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Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College to formally host western campus of CMU

Published:Wednesday | December 14, 2022 | 1:14 AM
Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) president, Professor Andrew Spencer (second left, seated), and principal of Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College (SSTC), Dr Lorna Gow-Morrison (second right, seated), sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for SSTC to formal
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Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) president, Professor Andrew Spencer (second left, seated), and principal of Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College (SSTC), Dr Lorna Gow-Morrison (second right, seated), sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for SSTC to formally accommodate the western campus of the CMU. The signing took place at the college on December 8. Also participating in the signing (from left) are Vice Principal, Administration and Registrar, CMU, Keisha Walker, and chairman, Board of Governors, SSTC, Norman Reid.

Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College in St James has formally accommodated the western campus of the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU).

This was made official on December 8 with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between both institutions after a partnership of eight years.

The agreement, signed at the college, comes in the wake of Professor Andrew Spencer assuming presidency of the CMU.

Chairman of the college’s board of governors, Norman Reid, hailed the signing as “a significant milestone in the life of the college”.

Reid said the MOU paved the way for the university to seriously look at establishing its permanent western campus on the grounds of the teachers’ college, thereby cementing the existence of having two institutions on one campus. He pointed out that Sam Sharpe has capacity for 250 CMU students and a survey is to be carried out shortly to determine how the space at the college is being utilised and the scope for expansion and accommodation of the university.

“Professor Spencer has been at this job for 13 weeks and what has been achieved [during that time] is something that we have been trying to [accomplish since] September 2015,” Reid said.

“Some of the sticky points that appeared to have been creating a gulf in the partnership had been ironed out without any hassle,” he added.

Meanwhile, CMU Western Campus Coordinator Tracey Thakur-Holness said it has been a long journey from 2015 when the partnership started.

“We have grown significantly. We started with 18 students and today we are at over 120. We have had a very interesting and a very meaningful partnership, in particular among our students,” she said.

For his part, Professor Spencer said a lot of work went into the process, and “what I am witnessing today is a very momentous occasion, because when we say two institutions, one campus, what we are saying is that there is a synergy and a symbiosis: there’s an exchange that’s going to be reciprocal”.

“It means that Sam Sharpe has access to my 300-plus team members and I have access to Sam Sharpe’s over 100 team members,” he added.