No State funds for teacher training

 THERE is no funding for teacher education to ensure teachers are better trained and equipped, a report from the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council says.

Information for the report was gathered at an education and training sectorial committee public forum on May 1, at the National Capital District.

It was based on the presentations, comments and discussions at the forum. 

That there was no funding for teacher education came from comments made by the Secretary for Education, Dr Michael Tapo, when responding to educationist and researcher Frank Evan’s presentation on the lack of teacher training.

In the report, Tapo said the lack of funding was one of the key constraints contributing to poor performance of teachers.

“We are addressing this and we hope that in 2015 the minister and the department will provide financial support for teacher education so that they become not only subject competent but provide a holistic pathway for our children,” Tapo said in the report. 

“Ensuring that teachers know what to do, know how to teach and they know how to disseminate and they know how to check, is key to quality education.”

Tapo said the key areas to note in quality teacher education are: 

• The level of teachers’ education and their performance in teaching Grade 10 and Grade 12;  
• The amount – how many years, three or four  years like university education; and,
• Specialisation – There is no specialisation.