Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, the Hon. Ronald Jones, speaking with students of the cosmetology programme during the tour of their new laboratory.
Grantley Adams Memorial calling for sixth form
Sat, 10/15/2016 - 12:00am
A call is being made for Grantley Adams Memorial School to enter the ranks of sixth form schools.
In fact, the vision of Principal Dennis Browne is for the school to become the sixth form school for Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQs).
“Grantley Adams Memorial School will pride itself in being the only sixth form school to provide Level 2 CVQ certification to students interested in pursuing CVQs from a list of 19 technical and vocational disciplines,” he expressed during the grand opening of the school’s Cosmetology Laboratory yesterday.
If this becomes a reality, he proposes that students will be allowed to do three Level 1 disciplines in Lower Six, and then advance to Level 2 in those same subjects during their final year in Upper Six.
“I have a cadre of highly qualified, trained teachers and I believe we may possibly have the most Competency Based trained teachers at any one school with either certification in CVQ Train the Trainer or CVQ/NVQ Level 4 in Assessment, including myself,” Browne told Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, the Hon. Ronald Jones.
Having been granted qualification approval by the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council in the areas of general cosmetology, amenity horticulture, carpentry and electrical installation, the school will be seeking additional qualification approval in areas such as: agro-food processing, building construction drafting, furniture making, plumbing, crop production, information technology and support, musical performance and welding.
In addition, the Principal shared his vision to also see Grantley Adams Memorial offer a continuing education programme for adults in technical and vocational disciplines in CVQs, along with the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) certifications.
The Education Minister revealed to Browne that the next schools on his list for sixth form are Alleyne, Ellerslie and Deighton Griffith. However, Jones assured him that Grantley Adams Memorial will be added to that list.
“All you have to do with your staff is outline what your needs are, what programmes you would want to carry and what would be the cost of it…I don’t want the same old time. Build on your strength, so if it’s technical and vocational – build on that. If you can add some humanities, also put it in. Create the hybrid institution – we will work with you.”
“Step up to the plate now. Do not let this term pass before you have something on the desk of the Chief Education Officer or myself because we have to consider it before we go to estimates,” he said. (TL)