Dear Editor,
Ms. Denise Belgrave, Chairperson of the Education Committee of Region 10 is reported (Guyana Times, 22/10/16) to have said that: “Training, guidance essential for teachers performing management duties”. Besides my continuing professional interest in both teaching and management development, this interesting report aroused some special nostalgia in me going way back to the early 1960’s.
Since that time the late Mr. Neil Cadogan of New Amsterdam who was the Education Officer overseeing the schools in East Berbice recognized the need for the kind of management training of which Ms. Belgrave spoke. He accordingly sought help from the late Mr. Harold B. Davis who was then the Bookers Sugar Estates’ Director of Personnel Management (now Human Resource Management) and famous for his passionate dedication and sterling contribution to Management Development. (In keeping with this noble passion, Mr Davis also founded the Guyana Institute of Management which unfortunately became defunct).
In response to Mr Cadogan’s intuitive need analysis, Mr Davis suggested a series of Saturday seminars on Supervision and Management for the Head Teachers and graciously advised Mr Cadogan that I was capable to conduct the suggested seminars. At the time I was the ‘Personnel Manager’ of the Rose Hall sugar estate in Berbice.
Accordingly, Mr Cadogan and I embarked on the Saturday seminars which were well attended and I believe much appreciated. I thought of recounting the foregoing as our current education administrators might draw some parallels from same and possibly consider taking similar cost- and time- saving initiatives.
Another cost-effective and perhaps more appropriate approach could be the TOT model (Training of Trainers) whereby all Head Teachers are specially trained and required to orient, teach and induct regular teachers who have the potential for managerial roles so that a sufficient cadre of professional teachers are available for appointment to supervisory/managerial positions.
Yours faithfully,
Nowrang Persaud
