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Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College pursues STEM pact with India

Published:Wednesday | November 13, 2024 | 12:06 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
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Indian High Commissioner Mayank Joshi (right) has the attention of senior education administrators at the Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College as he outlines how the college and the high commission could collaborate in improving the delivery of STEM education in
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Indian High Commissioner Mayank Joshi (right) has the attention of senior education administrators at the Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College as he outlines how the college and the high commission could collaborate in improving the delivery of STEM education in Jamaica’s teachers’ colleges.
High Commissioner of India to Jamaica, His Excellency Mayank Joshi (left) with Member of Parliament for St James West Central, Honourable Marlene Malahoo Forte and Principal of Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College, Mr Ricardo Bennett following roundtable discuss
Contributed
High Commissioner of India to Jamaica, His Excellency Mayank Joshi (left) with Member of Parliament for St James West Central, Honourable Marlene Malahoo Forte and Principal of Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College, Mr Ricardo Bennett following roundtable discussions aimed at collaboration between the college and the high commission to improve the delivery of STEM education in Jamaica’s teachers’ colleges.
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WESTERN BUREAU:

Ricardo Bennett, principal of Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College (SSTC) in Montego Bay, St James, says the 50-year-old institution is moving to revolutionise STEM education in Jamaica and is now pursuing an initiative with India.

He said the college has initiated dialogue with Indian High Commissioner Mayank Joshi to establish an international STEM partnership with the Asian country.

This partnership, he said, would benefit all eight teachers’ colleges in Jamaica while significantly enhancing the quality and reach of STEM education across the island.

“This meeting represents a significant step toward fostering international academic collaboration,” said Bennett, who was speaking following a roundtable discussion at the college with the Indian high commissioner and the college’s leadership team.

“Through this collaboration, the institutions will explore opportunities for resource training and technical support to enhance teaching capabilities,” said Bennett, who pointed out that the goal is to also develop robust faculty and student exchange programmes to facilitate cross-cultural learning experiences.

The principal noted that the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing Jamaica’s STEM education capabilities through international partnership and knowledge exchange.

Additionally, he stated that the initiative seeks to create new scholarship opportunities for academic advancement. These combined efforts will strengthen the educational ties between Jamaica and India and expand the relationship between the two countries’ educational systems.

For his part, the Indian high commissioner emphasised the importance of education to national development.

“Education is the most important pillar in any country’s foundation building,” said Joshi.

He acknowledged that while health services, infrastructure development, and financial resources are vital, education remains the cornerstone of sustainable national development.

The high commissioner highlighted India’s renowned STEM education system and acknowledged parallel challenges, particularly in serving the youth, with 65 per cent of its 1.4 billion citizens under 40 years old.

Meanwhile, Marlene Malahoo-Forte, the member of parliament for St James West Central, where SSTC is located, also participated in the roundtable discussion. She pledged to advance the dialogue with Dr Dana Morris Dixon, minister of education, skills, youth, and information.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com