Education should re-introduce the Teachers’ Foundation Programme

Dear Editor,

On January 2, 1990 the Teachers’ Foundation Programme for under-qualified teachers was started, with the following subjects being offered: Mathematics, English Language, Science and Social Studies. This programme lasted for nearly twelve years and yours truly was employed by the Ministry of Education to teach Mathematics from February 1992 to June 2002.

Editor, teachers’ foundation classes for under-qualified teachers was a huge success! We the tutors were paid a monthly honorarium by the Ministry of Education (teachers did not pay for these classes) and most of the teachers passed and went to the Cyril Potter College of Education and even to the University of Guyana.

The Ministry of Education needs to introduce a similar programme to the one which was offered to under-qualified teachers in order to benefit the tens of thousands of students in our public schools who are weak in Mathematics, Integrated Science, Physics, Chemistry and other subject areas, and who cannot afford the high fees for private lessons after school.

Yours faithfully,
Brother Mark Nigel James