The University of Guyana yesterday launched the Centre of Excellence for Teaching and Learning (CoETaL), dedicated to teaching and learning scholarship.
Yesterday’s launching ceremony, which involved the hosting of a symposium at the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation Lecture Hall, was attended by Minister of Education (MoE) Nicolette Henry and Professor Percy Hintzen, Director of African and African Diaspora Affairs at the Florida International University. The ceremony was followed by the installation of the centre’s Advisory Board.
Located at the university’s Turkeyen campus, according to a press release from the education ministry, CoETaL will “provide a menu of services and programmes which will be focused on teaching and learning scholarship”.
In the keynote address, delivered by Professor Hintzen, a correlation was made between the quality of teaching and the learning abilities of students.
“He said among other important points that it must be appreciated that students have a lot to offer their teachers. He said that if this is understood, the students can produce new horizons of possibilities. According to Professor Hintzen, excellent teaching can produce excellent learners,” the MoE reported.
Meanwhile, Henry noted that the education system must evolve to provide a platform for the permanent exchange of ideas. In this regard, she lauded the university for this latest initiative, commending the institution for pursuing student learning as a primary goal, and working to provide a “dynamic, highly student-centred learning environment”, where “excellence in teaching is recognised and rewarded”.
“Without adequate higher education and research institutions providing a critical mass of skilled and educated people, Guyana cannot ensure genuine endogenous and sustainable development, which is imperative to reduce the gap separating Guyana from the industrially developed countries,” the minister stated, alluding to the looming demand for greater diversification in higher education given the advent of the developing petroleum sector.
The ministry further reported that the members of the Advisory Board appointed to manage the affairs of the centre are: Paulette Paul (UG), Lenandlar Singh (UG), Dr. Jacqueline Murray (UG/IDCE), Maureen Bynoe (UG), Kara Lord (UG), Kelvin Bovell (UG), Sekhar Mallampati (UG), Fidel Captain (UG), Donette Washington (UG), Dr. Theodosius Velloza (UG), Yulette Park (alternate), Viola Rowe (CPCE), Patrice LaFleur (UNESCO) and an MoE representative.
