Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College offering new programmes

Sam Sharpe Teachers' College is expanding its undergraduate programme with the introduction of two new bachelor of education degrees, as well as a slate of short courses in September.

Principal of the institution, Ricardo Bennett, announced the enhanced offerings while addressing the valedictory ceremony for the 48th batch of graduates held recently at Calvary Baptist Church in Montego Bay. He said the new degree programmes are the bachelor of education in business studies and in computer studies, which will be offered full-time and part-time.

As it relates to the short courses, he informed that the college is set to enter a collaboration this year with the Institute for Workforce Education and Development to offer programmes in areas such as information systems, crisis management, customer service, and public speaking. Bennett said that the college will be reviewing its memorandum of understanding with the Caribbean Maritime University and the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, and will be strengthening its collaboration with other universities and colleges.

"We will see the continued development and the expansion of the Continuing Education Unit, formally Evening College, in the multimodal delivery of all programmes through face-to-face, online, synchronous and asynchronous, and the use of the hybrid model," he added.

The 2024 graduating class included 46 students who specialised in primary education, 17 who completed their four-year course of study in early-childhood education, nine in special education, and nine in school counselling. At the secondary level, three teachers specialised in biology and mathematics, six in English language and literature, and three in modern languages.

There were 16 graduates with advanced degrees in primary education, 11 in early childhood, and three with associate degrees in collaboration with the Edna Manley College.