The Premier made this announcement during his budget speech yesterday and said it will be among a number of other educational programmes for the sector, some of which were hampered by COVID-19 this year.

Premier Fahie said the Institute will have responsibility for teacher training at various levels to include new teachers. It will also offer professional development for teachers and administrators at the ministry and school levels, in addition to a teacher licensing programme.

According to the Premier, the Institute will be in place by September 2022.

He said professional development sessions on the creation of and use of online assessments, differentiated instructions, and online lesson planning and versatility in the use of the various online platforms were conducted during 2021.

Such efforts, he said, will continue next year to further strengthen the teaching and learning process and student outcomes.

More math and literacy programmess coming

Premier Fahie said the Ministry of Education expanded its Reading Literacy Programme to Grade 4 in September 2020 and to Grade 5 in September 2021 and promised that by September 2022 grades 6 and 7 will be also be added to the programme.

By September 2022 the review and adjustment of the early childhood programme for grades ‘K’ and ‘1’ should be completed to include more scheduled language and math literacy and the integration of science and social studies concepts into the language and math lessons, the Premier promised.

The Minister for Education, Dr Natalio Wheatley will elaborate on these and other works regarding education at a later time.