Bahamas News
Bahamas signs MOU to meet the teacher shortage in special education
#TheBahamas, December 26, 2022 – The Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training is preparing public school teachers to assist children in an area where there is a “critical” shortage — special education.
The Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Barry University Monday, December 19, 2022 to offer scholarships to teachers for the preparation of Master Teachers in the area of special education and other key
The Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin, Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, led the team of executives who were present for the signing which took place at the Ministry, Ivy Dumont Building, University Drive.
Participants in the event included Dominique Russell, Acting Director of Education; Chilean Burrows, Deputy Permanent Secretary and Dr. Jill Beloff Farrell, Dean and Professor, Barry University.
Minister Hanna-Martin described the signing as a “very important” initiative and thanked Barry University for partnering with the Ministry.
“Once we begin to extend and build capacity this will have tremendous impact on so many young people who we have to say are falling between the cracks. We don’t want our children to fall between the cracks. We want them to have every opportunity humanely possible in our country to develop their full potential.
“It’s an enlightened extension of what we are already doing in education. It further develops and builds capacity so we can reach more and more children.
“We believe that within 18-24 months we will begin to see the roll out of special needs teachers who will be dispatched nationwide and be able to [provide instruction to] children who may be at this moment off the radar for us,” she said.
Dr. Farrell explained that the partnership is the first to be signed with the Ministry that is strategically focused on looking at the greatest need — the most critical shortage.
“We know that children with special needs are a huge part of the population in almost every area geographically.
Those children who have incredible potential are often held back from maximizing their potential, being the best they can be and contributing to the growth of their country because they have not had the adequate preparation throughout the years, because they have not been in the hands of a teacher who is prepared to give them what they need.”
She said the focus of the partnership, which has a hybrid/blended format (course work and face-to-face lessons) is to create master teachers.
“The idea is for them to work collaboratively with other teachers to provide skills and knowledge that every teacher needs to work with those most vulnerable children to help them all along the way in their schools,” said Dr. Farrell.
Release: Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training
Photo Captions:
Header: The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training (center) is pictured with Ministry officials following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Barry University to prepare teachers to study towards Master’s Degrees in Special Education. Also shown is Dr. Jill Beloff Farrell, Dean and Professor, Barry University (6th from right).
1st insert: From left Sonia Culmer, Acting Permanent Secretary, signs a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training. Also pictured is Ricardo Deveaux, Deputy Permanent Secretary, the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training and Dr. Jill Beloff Farrell, Dean and Professor, Barry University.
2nd insert: Dominique Russell, Acting Director, speaks at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Barry University Monday, December 19, 2022 at the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training.
Photos/Ahvia Campbell, Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training