LECTURERS at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College in Montego Bay are undergoing training in international shipping and logistics in order to equip themselves to train teachers in this subject ahead of its introduction to schools by the Caribbean Examinations Council next year.

Fourteen faculty members from the college are enrolled in a post-graduate diploma programme in international shipping and logistics being delivered by the Caribbean Maritime Institute over the summers of 2014 and 2015. Principal of the college Dr Asburn Pinnock said the programme will help to re-tool and sharpen the skills of the lecturers who are from diverse disciplines.

Dr Pinnock noted that Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College was the only teacher-training institution in the Caribbean preparing itself to train teachers in the area of international shipping and logistics. He said this would help the college to diversify its offering to in-service and pre-service teachers and help them to become more marketable.

“We are responding in a meaningful way to the challenges in society and have decided to train a new type of teacher for this era who can be called to serve in many capacities while not compromising the teacher-training component,” explained Dr Pinnock. He added that teachers have always been employed and function effectively in many sectors with the existing training they received.

Pointing to several existing port facilities in northern Jamaica, along with the impending international logistics hub, Dr Pinnock said Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College was providing students with dual training either as teachers or as potential workers in the maritime sector.

He said the partnership with the Caribbean Maritime Institute is one of many initiatives being pursued by Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College to achieve its vision of a new teacher to fit a new era. The college will also partner with the institute to offer as many of their courses as are needed in western Jamaica.

“We are not moving away from teacher education; we are diversifying and improving while we provide training and opportunities outside of our area,” explained Dr Pinnock. “We are inviting in-service teachers with diplomas and degrees to come in and re-tool.”