Thu | Mar 28, 2024

Wanted: Teachers of vocational, technical subjects

Papine High’s Christie calls for more attention, investment in skills-oriented subjects

Published:Thursday | September 15, 2022 | 12:06 AMAsha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
Christie
Christie

EDUCATORS AT the St Andrew-based Papine High School are advocating for greater investment in developing technical and vocational education programmes in secondary schools.

In a recent interview with The Gleaner, headmaster Leighton Christie explained that the number of students showing interest in vocational and technical subjects is increasing. However, he is challenged in finding qualified teachers of the subjects, which are geared towards skills training.

“All the children who enter grade 10 select a vocational skill ... we don’t choose for them,” he said.

“Institutions like ours [that] offer technical skills [like] carpentry, construction, electrical installation. We have some bright students in these areas and it is something that ... we may need to have a discussion with the ministry [about],” Christie continued.

“If they can foster the development of some of these children in schools like ours, in the technical areas - sponsor them, give them scholarships, take them through VTDI (Vocational Training Development Institute), HEART, and even UTech – train them well, they will go into the classroom,” he suggested as measures to fill the growing demand for vocational teachers.

The Papine High principal pointed out that training opportunities for these students outside of the high-school system does not exist. By investing in technical and vocational education programmes in secondary schools, Christie said it would boost the career development and employability of an increasing number of students who are showing interest.

“We have some bright ones ... they would want to go to university, but they can’t afford it. So let us train them, give them the scholarships, work with them, put them back in the system, because we are going to have a serious problem a little later on with technical vocation in this country,” he pleaded.

“The guy who leaves a Campion (College) and goes into technical vocation at UTech most time is not going to come into teaching. That person is going to move into other areas up the continuum,” he added.

Amelia Leverage-Ellis, the acting head of the science department at Papine High, who is also an agriculturist that teaches agricultural science, said she has found that vocational and technical education would provide the mainly male students who exhibit interest with a viable career option.

“They are ‘flooding’ vocational,” she exclaimed, noting that the school has been forced to turn down students’ requests due to the overwhelming demand from grade-niners who are selecting subjects for grades 10 and 11, particularly electrical engineering and automotive technology.

“It really is a field that is necessary, as Mr Christie says, because we don’t want to see a Vision 2030 without plumbers, electrical personnel, carpenters, or even farmers. If you ate today, thank a farmer,” she reasoned.

asha.wilks@gleanerjm.com