The Ministry of Education is considering offering scholarships and special incentives for trained Mathematics and Science teachers as a means of promoting the two subject areas in schools.
According to a press release from the ministry, Minister Shaik Baksh made this announcement at a simply ceremony hosted to officially launch the National Secondary Schools Hydroponics Competition convened at the St Stanislaus Farm aback Sophia. He also said the ministry is considering waiving the fees for students taking the sciences (Chemistry, Physics and Biology) Agriculture Science and Mathematics at the CSEC examinations.
These incentives, in addition to the soon-to-be-introduced non-graduate certificate course in the sciences which provides a salary increase for teachers who successfully completed the programme are aimed at giving due recognition to science and technology at the secondary level. Baksh underscored the importance of science and technology and agriculture in advancing national growth and development. He also said that students’ entry and performance in Agriculture Science at the CXC level is encouraging; and pointed out that over the past three years 769 candidates wrote the subject. “Notably, passes in Grades One to Three in Agriculture Science at the 2009 examinations was around 90 per cent,” he said.
Baksh said the ministry recognises the value of agriculture and pointed out that the Secondary Competency Certificate Programme which has been piloted in 24 secondary schools and six practical institution centres has a component that focuses on agriculture. Also, according to its five-year strategic plan, the ministry intends to extend this programme to 70 secondary schools by 2013.
Additionally, Baksh said a National Science Coordinator was appointed to promote sciences in school and school laboratories throughout the country were upgraded. Work is still ongoing in this regard, he said. He also commended the students at the 41 schools participating in the programme and revealed that plans are in train to include primary schools in the initiative.
Meanwhile, NARI Director Dr Oudho Homenauth told the gathering that agriculture is the backbone of the economy and appealed to schools to encourage students to get more involved in the discipline. He said too the Hydroponics contest is aimed at promoting gardening in schools and by extension to get students to start kitchen gardens at home.
The release said Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture Country Representative Ignatius Jean, Deputy Chief Education Officer (Technical) Shurish Baijnauth, teachers and students also attended the meeting.
