Students who excel in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) should be given national scholarships to further their education at institutions of higher learning.
Acting principal of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, Anthony Headley, made the suggestion Saturday during the institution’s annual graduation ceremony at the Wildey Gymnasium.
He also wants the polytechnic to be allowed to offer training at a higher level in a number of areas other than what now obtains, highlighting mechanical engineering, electrical/electronics, business studies, automotive and nursing auxillary programmes.
“We are presently engaged in collaborative talks with the BCC [Barbados Community College] with regards to the delivery of an Associate degree programme in automotive engineering,” he said.
Headley, who pointed to the interest by external international agencies to assist with funding for the development of TVET in the region added: “For the future, therefore, my call is [for] the SJPP to be given a newly legislated mandate that will not limit or restrict us in our ability or capability to deliver training at levels above that at which we are presently restricted and which satisfies a craftsman’s certificate level.”
He said that with adequate staff training and retraining the polytechnic could deliver training at the advance diploma and higher technical levels.
“My call is for a scholarship award system to be established where students who excel in TVET can benefit from the same type of national awards to pursue training in institutions of higher learning, very much like their colleagues in the secondary school system,” the SJPP acting principal stated.
The polytechnic’s chairman Desmond Browne spoke of plans to modernize its curriculum and promised that attempts would be made as outlined in the polytechnic’s 2011-2016 strategic plan to establish linkages between trades and technology.
In his presentation, featured speaker Dr Kevin Quinlan said it was important for the SJPP to find its “rightful place” in the college and university community, adding that he was “proud of the work we do in vocation-technical education and training”.
Quinlan, who is principal of the Truro campus, Nova Scotia Community College, told those gathered at the Wildey Gymnasium that “as colleges, we have to be seen as respected and honourable places to pursue an education and career, and our time has come to do just that”.
He threw out a challenge to the polytechnic to hold onto a sense of institutional pride and to position itself for the future, noting that there were opportunities for the institution in alternative energy, especially solar and wind power.
Quinlan maintained that institutions such as SJPP had a special market niche that must be valued, owned, respected, nourished and protected.
