Secondary teachers receive further training in design and technology |03 September 2019
Mr Alcindor speaking to the teachers who are following the training
A group of secondary teachers who teach design and technology have embarked on a short course training on auto-computer aided design in order to better teach the components to their students.
The five-day training officially kicked off yesterday and is expected to come to a close on Friday September 6.
Auto-computer aided design (Cad) is a drawing or modeling tool using computer and is heavily used in the fields of engineering, architecture, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, petrochemical engineering, factories, computer designing and interior design.
Secondary students who sit Design and Technology IGCSE have to understand the benefits of Cad when designing and manufacturing one-off or batch production and how Cad can be used to generate 2D and 3D images.
The first batch of secondary students is expected to sit for the IGCSE Design and Technology later this year during the October/ November Cambridge IGCSE exam, and hence it is crucial for them to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in regards to Cad in order to perform well.
Therefore the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development has to train teachers to meet these standards and remain abreast with the changes, Jean Alcindor, director general for technical and vocational education and training (Tvet) and entrepreneurship in the education department stated.
“The Ministry for Education and Human Resource Development recently introduced IGCSE Design and Technology but we found that although the teachers have been trained in design and tech, the field continuously evolves,” Mr Alcindor noted.
“We need to build their competences so that they can better deliver to our students who will be able to use the software to create their designs, plan their projects and learn how to translate their creativity into something tangible.”
Around 75% of the secondary design and tech teachers hold Bachelor of Education in design and technology whilst the rest have diplomas relating to design and technology.
Meanwhile, the Tvet division is working in partnership with the Seychelles Qualifications Authority to identify the demands being made on the teachers to ensure that the division keeps providing the necessary training through a training plan
“We are also looking to train them further in regionally or internationally; those who do not have a Bachelor of Education in design and technology. There are some teachers currently studying at the University of Botswana and we will continue to do so,” Mr Alcindor stated.