Senior educators to pursue Masters Degree

Teachers and officials at the launch of the programme on Friday
Teachers and officials at the launch of the programme on Friday

Twenty-five principals, deputy principals and senior teachers will be better equipped to discharge their duties as instructional leaders through a Master of Science Degree (MSc) Programme which was officially launched on Friday.

The two-year program, which is being held in collaboration with the Open Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), will begin on Monday.

Programme director, Elizabeth Sinclair said it consists of 14 courses, “four of which are electives from which the students will choose for a total of 41 credits.”

She said the courses focus on the areas of education leadership and management and will include a research seminar and research project.

She noted that the programme is specially designed for working people who cannot study full-time at a physical campus.

“We hope to produce 25 highly trained and educated graduates, a cadre of leaders for the education sector possessing the skills to make strategic, economic, financial and marketing decisions that will contribute to the education of Dominican citizens and the Caribbean on a whole,” Sinclaire stated.

Chief Education Officer, Melena Fontaine said the initiative is to equip school leaders with the necessary skills to provide sustainable leadership and “is the latest indication of the ministry’s commitment to the development of the human resource within our schools.”

According to her, at the end of the programme “we expect that our school leaders to be better positioned to act as the center of influence within our schools.”

The programme an initiative of the government of Dominica under the Dominica Education Enhancement Project (DEEP) and project coordinator of DEEP, Randolf Felix, said over 80 teachers have been trained at University level.

He said he expect no “drop outs” in the new MSC programme.

“we want everybody to do what is required and want everybody to succeed,” he stated. “It is our expectation that all participants will complete the program successfully.”

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25 Comments

  1. is so!
    February 2, 2015

    Once again no opportunity for laabourites! workers supporters that getting opportunities!!! Wey Labour ka Twavay ba toute sa pa pou NOU

  2. NKRUMAH KWAME
    February 2, 2015

    Please, where did this figure of 11 million come from? Nowhere in the news article is a figure for the training mentioned.
    HOTEP!

  3. Critical thinking
    February 1, 2015

    Well i am assuming that there are other costs involve. Keep in mind that we do not only pay for credits, there are several other fees to be paid, plus the material and the cost for instructors. I found you comment very amusing, but on a serious note it sounds reasonable especially at the masters level.

  4. JOHNNY
    February 1, 2015

    I guess its being done specifically for these students. They are not joining an existing class or a program that was being offered before. But even so I cannot understand how it would be more than four million dollars. Well I hope the teachers make the best use of it and as Felix says ‘no drop outs’. But UWI is not kind to us and our teachers and Government.

  5. Dominican
    February 1, 2015

    Always good to see people trying to better themselves.

  6. Baby
    February 1, 2015

    :wink: Congratulations educators! Go out there and conquer :wink:

  7. Opinions Matter
    February 1, 2015

    Having a master’s degree does not make you a better teacher or leader. Money would have been better spent training all teachers in leadership skills, personal development and creativity skills – these are lacking in some teachers.

    • DonK
      February 2, 2015

      Correction: these are lacking in MOST teachers…!

  8. Gander/goose
    January 31, 2015

    Very good initiative by the ministry of education. It’s very unfortunate and inconsiderate of the people involved in the recruiting of the principals/teachers for the said program to subsequently disqualified 8 of the teachers / principals to bring in other appointees because of personal relationships and other elements of conflict of interest.
    Common on , those teachers (disqualified) had made all their preparations before and were all looking forward to their masters and all of sudden You made the excuse of funding, then if funding is the problem ask the entire 25 selected to contribute a % of the cost so the other 8 can be reselected and have the same proposal applied.

  9. Oh Yes
    January 31, 2015

    All the best to the educators/students.

  10. educator
    January 31, 2015

    I am always happy when resources are spent on teachers. This is not new, the offer of masters to senior teachers and principals was done about 10 years ago. A FEW finished the programme. I believe that the money should have gone into a revolving loan. Teachers who genuinely wish to develop themselves would have been able to receive interest free loans, with reasonable rules and conditions applied. The borrowed sum plus administrative costs would be paid back over a comfortable period of time, thereby if managed properly and ethically, it would have been a source of development fund for hundreds of educators over years. Teaching is referred to as a profession, but professional structures are not in place and as long as this so, all spending would not obtain the return on investment . Eleven (11) million dollars could do so much more.

  11. Educator
    January 30, 2015

    Qualification will not necessarily make them better educators. Will they be trained using Pavlov or Piaget? Will the training be relevant to our cultural configuration, or a Eurocentric perspective that will not be applicable to the students reality. Advanced education is always better because it exposes educators to new teaching strategies, but the training must be tailored to cultural experiences and perspective.

    I hope the instruction model would include a study of Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences.

  12. The Facts
    January 30, 2015

    They are fortunate that they will be able to study for a higher education which will enhance their positions. This is why I state that times have changed in Dominica. They do not have to go overseas for this.
    Consider all the previous teachers/educators in bygone years. If they had such an opportunity then, they would have embraced it. As the saying, “It is never too late” or “Better late than never.”
    I wish all of you success in your studies. When you have completed and graduated, you will feel better educated and equipped for it. Your students will be the recipients.

  13. ????????????????????
    January 30, 2015

    Good initiative! Where are the negative people? Why are you not commenting on things like this? Kudos to the Ministry of Education. Hello we need to have a Associate Degree for the Negative persons who only like sensation and politics. Are never grateful. It should be the degree against negativism and enhancing and eliminating ignorance in our society. It should be mandatory for all those blogging and saying negative things and cannot comment without blaming the Government especially the Prime Minister. Just saying don’t care for the thumbs down. I do not need anyone to thumbs me up. I am already thumbs up by the Great Creator of the Universe. Jeremiah 29:11!

  14. Shaka zulu
    January 30, 2015

    Great initiative. Something positive. I think it is a good move adding value to our human resources. That is an example of long term developments. Hope upon completion their pay will also raise accordingly.

  15. youths
    January 30, 2015

    Seems lik a good deal!! Just about $450 per student…if i got it right!!

  16. joe
    January 30, 2015

    Labour ka twavaye , we are the change!!!!!!

  17. I broke we pal
    January 30, 2015

    Am I reading correctly?
    25 participants x 41 credits = 1025 credits
    $11,000,000.00 ÷ 1025 credits = $10,731.71 per credit
    WOW!!!

    • joe
      January 30, 2015

      What are you saying it doesn’t worth the Msc, that they will receive? Spew out your point on that maths!!!!

    • January 30, 2015

      How could that possible be accurate? That would be $440,000 for each Master’s degree. If that’s true, it’s the most expensive set of degree programmes that I have ever seen. One could literally set up a whole new graduate school of education for that sum.

    • Hope
      January 31, 2015

      really you have no idea of the price or a masters

    • Observer
      January 31, 2015

      Did you read that the $11 million are only for the credit hours. You need to think critically.

    • TimTim
      January 31, 2015

      Rac-keeet !!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: Di country nice!

    • No Nonsense
      January 31, 2015

      That’s UWI for ya! :lol:

    • stupes
      February 2, 2015

      Stupid or what??? 11m is for the entire education enhancement program; about 2m going to that component. You all don’t follow news…stupes!!!

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