Golden experiences, the Church Teachers’ College way

This year marks the 60 anniversary of the existence of Church Teachers’ College: Mandeville (CTC). In these 60 years, the college has exceeded its mandate to train teachers for the Jamaican education system. The college has expanded every aspect of its physical plant to accommodate the growth in the demand of new teachers in the Jamaican education system, while steadily increasing the number of graduates over these 60 years.

The quantitative increase of the college’s enrolment is accompanied by qualitative increases in the graduates entering the primary and secondary education sectors. This is evident from the examination results of the Joint Board of Teacher Education administered by The University of the West Indies, Mona campus. More importantly is the vast number of CTC graduates who went on to accomplish graduate and postgraduate studies, and subsequently transitioned to careers at the tertiary level of the education system.

I am happy to have entered the CTC teacher-training programme in 1974, where the foundation for my educational success was solidly laid. I have skilfully navigated a career as an accomplished educator from teacher to lecturer to administrator at the tertiary level in the Jamaican education system. I continued my career journey internationally and was able to make invaluable contributions to education, both at the secondary and tertiary levels. I attribute my successful career in education to the foundation received at CTC. I proudly return to the CTC campus after 50 years, along with a good representation of my batch, to celebrate our 50th reunion in July 2024.

The 50th reunion of CTC batch 10 served as an avenue to reconnect with our batchmates, reflect on our college experiences during our sojourn from 1974-1977, and to reflect on the college’s impact on our lives as individuals and as a group with respect to our successes and our societal contributions.

We were attracted to CTC for many reasons, one of which was the fact that CTC was the only teachers’ college then that offered a second course in physical education. The decision to apply to CTC and subsequent admission was to be the cornerstone of numerous, positive life-changing experiences for me, and I know many of my batchmates share this sentiment.

IMPACT

The all-round exceptional performances in the intercollegiate competitions in athletics, cricket and football were noteworthy in the 1975 and 1976 championships. Many of us emerged from CTC as fully capable coaches and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of sports in Jamaica.

One of the most important takeaways is the impact the physical education programme has on our personal lives. The incontestable knowledge that physical activity is one of the most impactful aspects of maintaining good health, thus enhancing the quality of life, was inculcated at CTC and became a hallmark of many CTC graduates.

The focus on the academic aspects of our training at CTC has impacted the educational careers of many graduates, and batch 10 is no exception. Among us are those who quickly rose through the ranks and became administrators at all levels of the Jamaican education system, while rising to the top echelons of academia and academic achievements.

Our return therefore to CTC for our 50th anniversary reunion goes beyond reacquaintances and to celebrate the foundation laid in our lives for the successes we enjoyed in our personal lives and our invaluable contributions to society.