President of the Dominica Association of Teachers (DAT), Celia Nicholas has made a strong call to the government to review the ways in which teachers are being recruited on the island.
She said teaching has to do with a passion for the profession, and as such should not be based on likes or the receiving of votes and individuals should not be placed in the classrooms if they are not ready to be there.
“The way we are recruiting our teachers, again I ask the Ministry of Education and the Chief establishment Department to review the way we are doing our recruiting,” she said at the opening of the annual Summer Institute opening ceremony held at the Convent High School on Monday. “We are also telling the Minister for Education, as a politician that we stop putting individuals in the classrooms who are not ready to be in the classroom. It’s not who we like, who we don’t like, who will vote for us, who will not vote for us, it is who has the passion for the profession.”
She stated that once a teacher has the passion for the profession, he or she will do what they have to do to get students to learn.
She noted that people are getting the notion that teaching is so easy that anyone can do it but that is not the case.
“If we are really and truly teaching, we cannot say that teaching is an easy job,” Nicholas remarked. “We need the training, we need the support and we need the right individuals in the teaching profession.”
She advised teachers who do not intend to remain in the teaching profession, that they should “start looking elsewhere.”
“If you intend to remain in the teaching profession, let us get trained to do the job which we have to do,” Nicholas said.
She mentioned also that the workshop will focus on professionalism.
“We know by analysis and research and by economic analysis that if we do not have a well trained and a well-tutored population what happens to the economy of the country,” she said. “The growth and the wealth of any country they are linked to the level of education of its individual.”
The Summer Institute/Workshop, which will run for two weeks, is being organized by DAT, the Ministry of Education and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF).
Funny people accusing this lady of not doing her job and her teachers of not teaching, you people should realise that the principle and teachers can only do so much. Some of these children come to school as a pass time and theres only so much that can be done for them at school, since their adults when they get home.
WTF are you talking about. Did you even read the article
Wait! That is still the norm in DA? Where political patronage by itself dictates who gets to teach and prepare the future citizens of Dominica? Well darn it! We’re in more trouble than I thought, man. Seriously!
teachers….be wise membership is what is prority not teachers interest. Please don’t be fooled by this utterances. If you all only know what is said behind closed doors, some of you would be shock to death.
Well Madam it’s nice you all seems to realise the contributions you all made by damaging our fabric of our society by seeing all this wrongs and stayed silent because of you all claim to be patriotic supports of our leader l, not the Govt, the leader. As it is always said better late than never. You as a God fearing person should know that you van support a system or an individual but it does not mean you can’t let them know when something is wrong and unjust. I strongly believe if persons like you were doing that from the beginning Dominica and its society would be much better and our PM would excel
my boy you doh know Ma Joe man,
when you know Ma Joe to be quiet.
it doh matter
green blue red
Ma Joe always there
I hear passion but I’m not hearing educated as a protocol to meet the creiteria . It should be noted that there are several Head Masters teaching in Diminica whom themselves do not have a High School deploma . How pathetic.
Some these headmasters without diplomas have taught people who’ve gone on to do great things with their lives, while alot of those with diplomas can only do things they’ve seen in a book.
Mrs. Nicholas, with all due respect I have been trained for the past 7 years and I am almost done with my bachelor’s and I still receive basic wage. So I hope you will tell them to pay teachers properly. There are teachers who have completed degrees in education, finished paying their education loans and they haven’t received a dollar for it. I love teaching but it cannot feed my family so I had to leave it.
As the light dims and you near your retirement. all options including greencard in hand FINALLY, you can fiind flaws with a system you have nurtured and held the top advocate position for well over a decade….. AGain BRAVO!!!! SERIOUSLY.. Madam the crisis on your hand is not the Parl Rep Send Me syndrome its because you have done so little in elevating the the financial status of your flock that the crumbs the DPSU would settle for with a leadership that is so easily aligned with the parliamentary opposition when you are more cushy with the ruling party has come home to roost… Imagine a graduate from university entering a secondary environment to be paid just above $1700 when the student loan payment nears $1100.. Are you serious. You should have addressed the issues of the USE: CFSI (Child friendly school initiative and all the other flawed policies you by you agreement, silence or neutrality has allowed to destroy the fabric of discipline, academic achievement, competitiveness ..
this is how people should talk about issues it is not about i love my pm,or since i born i’m a laborite vice versa .if we are grown and matured politically the we will not mix matters but we’ll tell it like it is.
I would think the Education Minister has a say in recruiting teachers and is the one to employ them. Each department head has the responsibility to also interview and agree to the employment of their staff. Where does the politics come in?
All the same she has a point. One who considers teaching as a career should have a love for teaching. It is not merely for an income. If they love their work, they will be enthusiastic about teaching and would do their utmost to ensure the students are properly taught. This should be the pride and joy of teachers.
As an example, it is as a career in the medical profession. Why enter it if the love of it is absent? They must have a love for these professions. If they do they will take a keen interest in it.
In this age where stable-paying jobs are scarce, do not be surprised that this is occurring. Some people will enter a profession mainly for their livelihood. This does not mean they could not develop a passion for it.
When i saw this lady on the news,i almost didn’t want to read,but now i’m glad I did. Madame,your back is getting close against the wall now? You are one of those guilty for having the situation that you are now complaining about now! You supported and voted for this situation and now the chicken are coming home to roost! Mr.Letang has been in the wilderness calling out for voices like yours for a while! When this is exactly what you did, by giving support and voting in the name of party as opposed to those who can govern the country! You are feeling the pain now I suppose,cause the teaching profession has come to naught !Go join in the move this illegal…
Last year, March 15th to be precise, the Executive Director of the National Accreditation Board, Mr. Rock Bruno, at a press conference at the UWI Open Campus (DOMINICA), stated that the Ministry must stop the practice of placing UNTRAINED teachers in the classroom since it undermined the Board’s quest for QUALITY in our Education system. Whoa boy! He was taken to task and accused of making POLITICAL pronouncements. Have you ever heard Mr. Bruno in public again?? We like it so!! Unless parents start demanding only the best for their children, things will continue to go down the drain. In Dominica the entry requirements for the public service is FOUR CXC passes while in our sister islands it is a MINIMUM of FIVE. We continue to accept mediocrity and so will always occupy the end position.
HOTEP!
This was long in coming…..I am so elated that at least one prominent person in education can raise concern…When I look at some of these people who could hardly pass subjects at the CSEC LEVEL,now teaching, I had to conclude that these wickeds in government have no love for Dominica….Shame on them vote catching politicians who are paralysing Dominica…Dont mention the time they go to work…Teaching is definitely not for everyone,,,but when you have clowns as leaders,you can’t expect better..
ay ay I find you come out lOL
Give praise to politicians whose every action is geared towards selfish pursuits. Why should politicians care about having the best teachers when all these politicians need to remain in office is an uninformed and illiterate electorate.
What i see in our country is sad. I see people way to indoctrinated by political deception so much so that the people actually believe that their way of life and standard of living is ideal
Queddoes to you can’t be more on queue than that
Why She still supporting that Administration then ? Time to switch Baby You sound like You have the blues.You losing Your passion for the Reds!
Definitely…..also Ma Joe need to retire !!! DCHS is NOT doing good. The children are not learning…her teachers are NOT TEACHING !!! All she is concerned with is the renovation of the school !!! Help the children Ma Joe !!!
get rid of all the “PARL REP SEND ME” they serioulsy messing up the system
Good luck madame. Our politicians are way to shallow to stop playing the game of “my parl rep send me”. PRSM .In fact someone should develop an app called “parl rep sent me.”
I have seen teachers in classrooms where the kids speak better than the teacher. This is not a Labor Party thing cause its been happening from way back.
Doh even talk about them police recruit. I saw a report written by a police officer who was a PRSM and a 5 year old would have done better.
But then again what do we expect when the worse of us is leading the best of us.
Ms Nicholas, as President of DAT, you should be aware of the problems facing the profession and be able to outline specifically and clearly what corrections are needed. For example, what is the present recruitment process, what is wrong with it, how are the perceived deficiencies to be corrected. Like other countries, Dominica needs qualified, competent, committed teachers and simply saying that you don’t like the way teachers are being recruited, without providing specifics, may form good fodder for discussions but is not helpful to Dominicans.
I though she was pretty clear about the main issue, political appointees without the right training. Same problem in all ministries. She is brave to speak up and must be worried about losing her job after this statement. They remove anyone brave enough to criticize.
skepticalone………that is just public talk……….if she was sooooooooo genuine why is she just sitting there and only on those occassions she talking about it? why is she not asking teachers to strike for better salary etc. Let her tell us about her personal benefits from this regime. Believe that is just reverse physcology…….she telling teachers what they like to hear. It is as simple as that
I fully agree but I believe if the teaching profession is to arrive at 21st century and join the rest of the Caribbean and indeed the world, we need to move from offering only two positions, teacher and principal and create the positions of ‘ head of department’, ‘deputy principal’ and ‘year head’ not names only with a little allowance as they are now. Indeed, teachers would have to meet the academic and training qualifications and it would offer the upward mobility which is absent right now in the profession and persons may stay and not treat it as a stepping stone to better things
We are also telling the Minister for Education, as a politician that we stop putting individuals in the classrooms who are not ready to be in the classroom. It’s not who we like, who we don’t like, who will vote for us, who will not vote for us, it is who has the passion for the profession.” Look, she sounding like she wants to make a bold statement to the relevant authority but she hedges it with we. we we like she afraid of stepping on someone toes- the minister/ministry of education in that case. Being conservative, pious and modest. Madame if you have to bun fire on somebody for something that isn’t going right please grow the balls and say it as it is…what do you think is going to change because of your dad mother duck song you just sang there?
Kudos to Ms. Nicholas for giving voice to an issue that is very much prevalent in Dominica. Well said! Blessing as you continue to work for the betterment of education, and encourage our teachers and leaders to do what is right.
I agree with you Miss Nicholas 100%. Some of them just there for the money.
Some of them ? Ok what about the Politicians what You figure they there for?
What money? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.. Are you serious?! The fella that opening and closing the gate on the port making the same money as an ordinary teacher… PLease… what money?!
excuse me…of course they there for the money,,what u tink people want to work for free man? jobs tight even though there is no passion for it but its a job i will take it cause i have bills to pay,,,well go and work for free nuh….teaching right now is just a job,,,u people treat teachers so badly n u talking about passion? stupessssss….my passion is to make money to feed my family
…I do not agree…….her teachers too…they are not teaching the children. When you have a class of 36 children in first form and at the end of their five years the fifth form only has 8 children …tell me. She has to devote herself and the teachers to teaching the children and counselling them. I am not a teacher by profession but have taught slow children and brought them up from getting “F” to “C” and “B” grades. I feel so sorry for the children
carnation…….it has money in teaching????????? don’t just stay on the side and write come and experience it for yourself. Can you imagine after32 years of teaching a qualified teacher salary is only $3,000.00 in this day and age????? i urge you to come see and taste it whoever u are. Trust u will definitely write a different piece.
I hope more influential person will speak out about the nonsense that exist in our employment today at all levels of government like Ms. Nicholas. She just start speaking too late. Every Dominica knows someone who has been affected by that nonsense.
That’s what UWP needd to be speaking about instead of continually speaking about corruption. I think every one in Dominica already knows that this DLP administration is corrupt. The UWP now needs to speak about the issue of blatant victimization; the appointment of cronies into high office as opposed to those who have the experience and qualifications. The whole issue of who vote for me, I will given them something even though they are incompetent and unqualified and who didn’t vote for me, will not work for me; I-don’t-even-care-if-they-eat attitude that is so common among the ruling party. The UWP needs to talk about the issues that affects people on a personal level as opposed to talk about corruption all the time like a scratch…
What Nicholas is talki6about is part of the corruption regiment.
But you are naive to think thst any politician is going to hammer down on nepotism in hiring teachers or police officers. This is part of our politician arsenal when they are in office. Freedom Party did, UWP did and Skerrit Labor took it ti a new high.
The problem is our people. Wr allow politicians to hurt us while we sit by adoring the pain that politicians inflict on our children
I support that comment.
That is part of the corruption.No matter what UWP speaks about unless there is ELETORAL REFORM those evil and wicked beings will continue to steal elections…Thats why the people have to be ready to take back their democracy from those who are stealing it,and have stolen it!!!
ELECTORAL REFORM!
How can you call on the government to review this process when they themselves need reviewing? Apparently recruitment in everything in Dominica needs to be reviewed including the especially the police and the government. They are corrupt, unqualified, and unfit for office. How in this world did they end up in power is beyond me. . A system needs to be put in place to review the people that decide to run for office. No wonder this place is up side down
Diaspora, you are trying to be like Francisco, at least like him or not sometimes he is talking logic but you Diaspora is talking right out of a camel rear-end.