Dear Editor,
The recently concluded Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) graduation, the numerous complaints, pre- and post-graduation, made by the students and were posted on the infamous Melly Mel’s Facebook page, have caused quite a stir in the education sector. These complaints drew diverse views and perspectives from educators at varying levels in the education system. One of the themes threaded through these responses was the deep concern for the seemingly eroding standards of operations at CPCE, an institution that has served Guyana since 1928, and has produced educators par excellence. Permit me, Editor, to express my views as an educator and a proud product of this noble institution, on the current situation at CPCE.
In my estimation, CPCE is likely embroiled in a tug-of-war among individuals invested with the power to make significant systemic changes at the institution. I will not use this space to address the examination process, examination results and the graduation ceremony. However, I will use this space to address two issues—management and staffing at the college. On the issue of management, I will cite two individuals’ descriptions/perspectives. According to the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, CPCE is “run independently with Noella Joseph as the principal” of the institution. Here are a few questions to consider. Is Ms. Joseph, as the principal, solely responsible for managing the college? Is Ms. Joseph a part of a team that manages the institution? CPCE is managed independently from what?
The apparent ambiguity (whether intentional or accidental) in this statement was cleared up by the Chief Education Officer’s (CEO) comprehensive description. In his October 26, 2023 letter to the Editor of Stabroek News, the CEO said that CPCE is “managed independently… with broad guidelines and policies from the Central Ministry through its Education Systems Committee of which the Principal is a member.” He further stated that “the Principal functions as the day-to-day manager of CPCE… [and] provides supervision and direction for the efficient functioning of CPCE and is responsible for the administration of the College’s campus and off-campus centres.” Is the Principal given the scope to make these day-to-day decisions? Or, is her title just a rubber stamp?
Based on my investigations, Dr. Tamashwar Budhu, the “nameless individual” Errol London alluded to in his October 25 letter to the Editor, seems to be one of the key decision-makers for the administration of the college. Dr. Budhu, a full-time lecturer in the Faculty of Education & Humanities at the University of Guyana, was contracted by the Ministry of Education to head the quality assurance team to evaluate the operations at CPCE. Other members of the team are Ms. Bibi Ally, Dr. Odean and his wife, Ms. Odean. This quality assurance evaluation stint seems to be perpetual. Dr. Budhu has since been issuing instructions and directives through the Vice Principal responsible for curriculum and instruction (VPC&I), who filters these down to the staff, sidelining the Principal on numerous occasions. Additionally, Dr. Budhu’s directives sometimes contradicts those issued by the CEO, another key decision-maker for the college. This leaves staff and students confused, frustrated and bewildered. How can an institution progress under such divided management? Are the policymakers from central ministry trying to present Ms. Joseph as incompetent and not deserving of the position? Is Dr. Budhu trying to live out his dream vicariously, of becoming the principal at CPCE? Yes, he was the only other applicant for the position, besides Ms. Joseph.
Moreover, this “new” managerial structure flouts the standard operational procedures of the College. Ms. Joseph, the Principal of CPCE invested with the power to manage the day-to-day affairs of the College, was instructed to concede to Dr. Budhu, the evaluator and the Minister’s representative. Failure to comply with Dr. Budhu’s directives and mandates is tantamount to insubordination. Another administrative position, Director of CPCE, was inserted into the organizational structure of CPCE. Note, Dr. Julie Jailall, who was contracted to hold that position was first introduced to the staff as a consultant with special responsibility to reform the curriculum. Dr. Jailall was later given the position of Deputy Director of NCERD with direct responsibility for CPCE. Note, the CEO has/had (I don’t even know which tense to use) direct responsibility for CPCE. So, I’m confused as much as the CPCE staff and other educators are confused. What exactly is Dr. Jailall’s position? Curriculum specialist consultant, Deputy Director of NCERD with direct responsibility for CPCE, or Director of CPCE?
In my estimation, with all these illegal intrusions into the managerial structure of CPCE, Ms. Joseph has therefore been lulled into a palpable suffocating silence. Efficient management of any institution or organization thrives on effective communication and collaboration. For communication to be effective, information must flow in an upward, downward, or lateral direction without breaking the chain of command. This means that every player in the institution must be cognizant of the managerial structure of the institution, must know their position in that managerial structure, and must understand their roles and responsibilities. All administrators should be more professional and respectful in their varied roles, and work collaboratively to create a better institution.
Editor, I’d like to direct your attention to staffing issues at CPCE. For over a decade, CPCE was short-staffed. The college administration made several requests to the MoE to fill the vacancies in the various departments so that the college can carry out its mandate efficiently and effectively. However, these requests went unheeded. This problem exacerbated with the influx of teacher trainees during the 2021- 2023 intake. Additionally, the majority of staff members in administrative positions were acting in those positions for 5-7 years. To address these issues, the MoE published a list of vacancies on March 20, 2023. This application process was severely flawed, however, I do not have time to delve into this issue. These were the outcomes of the application process:
1. Some staff members who were acting in administrative positions were not appointed to those positions, although they were experienced and qualified. Only the Principal (Ms. Noella Joseph) and Vice Principal Development (Ms. Tamzin Henry) were duly appointed to those positions.
2. New positions were created to accommodate some staff members. These positions are: Registrar, Vice Principal (Assessment), Senior Lecturer (Literacy), Senior Lecturer (Curriculum) with responsibility for Technical Vocational Education (TVET). Editor, please note that due process was not followed to adopt these new positions into the organizational structure of the college. All these new positions are therefore illegal.
3. Unqualified and/or inexperienced staff were recruited to fill vacancies. The CEO took sole responsibility and used his office to appoint his friends and associates to most of the positions. Once again, due process was not followed. These appointees are highly incompetent and deficient in both content and pedagogy to become teacher educators. Here’s a typical case in point. The recently selected Coordinator of the Modern Languages Department was never teacher trained, and is now pursuing a Diploma in Education at the University of Guyana. She was handpicked over qualified staff members at CPCE, one of whom has almost two decades of experience of managing a Modern Languages Department. The other is her main lecturer at the University of Guyana. Editor, how absurd is this arrangement?
These anomalies call into question the competence and efficiency of the quality assurance team, the CEO and the Minister of Education. Maybe, there is a redefinition of the term “quality assurance” that is privy to this group of administrators. In my next letter, I will address issues pertaining to curriculum and instruction, and the examination process. In the meanwhile, I call on the MoE to give the quality assurance team an ultimatum to submit its recommendations and end its period of service! I call on the principal and administrative staff of CPCE to take control and manage the institution to the best of their abilities! Ignore all mischievous outside interference! I call on all true passionate educators to rise up! Rise up and let your voice be heard! Rise up and lend support to a flagging institution! Rise up and help CPCE regain its preeminence in this territory! I also call on the miscreant policymakers in central ministry to clean up the mess they created or be cleaned out!
Sincerely,
Millicent Stephens-Hall