Manickchand says no tolerance for slothfulness, inattention in the classroom

Making the case for better regulation of teachers, Subject Minister Priya Manickchand on Tuesday said that slothfulness will not be tolerated as teachers’ licensing consultations are underway.

“The country is moving to a place where lackadaisical, sloth, inattention to detail will no longer be tolerated in classrooms and we are quickly moving to a place where this noble profession that produces all the other professions will have to be licensed and will have to be regulated.

“Just in a few short weeks, we are going to begin the consultation on that. How to license the profession and what will be needed for someone to be able to renew their licenses and feedback in that process,” Minister Manickchand said on Tuesday during a ceremony at Queen’s College.

At the time, the minister was clarifying that students are being engaged by the ministry to find out how teachers are performing, showing up to classes and what they are teaching.

She said the process for the noble profession to be licensed will be considered in the coming weeks when students and their parents, and other stakeholders, sit down for discussions.

The idea is to have all stakeholders and teachers decide on the best way forward for ensuring that teachers are licensed.

Manickchand added that if teachers are not fulfilling their duties then “we can find some space in other careers for you.”

Last year the minister said teachers in Guyana will have to be licensed on an annual basis and undergo continual professional development. This is part of a holistic approach to ensuring that the education sector is up to par.

“We had started those consultations about licensing of teachers [and] regulations for teachers.

“[We are] just trying to regulate the profession in a way that other professions are regulated and so we will begin those consultations again shortly,” Minister Manickchand told reporters.

Guyana’s only training college, Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) has acquired its highest intake through the new online school which allows more teachers to get enrolled and earn their degrees in education.