Dean of Education, Merrill Matthew, and lecturers Thomas Bell, Sharon Allicock-Joseph and Valda Joseph are now much better equipped to lead in the design of a new Agri-business vocational qualification programme at the DSC.
The group has just returned from a 20 day study tour in Nova Scotia and Ottawa to acquaint themselves with multiple approaches to instruction for vocational qualifications and to farming, by Canada’s leading entrepreneurs in agriculture.
This study tour forms part of an on-going partnership between the DSC, Dalhousie University School of Agriculture and the University of Guelph Kemptville Campus, to design a Level 3 Agri-business vocational qualification to serve the current need for a more productive and economically competitive agricultural sector in Dominica and the wider region.
This programme is in response to continued calls that the DSC trains learners who are business driven and not dependent on others for employment.
The study, sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) and administered by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC), comprised several round table discussions on best practice for teaching agri-business, with emphasis on Competency Based Education and Training (CBET), Gender equity and equality, and entrepreneurship. The group visited several farmers to experience, first hand, the approaches used by entrepreneurs in agriculture to maximise space, yields and profits.
Members of the team are united in their view that the mission served a very useful purpose in the education, exposure and experience it provided to help in the design of a relevant Agri-business programme at the DSC.
The Dominica Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council (DTVETC) has endorsed the Agri-business programme as part of the CARICOM – Education for Employment (C-EFE) Project for Dominica.
Dean of Applied Arts & Technology, Rawle Leslie who is also Local Project Director, says, “A major appeal of the new programme will be to current farmers who can use units of the qualification for improving their knowledge, skills and attitudes while at the same time earning certificates of recognition of their competence”.
Dean Matthew believes the process involved in the design of the new programme will serve as relevant capacity building for staff of the DSC in preparation for the design of other vocational qualifications.
yes proud of my teachers…..valda and alicock….missing Matthias though
Agricultural studies must start in the Elementary and Secondary schools before Agri. business studies can be successful at college level.
The programme at the college must be involve in research to help solve farming problems.
I do hope that Research and Development was of discussion. Agribusiness is important; however, one can’t forget agricultural research and development and its impact on the small business sector.
ask questions before you move your fingers please.
I suspect you know mr. Leslie so why don’t you give him a call eh?
All these people who attended that 20 days study tour in Nova Scotia are they all involved in the so called agriculture industry, why was Mr. Rawle Leslie left out? I would think that he would be the first person on the list. Maybe he has no more skills to be sharpened
You need to get your facts straight before jumping to conclusions
I thought a question was asked. If you have the answer please provide it rather than making the comment you did. So once again, as the individual asked, are those people involved in or have ever been involved in the agriculture industry?
Call Mr. Leslie and ask him why he did not go, if you so concerned. You all just like to talk without knowing the facts, gosh man!!!! You are sickening!!!!!
The person asked a question I myself was asking myself.. I marjored in Agriculture and none of those who attened were or are involved in agriculture besides Mr. Leslie..why wasnt he on the trip?