Authority,
Structure and Functions of the Joint Board of Teacher Education
A Joint Board of Teacher Education is a statutory board of
the University of the West Indies. According to Ordinance 14 (Sections
4a & e) of the University statutes, a Joint Board may be
established by the Vice-Chancellor in consultation with the governments
of any country or group of countries, for a country or group of
countries, Currently there are two Joint Boards of Teacher Education:
the JBTE based at the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies,
which
serves Jamaica, the Bahamas, Belize and Turks and Caicos Islands in the
Western Caribbean; and the more recently founded JBTE based at the Cave
Hill campus in Barbados, which serves the Eastern Caribbean.
The Caribbean Region
The Joint Board of Teacher
Education (JBTE) at Mona is a unique association in which the following
are partners in all the decision-making processes involved in the
certification of teachers and the development of teacher
education and accreditation: The University of the West Indies; the
governments of Jamaica, the Bahamas, Belize and Turks and Caicos Islands
(through their Ministries of Education); the teachers' colleges; and the
teaching profession.
In
accordance with University Ordinance 14.4 Section (e), each Joint Board
has the following functions:
• To consider and recommend or approve the syllabuses of
teachers' colleges
• To examine and assess the work of students in training
• To make recommendations on teacher training and allied matters to the
appropriate authorities
• The certification of teachers
The work
of the Joint Board is administered by a secretariat headed by a senior
University administrator. The examinations process is managed by
the Institute of Education (IOE) through the secretariat of the JBTE,
which is part of the IOE.
Teachers' Colleges
In Jamaica, the JBTE
membership includes 12 institutions training teachers at pre-university
level for early childhood, primary and secondary schools. There are also
programmes in special education and literacy studies. Some of these
colleges are fully government owned and operated institutions, some
belong to various churches, and one is the beneficiary of a private
trust.
The JBTE's relationship
with Belize goes back to 1965 with the founding of the Belize Teachers'
College, which became the Faculty of Education when the University of
Belize was established in 2001. In Belize the JBTE provides quality
assurance services to the programme offered by the University of Belize
and accredits the Associate Degrees in Primary Education offered by St.
John's College.
Since its inception in
1974, the College of The Bahamas has been a member of the JBTE. Before
that there were two small colleges training teachers; these became part
of the Institute Board of Teacher Training in 1965.
The Turks and Caicos
Islands Community College (TCICC) is the newest member of the JBTE in
the Western Caribbean. Since 2004 the JBTE has been providing guidance
to that institution in developing an Associate Degree in Primary
Education, which had its first intake of students in September 2004. The
programme will carry JBTE accreditation.
The Teachers' College and Caribbean Society
The colleges have always
been conscious of their role in the society and have endeavoured to
produce teachers who become nation builders and community leaders. They
have produced individuals who are confident, committed, competent, and
knowledgeable. Their graduates have served as role models to countless
generations and as change agents in their communities and at national
level. Teachers' college graduates are now to be found in
high positions in every walk of life.
Teachers' colleges have
changed with the changing times. As they have matured under gifted and
committed leadership, their contribution to teacher education has
assumed even greater significance. Standards have risen, as have entry
requirements for the students. The colleges have accepted the challenges
posed by the present century with confidence and determination, and
their philosophy reflects the changing nature of knowledge
and of the society in which they are situated. The colleges are the
significant partners in the JBTE partnership.
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Joint
Board of Teacher Education
MONA
