Aid in Action

Bringing Together Outstanding Primary Teachers

Educators from throughout the region to share best practices

Kingston, Jamaica | Wednesday, July 13, 2005

On July 18-22, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will draw together over 20 outstanding primary teachers from the Caribbean region to share their success in exemplary reading instruction.  The selected teachers for the week-long conference are top participants of the USAID-funded Caribbean Center of Excellence for Teacher Training (CETT), which inspires, empowers and equips teachers in the first three grades of primary schools to improve the teaching of reading.

The Caribbean CETT program currently works in Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and Guyana to create a network of professionals from selected primary schools, teachers colleges, and the Regional or District offices of the Ministry of Education.  The program’s long-term goals include training 5,000 teachers from 12 countries in the region.

“We are extremely proud of this program.  Local governments and their respective education ministries have adopted it as an important component of their overall education program for primary schools.  Now, we are getting requests from other counties who are willing to pay to participate in the program,” Karen Turner, Mission Director, USAID/Jamaica-Caribbean Regional Programs, said.  

The program includes training teachers in reading instruction to support improved educational achievement, including participatory educational methodologies, alternative instruments for measuring progress, and strategies for engaging parents in the educational process.  Post-tests have demonstrated that student performance rose significantly in relation to the increase in quality of instruction.

Teachers responsible for outstanding performance results were identified as exemplary teachers and will assemble for the first time next week to share best practices.  As part of the conference, each teacher will share a paper on their school environment, instructional methodology and personal reflections.

The CETT program is a Presidential Initiative announced at the 2001 Summit of the Americas, dedicated to improving child literacy throughout the Americas.  President George W. Bush stated, “We're committed to making education a centerpiece of our economic agenda, because learning and literacy are the foundations for development and democracy. Centers for teacher excellence will provide teacher training for improving literacy and basic education, both in person and over the Internet."