Education Minister Petter Saint Jean, has called on over 740 freshman students of the Dominica State College (DSC) to take the quality education that they have signed up for seriously, less they be brushed aside by other Caribbean nationals seeking employment in Dominica.
St. Jean made the plea during an orientation ceremony held at the Arawak House of Culture on Monday.
He said Dominica is in a competitive and free market environment which means that anyone within the Caribbean single Market and Economy (CSME) can migrate to Dominica.
“And if we do not take seriously the issue of quality education, higher education for our people we may be pushed out from the most prestigious jobs that we have here,” he said.
The Education Minister also sounded a warning to the students that they must take charge of their education.
He pointed out that the Government is willing to assist students but they must not waste their time, and they must also maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.75, to be able to qualify for state financing.
“Let me be very clear here; we are not in the business of financing studies for individuals who will go up to the Stockfarm campus and waste time with friends and strangers at Stockfarm,” he stated. “We will not finance the education of persons who will leave Laplaine, or Picard, or Scotts Head get into Roseau and rather than do serious work at Dominica State that you are out around town window shopping and finding yourself in business that you ought not to.”
He pledged the government’s support for assisting and developing the young people in Dominica “but you must show and express interest in your own future development.”
This year’s orientation was held under the theme ‘Explorientation’.
The new state of the art Stock Farm Campus is expected to be ready by September 23rd 2013.
The Bath Estate Campus will also relocate to the new Campus site.
universal education doesnt work, the CXC results for math are abysmal, apparently anyone who got CXC 3 can reach the subject at Secondary school.
We have loads of empty buildings and a distinct need for trade schools, all offering English and maths/bookeeping as a core requirement it has been brought up before. You sit in your office like a nodding hood ornament and vacuously listen to requests before stating…”IT’S OUT OF MY HANDS”. Surely as Minister the buck stops with you, who’s hands is a final decision in? So why not actually do something instead of sit there like a dunce.
The funny thing is you are basically threatening the students that they might not be chosen for jobs in their OWN country. competing with others from…
peter to tell u the truth you are a disgrace to the education system in dominica boy uwp must win
The Minister must model the correct example that he would like our students to emulate. At the DSC Orientation ceremony, this morning at the Arawak House of Culture, he was 15 minutes late. The President of the college urged him to walk faster down the aisle to his seat on the stage.
Big fish small pond syndrome.
petter if you are a preacher tell your leader to stop being disrespectful. dont you find your leader rude to be calling people bastards? how can you allow a man with such character lead you ?
Mr. Saint Jean, there is a problem out there. Too many trained teachers can’t find a job or a space at a school. Further more there is a group of students presently on training plus another group to start in a few weeks time. What about those who have been trained two, three and even four years ago? I recommend that you all close the teachers college for a while until there is a needed for trained teachers. Going to teachers college now is a waste of the students time and money. Thanks
This is same thing for the nursing school…. i have spent 2 years of pre nursing not working… and can’t start practical because they keep taking too many students every year. Am so mad i have been waiting 1 year now. Shm
That’s a very valid point. There are hundreds of trained teachers out there who cannot find teaching jobs here because the teaching industry is saturated, especially at the primary school level. DSC must cater to the needs of our industries in Dominica. Why continue to provide trained teachers, where there are no jobs there?
What;s the point?!!!!!! There’s no jobs available to us after we leave college -_-
I dont know about the crop of students nowadays, but in my time, students whent to Sifocol BECAUSE they were serious about their education. Looking back, most of us who attended Sifocol continued on to university.
Not bad advice, but redundant all the same. If students were not serious I hardly think they would be at DSC, but I have been wrong before.
That’s because only students with good grades qualified for Sifocol. Just being there meant you were bright.
Now, so many more qualify that the college education is now being taken for granted. Young people, I know it is hard to get a job but do not let that keep you from dreaming. Most of us started off in small jobs and education, training, experience and the right attitude brought us up. True, some of us went up by pull-string, but still, do not let that dim your dreams. Work hard, have faith – the rest bound to fall in place.
WE GRADUATE AND NO JOBS AVAILABLE 26 TEACHERS LAID OFF HMMMMMM WHATS THE POINT
DISCARDED is the name of the new flu. hahahahaha
Dominicans not easy.
2013: 740 freshmen
2014: 500 ”
Common stoooodents! listen to mr saint jean
They better run from St.jean because with the second class education at the state college they will not be able to compete for any jobs here or regionally..
they wont take it serious when lack of jobs after college is a detrimental factor here in Dominica. while it is a great thing to have an education and to finish college or the highest level of education one can attain. it is also a solid factor that the mind still wonders “should I waste my time studying for years and then when i’m done I stay years- almost the same as the length of time I studied- to get a job??” Mr.Saint.Jean that is something you must seek to address… cause having all the college education necessary and still having to sit at home on ones behind makes no sense in this country. something needs to be done and done fast. our poor nature isle is heading into a deep ditch if the persons in power don’t start to use the brains – we the people think they have and placed them there for – to use
Drop the bomb get out in time! KABOOM!
“And if we do not take seriously the issue of quality education, higher education for our people we may be pushed out from the most prestigious jobs that we have here,” His words not mine. Firstly what prestigious jobs are you talking about? Secondly , where are the other regular non prestigious jobs for the 740 plus freshman who graduate in two or three years? wake up dominicans
you talking about 2yrs time. what about those that graduation this October? those that graduated last yr and still job searching…? and those that clear harbor is going to lay off?? this Christmas well be the beginning of dreadness times to come if we don’t find ways to fix this
Go further their education get a bachelors degree make use of their degree and make their money duhhh uwi close by , take a loan do whatever they have to do to further their education that’s what people do duhhhh I did it so can they .